Name In 1890, it was chosen as the site of a new immigration station. A lot of work was done. Dirt was brought in from the construction of subway tunnels in New York. This was used to make the island bigger. New docks had to be built. Wells had to be dug. Ellis Island The first buildings were built from wood. There were baggage rooms, By Cathy Pearl a small hospital, restaurants, kitchens, and places for people to sleep.

Ellis Island opened January In June of 1897, there was a fire on the island. A little after midnight 1, 1892. More than twelve one morning, the alarm was sounded. Because the buildings were million immigrants would built from pine, they burned easily. By dawn, there was almost pass through the island's nothing left. No one was killed in the fire. immigration station between 1892 and 1954. It took two and a half years to rebuild. This time the buildings were The most came through in built to be fireproof. The buildings were built from brick. The original 1907. There are estimates island was made larger. More dirt was brought in to add a second that forty percent of people island. Places to take care of sick immigrants were built here. A third in the United States today island was created in 1910. A hospital was built on the island. Sick had an ancestor that went people could now be sent here and kept away from other immigrants. through Ellis Island. When World War I started in 1914, immigration almost stopped. It Ellis Island was first called Gull Island by Native Americans. At that was unsafe to travel across the ocean. There weren't a lot of jobs in time, gulls were the only things that lived on it. It was very small, America. Ellis Island was used to house German sailors. People that about three acres. The island was made of soft mud. It was so small could have been spies were also kept there. The hospital was used for that it was barely above the water during high tide. soldiers that had been injured in the war.

In 1630, a different owner bought the island. It was used as a place to Ellis Island was almost blown up in 1916. Railroad cars and boats catch oysters. The island was not good for much else. This owner did were loaded with dynamite. About two o'clock one morning, it not keep the island long. Because it wasn't good for much, it was sold exploded. The blast was so strong it was felt ninety miles away. many times during the next one hundred years. Almost every window on the island was broken. No one was badly hurt. The people who caused the explosion were never caught. About 1776, Samuel Ellis became the owner of the island. He tried to sell the island and couldn't. Before he died, he tried to give the island In 1925, people started talking about closing the island. It wasn't until to the state. He died before the paperwork was finished. 1954 that immigrants stopped coming to Ellis Island. For the next twenty years, it was abandoned. The government tried to sell the In 1794, New York leased the island. They thought it was a great property, but that upset many in the country. About 1963, the National place to build a fort. There would be a lot of construction problems. Parks Service described why the island should be a national But the Ellis family could still change their minds about the lease. If monument. It became one on May 11, 1965. they did, all buildings on the island would have to be torn down. Today, restoration continues. Abandoned buildings are being worked In 1808, New York bought the island for ten thousand dollars. That on and restored. Americans who study their own family histories go to was a lot of money for an island that wasn't usable. The federal Ellis Island to find records of their immigration. Ellis Island played an government gave back the money to New York when they took important part in immigration for many years. control of the island on the same day. A fort was built on the island. It was rarely used, and the military did not have a lot of interest in it. 6. Name one thing Ellis Island was used for during World War I. Name

Ellis Island Questions

1. What did Native Americans call the island? A. Gull Island Ellis Island is a popular tourist site today. Why do you think so many B. New York people visit it every year? C. Ellis Island 2. Where did the dirt come from that was used to make the island bigger? A. The island was already big enough. B. From digging for subway tunnels C. From digging in mountains 3. What happened to Ellis Island in June of 1897? A. It was closed. B. The buildings on the island burned. C. It was almost blown up.

4. How much did the government pay to buy the island?

5. What year did Ellis Island officially close? A. 1925 B. 1965 C. 1954 Name

Why do you think people were against the government selling Ellis Island after it closed?