THE GATEWAY TO AMERICA Take a look at the history of Ellis Island and its impact on Pennsylvania

THE GATEWAY TO AMERICA

Jan. 1 — Ellis Island day

Whether you live in Illinois, Florida, Iowa or Pennsylvania, four out of every ten people, across the nation, have ancestors who entered the United States through Ellis Island.

During the 1760s, Ellis Island was known as Gibbet Island. It was famous as the place where convicted pirates were hung.

Before 1890, U.S. immigration was regulated by each state. Pennsylvania’s port of entry at that time was Philadelphia.

According to history.com, Europe in the 1800s was experiencing “political instability, economic distress, and religious persecution — all of which fueled the largest mass human migration in the history of the world.” Smaller immigration centers like those in Philadelphia and New York couldn’t handle the influx of immigrants so the Federal government created a new immigration station on Ellis Island.

On Jan. 1, 1892, a young Irish woman named Annie Moore was the first immigrant processed at Ellis Island

Over the next 62 years, more than 12 million immigrants would arrive in the U.S. through the grand hall at Ellis Island. However, after 1924, the only people brought were those who had paperwork problems, war refugees and displaced persons needing assistance. Around that time, U.S. embassies were established around the world and the immigration process began there. However, after World Wars I and II, prisoners of war were also housed on Ellis Island.

In November 1954, the last remaining detainee was released and Ellis Island was officially closed by the U.S. government. Although the buildings were deteriorating badly, the island was reopened in 1976. With the approaching 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty in 1986 and Ellis Island in 1992, President Ronald Reagan asked Lee Iacocca, Chairman of Chrysler Corporation, to head a private fundraising effort to restore both landmarks. Americans responded to the request with generosity and hundreds of millions of dollars were raised.

Ellis Island was reopened in 1990 — two years ahead of time. Today, visitors arrive at the island and enter through the beautifully restored Great Hall — where many of our Pennsylvania ancestors entered the United States a hundred years ago.

A trip to the Statue of Liberty and the “Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration” should be on every Pennsylvanian’s Bucket List since more than 40% of those of us who live in the Keystone State have an ancestor who first stepped on American soil at Ellis Island. Sources: Statueofliberty.org and History.com