On This Day

Ellis Island Historical Site opens on Ellis Island, New York City

Ellis Island is an island in New York Harbor, within the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. Owned by the U.S.

Ellis Island is an island in New York Harbor, within the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. Owned by the U.S. government, Ellis Island was once the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the United States. From 1892 to 1954, about 12 million immigrants arriving at the Port of New York and New Jersey were processed there; according to one estimate, two-fifths of Americans may be descended from these immigrants. It has been part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument since 1965 and is accessible to the public only by ferry.

Historical Significance

Ellis Island is an island in New York Harbor, within the U.

Events Before

  1. Fall of the Berlin Wall

    The Berlin Wall falls as East Germany opens its borders, symbolizing the end of the Cold War and the beginning of German reunification.

  2. Year of the Young Reader begins

    Batman Begins is a 2005 superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman. Directed by Christopher Nolan, who co-wrote the screenplay with David S.

  3. British comedy sketch series "A Bit of Fry and Laurie", starring Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, debuts on BBC1

    A Bit of Fry & Laurie is a British sketch comedy television series written by and starring former Cambridge Footlights members Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, broadcast on both BBC1 and BBC2 between…

  4. Poland's communist government begins "Round Table" talks with the Solidarity trade union and its leader Lech Wałęsa in a

    Poland's communist government begins "Round Table" talks with the Solidarity trade union and its leader Lech Wałęsa in an attempt to ease growing social unrest

  5. NBA power forward Charles Barkley (26) weds legal aide Maureen Blumhardt in Elkton, Maryland

    NBA power forward Charles Barkley (26) weds legal aide Maureen Blumhardt in Elkton, Maryland

Events After

  1. Peter Burling is born

    Peter Burling, New Zealand athlete, known for new zealand sailor, was born on 1991-01-01. Peter Burling is a New Zealand sailor.

  2. 5% sales tax on consumer goods and services goes into effect in the USSR

    The history of the United States from 1980 until 1991 includes the last year of the Jimmy Carter presidency, eight years of the Ronald Reagan administration, and the first three years of the George...

  3. Baseball officially bans Pete Rose from being elected to the Hall of Fame for betting on baseball

    Peter Edward Rose Sr. (April 14, 1941 – September 30, 2024), nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", was an American professional baseball player and manager.

  4. Operation Desert Storm begins, with US-led coalition forces bombing Iraq, during the Gulf War

    The Gulf War was an armed conflict between Iraq and a 42-country coalition led by the United States.

  5. CBS News correspondent Bob Simon and four TV crew members are captured and held for 40 days by Iraqi forces during the G

    CBS News correspondent Bob Simon and four TV crew members are captured and held for 40 days by Iraqi forces during the Gulf War

More from the 1990s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on September 8, 1990?
Ellis Island is an island in New York Harbor, within the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. Owned by the U.S.
Why is Ellis Island Historical Site opens on Ellis Island, New York City significant?
Ellis Island is an island in New York Harbor, within the U.

Explore More