Ellis Island

Ellis Island, now a museum located in New York Harbor[?], was at one time the main immigration port for immigrants entering the United States in the late 19th and early 20th century. Some were sent back for reasons including chronic disease but most were allowed in. Many of these immigrants settled in New York for at least for at least the first few years in America. The port opened on January 1, 1892 and was closed in 1952 but not before processing more than 12 million immigrants.

Ellis Island is also known as a place where people changed their names. If the immigration officer couldn't spell the original name, they'd come up with an approximation, or something shorter or simpler. This was especially common when the newcomer couldn't read and write English.

Ellis Island now houses a museum, reachable by ferry from the southern tip of Manhattan (New York City).

External Links

• Ellis Island web site (http://www.ellisisland.org/)
• Ellis Island timeline (http://www.ellisisland.com/timeline)