Ellis Island officially opens as a federal immigration station on January 1, 1892. The first immigrant processed that day was Annie Moore. Ellis Island went on for over 62 year to serve as the primary gateway to more than 12 million immigrants into the United States. It officially closed on November 12, 1954.
The Immigration Act of 1924 drastically reduced immigration and Ellis Island primary role changed from a a processing center to primarily serving as a detention and deportation facility for those who violated laws, a function it held until its official closure in 1954.Today, the main building on Ellis Island is a museum dedicated to immigration history, and it's estimated that 40% of Americans can trace their ancestry through Ellis Island.
