Looking back on USA - Ellis Island

America is the country of emigrants. But can you say, what was the first piece of land the newcomers stepped on when they arrived by steamers or big ocean vessels?

No, it was not Hudson Bay or something coastal. Until 1954, it was Ellis Island where the federal immigration station was located. It was opened in 1892 and since then the station processed over 12 million immigrant steamship passengers. The main building, which you can see in the photos, was restored and opened as a museum in 1990. Ellis Island and another famous Island of Liberty, where the Statue is located, form one of the most famous tourist attractions of NY.

Today, over 40 percent of America's population can find their ancestors through Ellis Island and its registers. On Ellis Island emigrants were put under medical check up for infectious and incurable diseases. Only if they managed to go through this ordeal (don’t forget that many of them were terminally ill or infected) they were able to enter America. And now look at the famous sculpture: ‘Emigrants’ and you can imagine the overwhelming feelings those people experienced after all this.