The Ellis Island Immigrant Museum offers visitors a chance to see what coming to America meant through film, archives, photos, recordings and the aura of the Great Hall. Don't miss the Immigrant Wall of Honor, a circular monument containing 200,000 names commemorated by their ancestors.

Elis Island History

Ellis Island is located at the mouth of the Hudson River in New York Harbor just off the shores of Manhattan, New York City and Jersey City, New Jersey. It is managed by the National Park Service as part of Statue of Liberty National Monument and in 1965 was proclaimed as a national monument. The history of Ellis Island New York is a rich one. It is estimated that more than one-quarter of all Americans can trace their roots back to someone in their family who passed through Ellis Island.

Newly-arrived immigrants were screened for health and tested for mental problems, physical problems and other illnesses. Wealthy immigrants that traveled first class and second class were awarded automatic entry into the United States. Those who did not travel first or second class had to pass a 6-second physical examination. Those with visible health problems or diseases were sent home or held in the island's hospital facilities for long periods of time. They were then asked 29 questions including name, occupation, and the amount of money they carried with them. In general, immigrants who were approved spent from 3 to 5 hours at Ellis Island… however, more than three thousand would-be immigrants died on Ellis Island while being held in the hospital facilities. Some immigrants, mainly the "unskilled workers", were rejected outright because they were considered "likely to become a public charge." About 2 percent were denied admission to the U.S. and sent back to their countries of origin for reasons such as disease, criminal background, or insanity.

Ellis Island was largely artificially created through from landfill and has an official land area of 129,619 sq. meters, or 32 acres, more than 83% of which lies in the city of Jersey City. The natural portion of the island, lying in New York City is 21,458 sq. meters (5.3 acres), and is completely surrounded by the landfill portion.

Immigrants arrive at Ellis Island 7/24/1903