First Steps Off the Ferry at Ellis Island: The Processing Sequence

Disembarking at Ellis Island, immigrants followed a defined path:

1. Baggage Room (ground floor): Deposit luggage, claim tickets, currency exchange, information desk.
2. Stairway to Great Hall: The climb itself was the first medical test—doctors watched for breathing difficulty, limping, weakness.
3. Registry Room (Great Hall): Clerks verified manifest data; each person received an inspection card.
4. Medical Inspection Line: "Six-second scan" by USPHS surgeons. Chalk marks: E (eyes), H (heart), L (lungs), X (mental), etc.
5. Legal Inspection: Inspector at desk asked 29 questions; decided admissibility.
6. Outcome: Admit → ferry ticket; Detain → dorm/hospital; Exclude → hearing → deport.

The Great Hall's vaulted ceiling echoed with dozens of languages, fear, and hope.