Early History
What year did Ellis Island open as an immigrant processing station?
1892
62 years after 1892, how many immigrants passed through Ellis Island?
12 Million
Who was the last person to be released from Ellis Island before it closed?
Arne Peterssen
What was the busiest year at Ellis Island, with over one million immigrants processed?
1907
Ellis Island was named for who?
Samuel Ellis
Which type of ship passengers were typically spared the Ellis Island inspection process?
First and second class passengers
What were passengers being inspected for at Ellis Island?
Medical conditions, legal status, and financial stability to determine if they were likely to become a public charge.
What nationality was Arne Peterssen, the last detainee on Ellis Island?
Norwegian
How many immigrants passed through Ellis Island in its busiest year?
Over one million
What can you look up at Ellis Island?
Your ancestors
What was the name of the first immigrant processed at Ellis Island?
Answer: Annie Moore
Name one of the great steamship companies that transported immigrants to the United States.
White Star, Red Star, Cunard, Holland America, or Hamburg-America Lines
In what month and year did Ellis Island officially close?
November 1954
During what period did mass migration to the U.S. peak?
1880 to 1924
Ellis Island straddles what two states?
New Jersey and New York
What major event destroyed the original wooden immigration station in 1897?
A fire
Why were first and second class passengers generally not required to undergo the full inspection process at Ellis Island?
It was assumed they were affluent and less likely to become a public charge due to medical or legal reasons.
True or False: Ellis Island remained open after World War II for training purposes.
False
Immigration officials mistakenly believed that immigration had decreased by what year?
Early 1920s
What famous New Yorker worked at Ellis Island before becoming mayor?
Fiorello LaGuardia
The Ellis Island inspection process lasted how long?
What exceptions required first and second class passengers to go through the inspection process at Ellis Island?
Illness or legal issues
The United States Coast Guard established a base, training how many Coast Guard members on Ellis Island?
60,000
What year was Ellis Island closed in?
1954
Ellis Island has grown more than __% in size.
800%