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Pre 1630
The Island was called Kioshk, or Gull Island by the native tribes in the area because of the birds that inhabited it. The surrounding water was an important source of food for the tribes as they (and the gulls) fished there. -
Samuel Ellis
Samuel Ellis owned the island as private land during the later 18th century. He had a bar for fishermen. -
US Government Purchase
The state of New York and eventually the US Federal Government purchased the island from the Ellis heirs. -
Immigration Center
When the states decided to let the federal government be in charge of immigration, the US Congress designated funding for the first immigration center to be built on Ellis Island. -
First Immigrants
Annie Moore, a young Irish woman, is the first immigrant to be processed at Ellis Island. -
Fire
A fire destroyed large sections of the immigration center, although there were no human deaths. Ellis Island had to be reconstructed while immigration processing was moved to a different part of the island. -
Quota Law
The first immigration quota law was passed designating how many immigrants from which countries would be let in each year.
