Ellis Island

Ellis Island Timeline

pre1855-  Immigration is the responsibility of the state.  

1855-  Castle Garden, NY is used for the influx of immigrants.  

1890-  Castle Garden ceases processing immigrants.  

1890-  The U.S. Government selects Ellis Island as the Federal Immigration Center for New York.  

1892-  The Ellis Island Immigration Center opens.  

1897-  Fire destroys the original buildings on Ellis Island.  

1900-  Ellis Island Immigration Center re-opens, in the building that still exists to this day.  

1924-  The National Origins Act dramatically reduces immigration flow.  

1954-  Ellis Island Immigration Center closes.  

1986-  Ellis Island's main building is restored. (The largest historic restoration in the country's history)  

1990-  Ellis Island Immigration Museum opens  

2001-  The American Family Immigration History Center launches the Ellis Island Database (EIDB) making some 22 million immigration records from 1892-1924

available for free searching at EllisIslandRecords.org.