A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.
On Nov. 12, 1954, Ellis Island officially closed as an immigration station and detention center. More than 12 million immigrants arrived in the United States via Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954.
It has since become a tourist attraction for at least one big reason: family history.
The federally owned island in New York Harbor, situated within the states of New Jersey and New York, it was once the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the U.S. It’s estimated that as many as 12 million immigrants checked in through that location, including likely some of our ancestors.
It is estimated that 100 million Americans can claim an ancestor who went through Ellis Island, according to the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.
And thanks to a project began more than 20 years ago, Americans can trace their ancestors’ arrival in America, thanks to a new Ellis Island immigrants database compiled by volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The database was compiled and placed online through a partnership among the church, the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation and the National Park Service. Computer searches will be available to the millions who visit the American Family Immigration Center at Ellis Island, plus innumerable more people who will be able to search the internet.
A $100 million renovation of the historic island was announced earlier this year.
Here are some stories from Deseret News archives about Ellis Island, the immigration story and the opportunity to learn more about one’s ancestors:
“Ellis Island is abuzz again — this time with museum visitors”
“Post offices, Ellis Island join endangered list”
“Relive your family history at Ellis Island”
“Ellis Island expands its story of U.S. immigration history”
“Ellis Island immigrant extraction: project of mammoth dimensions”
“Students learn compassion by getting a taste of being immigrants”
“Ellis Island tales of history now online”
“Ellis Island: Echoes from our past”
“Hope, tears at Ellis Island Hospital”
“Graffiti at Ellis Island mark the passing of immigrants on threshold of new land”
“How ‘the Ellis Island of the South’ is teaching Americans to care for immigrants”
