Voices From Ellis Island

As the steamship pulled into New York Harbor in 1920, weary yet hopeful immigrants crowded onto the top decks. The ship passed the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of freedom in what they hoped would become their new home: the United States.

For Wilma Asper Haller, who was 18 when she arrived in the U.S. from Estonia, seeing the nation’s shores was an unforgettable moment.

“My mother had preached us all these years to be good and decent so that you can go to America . . . and we were here,” she recalled years later in an oral history interview done by the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation. “It was just kind of an emotional feeling.”

In 1920, a steamship pulled into New York Harbor. Tired yet hopeful immigrants crowded onto the top decks. The ship passed the Statue of Liberty. They saw a symbol of freedom in what they hoped would become their new home. They had arrived in the United States.

Wilma Asper Haller was 18 when she arrived in the U.S. from Estonia. She will never forget seeing the nation’s shores for the first time.

“My mother had preached us all these years to be good and decent so that you can go to America . . . and we were here,” she recalled years later in an oral history interview done by the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation. “It was just kind of an emotional feeling.”

Haller’s father had already come to America. Like most immigrants in the early 1900s, he was seeking work. And there were plenty of jobs available. The Industrial Revolution had created a demand for millions of factory workers. Other immigrants arriving here had fled war, discrimination, or poverty in their home countries.

Whatever their reasons for journeying to America, most immigrants had to pass inspection at Ellis Island Immigration Station, nestled in New York Harbor. The federal government opened the facility in 1892 to manage the eventual influx of millions of people.

Haller’s father had already come to America. He had come looking for work like most immigrants in the early 1900s. There were plenty of jobs available because the Industrial Revolution had created a demand for millions of factory workers. Immigrants left war, discrimination, or poverty in their home countries.

Most immigrants had to pass inspection at Ellis Island Immigration Station. In 1892, the federal government opened the facility in New York Harbor. It would manage the eventual influx of millions of people.

At the time, there were few restrictions on who could enter the country through Ellis Island. Healthy immigrants who were able to work would most likely be welcomed. As a result, during the facility’s peak years, roughly 1900-1914, between 1,900 and 5,000 people passed through each day. Before Ellis Island closed in 1954, it had admitted more than 12 million people into the U.S. While there were other ports of entry around the country, from Boston to San Francisco, Ellis Island was by far the busiest.

What was the experience like for immigrants arriving at Ellis Island? Learn about it by reading first-person accounts from several teens like Wilma who went through it.

At the time, there were few limits on who could come into the country through Ellis Island. Healthy immigrants who were able to work would most likely be welcomed. From 1900 to 1914, the facility’s peak years, between 1,900 and 5,000 people passed through each day. Ellis Island had admitted more than 12 million people into the U.S. before it closed in 1954. While there were other ports of entry around the country, from Boston to San Francisco, Ellis Island was by far the busiest.

What was the experience like for immigrants arriving at Ellis Island? Learn about it by reading first-person accounts from several teens like Wilma who went through it.

Once a ship arrived in New York Harbor, it was met by a small boat from Ellis Island carrying immigration inspectors. The inspectors examined first- and second-class passengers and allowed most of them to leave the ship to go directly to their final destinations. Because these passengers were usually wealthier, they were considered less likely to be ill or become a financial burden on the U.S.

All third-class passengers, who made up the lion’s share of arrivals, had to board a ferry for Ellis Island, where they would undergo more thorough inspections. Thousands of people arrived at the facility daily, speaking dozens of different languages. Once there, they were separated into two lines: one for women and children and one for men.

The long lines snaked through the Registry Room, also known as the Great Hall. It was a space about the size of two high school basketball courts, and it often held thousands of excited, nervous immigrants at a time.

A small boat from Ellis Island carrying immigration inspectors met each ship as it arrived in New York Harbor. The inspectors examined first- and second-class passengers. Most of them were allowed to leave the ship to go directly to their final destinations. These passengers were usually wealthier.  They were considered less likely to be sick or become a financial burden on the U.S.

Most of the passengers were third-class. They had to board a ferry for Ellis Island, where they would undergo more in-depth inspections. Thousands of people arrived at the facility daily. They spoke dozens of different languages. Once there, they were separated into two lines: one for women and children and one for men.

The long lines wrapped through the Registry Room. It was also known as the Great Hall. The space was about the size of two high school basketball courts. It often held thousands of excited, nervous immigrants at a time.

“My recollections of Ellis Island are this huge hall . . . two or three stories high with sort of wooden benches. . . . And there were attendants going up and down handing out needlework and various things to keep the people busy because there was nothing to do but to just sit around.”

