Why was Ellis Island abandoned?

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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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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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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Annie Moore was the first immigrant who walked through the doors when Ellis Island opened more than 130 years ago. These days, there are statues of her in Ireland and at the historic US site.

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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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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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