Genealogy Pointers

When you hear the name “Ellis Island,” most people think of the millions of immigrants that pasted through. Coming from all walks of life to a land they have never seen before. Coming from cramped, unsanitary conditions during their Atlantic voyage, to long lines and dreaded medical inspection, Ellis Island was their “Isle of Hope.” But most people do not know the long historical journey the island had before the first immigrant could pass through its gates.

Ellis Island was known by several names before it was finally called Ellis Island. The Mohegan tribe called it Gull Island in the early 1600’s. The island consisted of two to three acres and during high tide; the island could scarcely be seen. The Dutch discovered its rich oyster beds in 1628 and renamed it Oyster Island. In 1728, Anderson the Pirate was hanged and the island was renamed again. It was called Gibbet Island after the instrument used to hang him. Finally, Samuel Ellis purchased the property on January 20, 1785, and gave it his name, which it has been called ever since.

After the property was passed down through several of Samuel Ellis’s descendents, the island was bought by the state of New York. Then sold to the federal government in 1808 for ten thousand dollars. During the years of 1812 to 1814, Fort Gibson was erected but was dismantled by the government in 1861. The United States Navy, in 1876, used the island for a munitions depot, storing 260,000 pounds of powder. In 1890, the depot was removed, because of complaints from nearby New Jersey residents. In this same year, the House Committee of Immigration chose Ellis Island as the new site for a new immigrant screening station. The original station at Castle Garden could no longer handle the large flow of immigrants.

The island had to be increased to 3.3 acres by means of landfill and a ferry slip to handle the new facility. During the next two years the island was enlarged to 14 acres to handle the immigration depot and other building. In 1892, Ellis Island was ready for business.

On opening day the first immigrant to pass through was Annie Moore, a fifteen-year-old girl. Col. John B. Weber presented her with a ten dollar gold piece, which she never parted with.

The registry room was the most impressive room. It measured 200 feet by 100 feet and has a vaulted ceiling. Divided by iron bars were 12 narrow aisles that channeled the new arrivals to be examined by doctors at the front of the room. The building had its problems, leaking roof, doors that were not on hinges, wouldn’t close properly and sometimes would fall off.

In 1882, the Chairman of a joint House-Senate investigating committee, to survey the condition of the reception hall, hired two architects. They reported that “The main building was constructed badly, the materials were bad, and the foundation insecure particularly that portion resting on wood piles and could not possibly last more than ten years, probably not more than 5, and the leaky roof was weak and to flat.” Also it was possible that heavy rain or snow could collapse the roof, and there was no flooring in the basement. The surveyors estimated that it would cost $150,000 to complete the repairs. After this leaked to the media, several people involved with the construction of the building resigned their positions.

In 1895, another architect was sent to inspect the building. He reported that the roof was in good condition and was not in need of repairs. This angered Ellis Island employees and officials. Leaky roofs and the fear that it might collaps in the winter constantly plagued them.

This wasn’t the only problem Ellis Island had. There were stricter inspection policies that slowed the inspection process and due to the amount of new arrivals there wasn’t adequate living space. Finally, in 1897, a 250-bed dormitory was to be added.

Before this dormitory could be built, a kitchen fire broke out on June 15, 1897, burning everything to the ground except the surgeon’s quarters, the engine house, and the electric light and steam plant. There were 200 immigrants on the island at the time of the fire but no one was injured or burnt. By dawn the next morning, there was hardly a trace of the station left.

The island was forced to shut down and plans were drawn up for a new building. On December 17, 1900, the doors were open again to immigrants to pass through. The building’s architectural design was in likeness to train stations because they were accustomed to dealing with thousands of people and cargo in a single day. It was recorded that 6,500 immigrants, each receiving some individual attention, entered, passed, and cleared through the gates in nine hours.

Ellis Island in 1898 was expanded to 17 acres while a second island was built by dumping rock and earth taken from the subway tunnels and the Grand Central Station excavation. From 1905 to 1906, a third island was built using the same method as Island 2; Island 3 measured five acres and included a wooden bridge connecting to Island 2. The total cost of the 2 new islands, new Immigrant Station, additional dormitories, hospitals, kitchens, a baggage station, an electrical plant, a bathhouse, and the hiring of all personal, the total cost reached $500,000.

Immigration through Ellis Island began to decrees slowly because of harsher and harsher legislation. In 1954, Ellis Island was shut down by the Immigration Services and transferred back to Manhattan.

As of the closing of Ellis Island in 1954, over 12 million immigrant steamship passengers pass through. The main building was restored after 30 years of abandonment and opened as a museum of September 10, 1990.