-
Period: to
Ellis island as a site for the pirates and criminals
during the 19th century immigrants mostly came from Ireland, Germany and the Scandinavian countries, by the end of the century more and more people were arriving from southern and eastern Europe. These included Jews escaping from political and economic oppression in Russia and eastern Europe and Italians escaping poverty in their country, but also Hungarians, Poles, Czechs, Serbs, Greeks, Turks, Arabs and Armenians. -
The island became property of the government
The island became the property of the US government in 1808 -
The first immigrant
The first immigrant was Annie Moore, a 15 years old Irish girl. -
Period: to
Immigration station
Between 1892 and 1954 Ellis Island was the busiest immigration station in the United States -
Ellis Island closed the port
In 1954 the US government finally closed down the immigration inspection port at Ellis Island. -
Ellis island opened for tours
After two decades of disuse, Ellis island opened up for tours in 1976. Following some major restoration work, the island today stands as a symbol of America's immigrant heritage that attracts over 2 million visitors a year.