Interesting facts about Ellis Island
Ellis Island is renowned for United States immigration. It is a big loss if you do not visit the island when you come to New York City. Here are some very interesting facts about Ellis Island to help you know better about it.
Ellis Island is famous as the place for the ships bringing immigrants to land and immigrants needed to get the island, complete the administratively immigrating procedures before entering the United States.
Located off the tip of Manhattan, the island covers an area of 27.5 acres right in the center of a harbor. Small Ellis Island used to serve as a fort in 1812. And then, it was turned into an administratively immigrating center by the United States Federal Government. The reason for this turn can be the Statue of Liberty, the symbol of freedom for anyone who passes her way, is visible from Ellis Island.
In the past, New York City emerged as the most attractive metropolis of the United States in terms of immigration, business opportunities, etc. Over the span of over half of a century from 1892 to 1954, the reason people flock to NY to seek a better and freer life. It is estimated that four out of ten every people in America has at least one family member who comes through Ellis Island.
Interesting facts about Ellis Island: there is a museum on the island to show the history of the island itself. Due to being the immigration processing station, immigration plays a major role in island history.
Strange facts about Ellis Island: in spite of being the main feature of New York City, 80% of the island’s structure is located in New Jersey.
Before coming up with its current name, the island was called Oyster Island, Island of Tears and Island of Hope, whereas the Native Americans called it Gull Island, according to interesting facts about Ellis Island.
The name of the island was after Samuel Ellis, the owner of a tavern which used to operate on the island. After the man’s death, the island’s heirs sold it to the New York Government.
The first person who stepped on newly constructed Ellis Island was Irish 15-year-old Annie Moore. On January 1, 1892, a ship carrying a load of Irish Immigrants landed at Ellis Island, and the young girl has gifted a gold coin, equal to 10 dollars, for being the first one to come to the island. She and her younger brothers spent 12 days floating on the sea to join her parents who had already been living comfortably in New York City. Interesting facts about Ellis Island: there is a status which depicts Annie and her siblings in her first arrival standing at the Ellis Island Museum.
Over the span of 62 years serving as an immigration station, Ellis Island welcomed more than 12 million immigrants. In 1907, the island witnessed almost 12,000 people pass through in a single day.
The island’s area once was only 3.3 acres when being transferred to the New York government. But at that time, the city was constructing the New York City Subway System, all the rocks and dirt removed from the ground where was supposed to create the tunnels that were dumped on the island. That is why the size increased like the size today.