—Mary Sive came from Sweden in 1941 at age 18. She and her parents had fled Austria in 1938 after Germany annexed Austria. They came to America to escape World War II (1939-45).

“They [gave] us good food. The place was nice and clean. I remember the first coffee they gave me and the fresh roll. I never tasted such a good thing. . . . We were so poor in Europe, we didn’t have anything to eat. When they gave us a piece of meat or a fresh roll, it was a luxury.”

—Betty Jacket arrived from Romania in 1920 at age 15. She traveled with her mother, four sisters, and brother. They settled in New York City.

“My recollections of Ellis Island are this huge hall . . . two or three stories high with sort of wooden benches. . . . And there were attendants going up and down handing out needlework and various things to keep the people busy because there was nothing to do but to just sit around.”

—Mary Sive came from Sweden in 1941 at age 18. She and her parents had fled Austria in 1938 after Germany annexed Austria. They came to America to escape World War II (1939-45).

“They [gave] us good food. The place was nice and clean. I remember the first coffee they gave me and the fresh roll. I never tasted such a good thing. . . . We were so poor in Europe, we didn’t have anything to eat. When they gave us a piece of meat or a fresh roll, it was a luxury.”

—Betty Jacket arrived from Romania in 1920 at age 15. She traveled with her mother, four sisters, and brother. They settled in New York City.

When immigrants reached the front of the lines, they underwent a medical exam. The Ellis Island doctors were looking for rashes, fevers, and lice. They also checked people for contagious diseases, including trachoma. That was a common eye infection that could lead to blindness. Doctors would flip people’s eyelids over to inspect for it.

When immigrants reached the front of the lines, they underwent a medical exam. The Ellis Island doctors were looking for rashes, fevers, and lice. They also checked people for contagious diseases. Doctors would flip people’s eyelids over to inspect for trachoma. It was a common eye infection that could lead to blindness.

“Men put chalk marks on [some immigrants’ backs]. Of course, the people themselves did not know it, but the people in back of them could see it and were worried. . . . Only later we learned that those men . . . wanted to examine those people more thoroughly. . . . I had no trouble at all because I was in perfect health and young.”

—Leah Drachman arrived from Russia in 1916 at age 16. World War I (1914-18) was raging, and parts of Russia were occupied by Germany. Leah’s parents sent her to live with a cousin in Illinois.

“It so happened that on our ship there were three ladies . . . from I don’t know what country. . . . But they evidently had lice. And they cut their hair off . . . but they then assumed all of us were contaminated with this or that . . . so they took all of our clothes and disinfected [them in an oven].”

—Theodore Grob arrived from Switzerland in 1921 at age 19. He was drawn to America after reading about the land available in the West and made the journey by himself, eventually settling in Milwaukee.

“Men put chalk marks on [some immigrants’ backs]. Of course, the people themselves did not know it, but the people in back of them could see it and were worried. . . . Only later we learned that those men . . . wanted to examine those people more thoroughly. . . . I had no trouble at all because I was in perfect health and young.”

—Leah Drachman arrived from Russia in 1916 at age 16. World War I (1914-18) was raging, and parts of Russia were occupied by Germany. Leah’s parents sent her to live with a cousin in Illinois.

“It so happened that on our ship there were three ladies . . . from I don’t know what country. . . . But they evidently had lice. And they cut their hair off . . . but they then assumed all of us were contaminated with this or that . . . so they took all of our clothes and disinfected [them in an oven].”

—Theodore Grob arrived from Switzerland in 1921 at age 19. He was drawn to America after reading about the land available in the West and made the journey by himself, eventually settling in Milwaukee.

After the medical exam, immigrants faced another test. They waited in a second line—this time to be interviewed by immigration inspectors, often with the help of an interpreter. Before leaving for America, each passenger had already been grilled about their reasons for moving. Those answers had been recorded in the ship’s manifest, a document that included details about every passenger, such as their name, occupation, and final destination in the U.S.

Now inspectors quizzed each immigrant on their answers, comparing them with answers in the manifest. The most important questions concerned how much money each person carried and how they planned to earn a living in the U.S. The inspectors’ job was to make sure that every person intended to contribute to the American economy.

If an immigrant’s answers didn’t raise any concerns, they were free to leave. All told, most people spent roughly three to five hours at Ellis Island before they could start new lives as Americans.

