Last Updated on July 5, 2025 by George Pavlopoulos
Eternally connected to the collective American subconscious, Ellis Island is one of the most iconic locations in New York City and among the top attractions in the city. The tiny island in New York Harbor has witnessed millions of immigrants on their way to live and work in the United States. During my recent visit to the United States, I visited Ellis Island, and I was both impressed and moved by the place’s history. Therefore, sharing various facts about Ellis Island became instantly a must-do.
Although many things have changed, the atmosphere of the place remains largely unchanged. It’s not hard to portray millions of people on the island’s premises and feel the agony and hopes for a better life. In the following lines, I will share some interesting facts about Ellis Island and present some of my photos. Moreover, I will share information on how to get to Ellis Island from New York and New Jersey, as well as how to visit the nearby Statue of Liberty.
Let’s start.
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7 facts about Ellis Island in New York
Throughout several decades, millions of people stepped on New York’s soil chasing a better life. Ellis Island was the point where steamers arrived, and the first place immigrants set foot in the United States. Shortly after seeing the Statue of Liberty from the decks, the immigrants disembarked on Ellis Island, and there their real journey started.
Pro tip: If you plan to do extensive sightseeing, consider purchasing the City Pass. It will save you more than 40% on major attractions, including Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. You can purchase the New York City Pass here.
A national gateway that has roots in nearly every American family tree
During Ellis Island’s 62-year run (from 1 January 1892 to 12 November 1954), immigration officers recorded more than 12 million “first footsteps” onto U.S. soil. Because children and grandchildren were born after they settled, demographers estimate that about two in five living Americans (approximately 40%) can trace at least one ancestor who once arrived at Ellis Island.
Standing in the Registry Room today is an emotional moment: at peak hour, you could see hundreds of people queuing in long zig-zag lines, while interpreters tried to help them communicate with doctors and authorities in more than 30 languages. Apart from past images, if you know that a relative passed through Ellis Island, write down all possible spellings of the surname: the Island’s genealogy kiosks let you explore more than 65 million ship records in minutes.
Alternatively, you can use the foundation’s website here to track the routes of your ancestors.
The approval rate at Ellis Island was almost 98%
Despite the rough conditions at Ellis Island, approximately 98 percent of passengers were admitted after a brisk inspection that averaged three to five hours. Doctors began with the “six-second physical,” watching each newcomer climb the stairs to the Registry Room; a limp, labored breathing, or even conjunctivitis meant that somebody would have to return for secondary exams.
Then, it was time for the legal inspectors to take over and ask questions. A tiny fraction was refused entry, and these were usually families with contagious diseases or those judged likely to become a danger to public order. Seeing the stairs leading to the Registry Room today makes you reflect on how quickly the future of millions of people was judged.
On April 17, 1907, 11747 people were cleared
The process has always been fast, but the record-breaking day was on April 17, 1907. On this day, 11747 people were cleared; It was more than twice the usual load, and the newcomers filed through medical and legal lines without significant incident. The flow of immigrants was often linked to global events, including Eastern European pogroms, Italy’s rural poverty, and the United States’ booming industrial demand for labor.
The fire of 1897 created a large-scale disaster
Ellis Island’s first station lasted barely five years before the catastrophic fire on 15 June 1897, wiping out valuable records. Within days, Congress funded a fireproof replacement, and architects William Boring and Edward Tilton designed the red-brick showpiece that greets visitors today. The Main Building opened on 17 December 1900, and its vast Registry Room symbolized America’s growing confidence in federal immigration control.
Kioshk, Little Oyster -and finally, Ellis Island
Long before steamships carried immigrants’ hopes and dreams, Lenni Lenape fishermen called the 3-acre island Kioshk (Gull) Island. They harvested the oyster beds that later inspired colonists to dub it Little Oyster Island. It wasn’t until 1774, when Welsh merchant Samuel Ellis bought the rocky island to use it as a tavern site, that the name Ellis Island was born.
One island, two states
As I already mentioned, Ellis was a three-acre island belonging to New York. However, by 1934, the relentless landfill had increased its territory to 27.5 acres. The Supreme Court decided with a 6-3 ruling (New Jersey v. New York, May 26, 1998), with justices splitting the difference: the original 3 acres remains New York territory, while all subsequent fill belongs to New Jersey.
