Why Was Ellis Island Built?
Ellis Island is a small Island situated in the New York City harbor. Samuel Ellis was a private owner of this island in 1770s. Earlier it was called as Oyster Island. Later the federal Government bought it from New York State in the year 1808. It was converted as a part of main defense system in the new harbor. The main building in this Island was modified after so many years of its archaic condition. The building was made as a Museum and was inaugurated on 10th of September in the year 1990. There were many people who got immigrated to United States through Ellis Island. It can be said that almost every American has one of their ancestors from Ellis Island. Ellis Island was built gradually since many years.
Initially the size of the island naturally was 3.3 acres. Eventually, there was land filling done from 1890 to 1892. This land extension was done to build a novel immigration station at this island. After the main building was modified and opened in 1900, the existing land was extended to the left side of the ferry slip. This land filling was basically done as a part of the unearthing carried out to build New York City subway tunnels. The extended land was utilized for constructing hospitals for giving medical help to the immigrants.
Most of the land to the left of the ferry slip that comprise of the ongoing construction work is not accessible to the public. From the year 1892 till 1954, about twelve million people have immigrated to United States through Ellis Island. This island is situated in the upper bay off the New Jersey coast. In few years this gateway was kept on enhancing in its size from the initial 3.3 acres to 27.5 acres due to the extra earth available from the new construction of New York subway system.
Before 1890, individual States were managing the immigration into the US through them. Later federal government has taken over the process in all the States and built an immigration center at Ellis Island in 1892. This is how Ellis Island was improvised.
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