After the medical exam, immigrants waited in a second line. Immigration inspectors, often with the help of an interpreter, would interview them. Before leaving for America, each passenger had already been questioned about their reasons for moving. Those answers had been recorded in the ship’s manifest. That document included details about every passenger, such as their name, occupation, and final destination in the U.S.

Now inspectors quizzed each immigrant. They compared the answers with the ones in the manifest. The most important questions concerned how much money each person carried and how they planned to earn a living in the U.S. The inspectors’ job was to make sure that every person planned to contribute to the American economy.

If an immigrant’s answers didn’t raise any concerns, they were free to leave. Most people spent about three to five hours at Ellis Island before they could start new lives as Americans.

“The policeman was talking and asking, ‘Are you the Whaite family from Padiham, Lancashire, England?’ So Dad said, ‘Yes, we are.’ And so he said, ‘Why are you coming? Why did you leave England? Why are you coming to America? How much money do you have?’ ”

—Ellen Whaite arrived from England in 1920 at age 14, with her parents and her younger sister and brother. After World War I had devastated England, her family came to the U.S. seeking economic opportunity. She eventually settled in California.

“The policeman was talking and asking, ‘Are you the Whaite family from Padiham, Lancashire, England?’ So Dad said, ‘Yes, we are.’ And so he said, ‘Why are you coming? Why did you leave England? Why are you coming to America? How much money do you have?’ ”

—Ellen Whaite arrived from England in 1920 at age 14, with her parents and her younger sister and brother. After World War I had devastated England, her family came to the U.S. seeking economic opportunity. She eventually settled in California.

Some people ended up staying at Ellis Island for days, weeks, or even months for various reasons.

Immigrants who were sick often wound up at the Ellis Island hospital. They had to make a full recovery before they could leave. Children of hospitalized parents also had to stay. To pass time, they attended classes at a makeshift school on the island.

In other instances, a longer stay might be required if an immigrant’s paperwork was incomplete or missing, or if family members didn’t come to pick them up. Women and children traveling on their own couldn’t leave Ellis Island until relatives claimed them—either in person or by telegram.

Some people never found out why they were kept at the facility for longer periods. But after leaving Ellis Island, they were able to move anywhere in the U.S. and begin their new lives.

Some people ended up staying at Ellis Island longer. Some stayed for days, weeks, or even months for various reasons.

Immigrants who were sick were sent to the Ellis Island hospital. They had to make a full recovery before they could leave. Children of hospitalized parents also had to stay. To pass time, they went to classes at a temporary school on the island.

If an immigrant’s paperwork was incomplete or missing, a longer stay might be required. Sometimes family members didn’t come to pick them up. Women and children traveling on their own couldn’t leave Ellis Island until relatives claimed them—either in person or by telegram.

Some people never found out why they were kept at the facility for longer periods. But after leaving Ellis Island, they were able to move anywhere in the U.S. and begin their new lives.

“They took my father; they thought he had something wrong with his eye. They kept us in Ellis Island four days. And we were worried. It was a beautiful place, and they were feeding us, you know, but we were so scared that they were going to send us back . . . and then they found out that my father’s eye was all right, so they told us we can go. When they gave us permission, we got out of the door and my father said, ‘Hurry up. Let’s go fast before they call us back.’”

—Mary Belmejian arrived from Turkey in 1922, at age 15. She traveled with her parents, two younger brothers, and sister. They came to join relatives in Massachusetts.

“They had a school in [Ellis Island] for the children. It was lovely. They sang American songs. I didn’t understand a word, but I picked up the tune. And I loved school. I was so glad to be in school here. I came here Friday, and Monday I went to school.”

—Naomi Fader came to America from Latvia with her mother and brother in 1929 at age 14. She was kept at Ellis Island for two weeks while her mother recovered from a cold.

“They took my father; they thought he had something wrong with his eye. They kept us in Ellis Island four days. And we were worried. It was a beautiful place, and they were feeding us, you know, but we were so scared that they were going to send us back . . . and then they found out that my father’s eye was all right, so they told us we can go. When they gave us permission, we got out of the door and my father said, ‘Hurry up. Let’s go fast before they call us back.’”

—Mary Belmejian arrived from Turkey in 1922, at age 15. She traveled with her parents, two younger brothers, and sister. They came to join relatives in Massachusetts.

“They had a school in [Ellis Island] for the children. It was lovely. They sang American songs. I didn’t understand a word, but I picked up the tune. And I loved school. I was so glad to be in school here. I came here Friday, and Monday I went to school.”

—Naomi Fader came to America from Latvia with her mother and brother in 1929 at age 14. She was kept at Ellis Island for two weeks while her mother recovered from a cold.