Who owns Ellis Island New York?

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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Ellis dies in 1794, and in 1808 New York State buys the island for $10,000. The U.S. War Department pays the state for the right to use Ellis Island to build military fortifications and store ammunition, beginning during the War of 1812.

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Visitors can tour the Main Building of the former immigration complex, which is now home to the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. A world class experience, the Museum is home to an evocative series of exhibits and houses an amazing collections of artifacts from America's history.

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In 1998, the Supreme Court ruled in New Jersey v. New York that most of historic Ellis Island – approximately 83 percent of it – is actually in New Jersey.

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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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Immigrants have come to New York for many reasons: to escape persecution, to improve their economic outlook, and to build new lives. This exhibit focuses on historic immigration to New York State from 1650 to 1950. Our story begins with the arrival of Dutch settlers and continues through the end of the World Wars.

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Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty are only accessible by ferry.

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Historic Immigration Station From 1892 to 1924, Ellis Island was America's largest and most active immigration station, where over 12 million immigrants were processed. On average, the inspection process took approximately 3-7 hours.

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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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