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Ellis Island was sold to New York State from the heirs of Samuel Ellis, from which it receives its name. It was sold ofr $10,000.
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Congress appoints Ellis Island as the first Federal Immigration station
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Ellis Island Immigration Station officially opened and Annie Moore was the first immigrant to cross through the gates!
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During WWI, German crew members of ships in the New York Harbor were held captive in Ellis Island throughout the war.
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This Act limited immigration to American, ending the period of mass immigration. Due to less use and less care, the conditions of the buildings at Ellis Island began to deteriorate.
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Over 50,000 people visited the historic site in its first year of being opened to guided tours for the public.
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The Ellis Island Immigration Museum was officially opened for public enjoyment! Well over 20 million visitors have passed through the museum to soak in the history!
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As of May 1998, New Jersey had control of the majority of Ellis Island. However, this portion of Ellis Island was simply a landfill. The Immigration Station and its buildings belonged to New York. After years of dispute, the US Supreme Court settled this disagreement.
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Ellis Island visitors could now search through the millions of passenger records in hopes of tracing their family histories through Ellis Island.
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Opening with a tribute to the Titanic, the Ellis Island Family Heritage Awards honored three people for their contributions for Ellis Island's "Nation of Immigrants". Tony La Russa, Richard Meier, and Angela Lansbury were the honorees.
