The Ellis Island Immigration Station's heyday was 1892 to 1924. I discuss the early history of the Island, once known as Gull Island, Oyster Island, and Gibbet Island, and how it grew from about 3 acres to over 27. A Supreme Court Decision in 1998 settled a dispute between New York State and New Jersey as to ownership of the island, with NJ recognized as owning 90% of the Island, the area built up on tidelands. The federal government got in the immigration processing business in a big way in 1890, and decided on having a station on the Island. A fire in 1897 caused a reset of what buildings would be on the Island, and the new structure was opened in 1900. Quotas in the 1920s reduced the number of immigrants, and overseas U.S. Consulates also took over some of the functions of Ellis Island. It eventually closed in 1954. But during it's heyday 70% of immigrants who came to the U.S. passed through it's doors. A combination of presidential decisions by Eisenhower, Johnson, and Reagan led to its being declared a National Monument associated with the Statue of Liberty. Using private funds, much generated by the Wall of Honor, the station was renovated and open to the public in 1990. Genealogists today benefit from its National Museum of Immigration and the Immigrant Database of ship's arrivals.

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