What did Ellis Island used to be?

Ellis Island is a historical site that opened in 1892 as an immigration station, a purpose it served for more than 60 years until it closed in 1954. Located at the mouth of Hudson River between New York and New Jersey, Ellis Island saw millions of newly arrived immigrants pass through its doors.



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Ellis Island itself has a curious history. It was originally a rocky mud bank just above low water in the tidal flats that dominated the western edge of the Upper Bay of New York Harbor. A 4-acre paradise of oysters, it would eventually grow to 27.5 acres via landfill.

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The hospitals of Ellis Island were shuttered in 1930 as immigration slowed, and they were abandoned in 1954. They remained derelict for many years, falling into greater and greater disrepair. In 1999, the nonprofit Save Ellis Island began to work on reopening some of the buildings.

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Ellis Island
  • Location: New York Harbor.
  • Immigrants processed: 19 million.
  • Number rejected: 1.2 million.
  • Percentage rejected: 6%
  • Average length of stay: 1 day.


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Fact Sheet: Ellis Island - Statue of Liberty NM
  • Welcomed Immigrants from Around the World.
  • Established: May 11, 1965 as part of Statue of Liberty.
  • Location: Mouth of the Hudson River, New York Harbor, Ellis Island.
  • Overview: Opened on January 1, 1892, Ellis Island became the nation's premier federal immigration station.


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Meanwhile, nearly half of all immigrants who arrived in 1907 spoke no English at all. Today's immigrants are much more skilled compared to their 1907 counterparts.

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Since a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 1998, Ellis Island, which is federal property, belongs within the territorial jurisdiction of both New York and New Jersey depending upon where you are.

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