Photos and Text from this page taken Millions of Americans have
made the United States the most multicultural nation in the
world. From the time Ellis Island opened in upper New York
harbor near the Statue of Liberty in 1892 to the time it closed
in 1954, it served as the portal for the vast majority of new
immigrants. - Ellis Island was the principal federal immigration
station in the United States from 1892 to 1954. More than 12
million immigrants were processed here. Over time, the
immigration station spread over 3 connected islands with
numerous structures including a hospital and contagious disease
wards. It is estimated that over 40 percent of all citizens can
trace their ancestry to those who came through Ellis Island. In
its early years, when the greatest number of immigrants entered
the country, Ellis Island mirrored the nation's generous
attitude and open door policy. After passage of immigration laws
in the 1920s, it was used more for "assembly, detainment, and
deporting aliens," and symbolized a c