And here’s a fun fact about Ellis Island: if you walk south past the Baggage Room, you’ll cross an unmarked state line without even noticing it. The Supreme Court ruling also means that ferries from Liberty State Park dock on New Jersey soil, whereas the Main Building’s entrance is in New York. That said, you can “visit two states” (New York and New Jersey) simply by circling the perimeter path.
Cabin-class privilege (or how to avoid Ellis Island as an immigrant)
Ellis Island is undeniably a cornerstone of American life. However, not everyone was treated equally. First-class passengers (like movie stars, merchants, diplomats) were often inspected aboard the ships and stepped directly onto Manhattan piers. U.S. authorities assumed those who could afford cabin tickets were unlikely to be dangerous to the public, so the island’s exhaustive screening targeted travelers packed in lower decks.
In a way, the class divide shaped the immigrant experience and partly their future in the United States: while wealthier travelers enjoyed hotel breakfasts on Fifth Avenue within an hour of docking, the majority of arrivals had to deal with chalk marks, medical exams and money-exchange before boarding ferries to New York or Jersey rail terminals.
How to get to Ellis Island from New York and New Jersey
After sharing the facts about Ellis Island, it’s time to share more practical information: how to get to Ellis Island from New York or New Jersey. I will split the information into two sections: in the first, you can see how to visit Ellis Island solo, while in the second, I will share the best organized tours of Ellis Island.
Visit Ellis Island on your own
You can purchase your tickets through Statue City Cruises, the official ferry service provider. A ticket provides you with transportation and access to both Liberty Island, where the Statue of Liberty is, and Ellis Island. On Ellis Island, you have the option to purchase the Hard Hat Tour, which is the only way to see the Hospital Complex.
After visiting Ellis Island, you can embark on the ferry and visit Liberty Island to see the iconic statue up close. Your General Admission ticket includes admission to the visit. However, you can buy supplementary tickets for the following: 1) Pedestal ticket. This gives you access to the top of the pedestal, which includes lower pedestal levels. 2) Crown Ticket. This ticket grants you access to the crown of the statue, which is reached by walking up 162 steps from the statue’s base to the crown. There is no elevator access to the crown.
You can buy the General Admission ticket online or on-site, and the same goes for the Pedestal ticket. However, the Crown ticket can only be bought online.
Lastly, the departure points are Battery Park in New York and Liberty State Park in New Jersey.
The best tours to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty
If you’d rather have a tour guide showing you around and have everything settled before departure (tickets, route, etc.), there are some organized tours to Ellis Island. In the following lines, you will find my handpicked selection of tours and how to book them.
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tour with Ferry. As the tour’s name suggests, this guided tour will take you to both locations, and you’ll have skip-the-line tickets. Moreover, you can also choose either New York or New Jersey as a departure point. That’s one of the best tours to Ellis Island, and you can book it here.
New York City: Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty Guided Tour. Similar to the previous one, this highly rated tour departs exclusively from Battery Park in New York (with no New Jersey option). It’s often sold out and offers a one-and-a-half-hour tour of Liberty Island. You can book this tour here.
Ellis Island Travel Tip
Don’t forget: if you’d like to visit several attractions in New York City, you can always buy a City Pass. It will save you more than 40% on tickets, and if you are a first-timer in New York, it makes absolute sense. You can purchase the New York City Pass here.
A Visit to Ellis Island: Final Thoughts
My visit to Ellis Island was a profound experience. Apart from enriching an already multi-layered experience, it offered a sentimental depth that is hard to find in other locations. The lives of immigrants, their arduous journeys, and the way they reinvented their lives from scratch were incredibly touching.
Therefore, I highly recommend a visit to Ellis Island. Although not as iconic as the Statue of Liberty, it offers visitors a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the people who helped build the United States of America. Don’t miss it, even if you are in town for just a few days.
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Interesting stuff, George. I would have gone up to the Statue of Liberty crown for sure. How much time do you think you’d need to do this? Could you see anyone inside the crown from where you were?
Hey John!
Yes, I know it sounds fun to visit the crown of the statue. However, due to my light claustrophobia, I always avoid such tight places. It’s also written that if you feel uncomfortable in tight places, it’s better to skip climbing the stairs up. Yes, you can spot some people, but they appear like dots.
It doesn’t take that long; you won’t need more than 40 minutes to go up, spend some time, and then come back down to the ground. It’s always crowded over there.
If you ask me, I was way more fascinated by Ellis Island. You can still feel the story of the place, and it’s touching seeing all these names that helped build the entire country.