On This Day

Ellis Island, New York, designated as an immigration station

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. Archduke Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria, heir to the Austro-Hungarian crown, is found dead with his mistress Baroness Ma

    Archduke Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria, heir to the Austro-Hungarian crown, is found dead with his mistress Baroness Mary Vetsera in Mayerling in an apparent suicide pact

  2. Eiffel Tower officially opens for dignitaries and an award ceremony in Paris, France; designed by Gustave Eiffel and bui

    Eiffel Tower officially opens for dignitaries and an award ceremony in Paris, France; designed by Gustave Eiffel and built for the Exposition Universelle, at 300 meters high, it holds the record for the tallest man-made structure for 41 years

  3. George Eastman begins selling Kodak flexible roll film for the first time

    George Eastman begins selling Kodak flexible roll film for the first time

  4. Exposition Universelle (World's Fair) in Paris opens with the recently completed Eiffel Tower serving as the entrance ar

    Exposition Universelle (World's Fair) in Paris opens with the recently completed Eiffel Tower serving as the entrance arch; the lifts in the tower are not ready, so intrepid visitors have to climb 1,710 steps to reach the top

  5. Polish pianist, and politician Ignacy Jan Paderewski (38) weds Polish baroness, social activist, and humanitaran Helena

    Polish pianist, and politician Ignacy Jan Paderewski (38) weds Polish baroness, social activist, and humanitaran Helena Maria von Rosen (32) in Warsaw, Russian Empire, until her death in 1934

Events After

  1. French troops occupy Nioro, West Sudan, and 3,000 people are killed

    French troops occupy Nioro, West Sudan, and 3,000 people are killed

  2. A Hatfield marries a McCoy, ends long feud in West Virginia it started with an accusation of pig-stealing & lasted 20 ye

    A Hatfield marries a McCoy, ends long feud in West Virginia it started with an accusation of pig-stealing & lasted 20 years

  3. 56th UK Prime Minister Bonar Law (32) weds Annie Robley at West Free Church in Helensburgh, Scotland

    56th UK Prime Minister Bonar Law (32) weds Annie Robley at West Free Church in Helensburgh, Scotland

  4. 1st World Weightlifting Championship is won by Edward Lawrence in London

    1st World Weightlifting Championship is won by Edward Lawrence in London

  5. Music Hall (now Carnegie Hall) opens in New York City, with Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky as guest conductor of the New York

    Music Hall (now Carnegie Hall) opens in New York City, with Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky as guest conductor of the New York Music Society Orchestra

More from the 1890s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on April 11, 1890?
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, New York, designated as an immigration station significant?
Ellis Island is an island in New York Harbor, within the U.

Explore More