Ellis Island
Transportation: Ferries depart from Battery Park every 30 minutes, from 9:30am - 3:30pm during the summer months (winter hours vary)
Phone: (212) 363-7620 or (212) 269-5755
Hours: July to August: 9:30am - 6:00pm daily; September to June: 9:30am - 5:00pm daily; Closed December 25
Purchase
Purchase tickets for Ellis Island Tours
During the period from 1892 to 1954, nearly twelve million people entered the United States through the gates at Ellis Island. Forty percent of the population of America can trace their roots to an ancestor who passed through Ellis Island. In fact, at least seventy percent of all immigrants who came to America came through the New York port.
Ellis Island came into being as a result of the U.S. Government's attempt to regulate the flow of the huge waves of immigrants coming to America's shores. Federal law determined immigrants' citizenship eligibility. As many as 5,000 people a day were checked, questioned and sent to their destination. For most people, the process took approximately 3 to 5 hours. For the unfortunate two percent, it was a grief-stricken return trip home. First and second-class passengers on many ships were processed on board, but third class and steerage were transported to Ellis Island. Once at Ellis Island, immigrants underwent medical and legal examinations at the main building.
