Today in History
September 10, 1990
Huddled Masses
Ellis Island, the first stop for millions of immigrants to the United States, reopens as a museum on September 10, 1990. Ellis Island opened as an immigration station in 1892, and after World War I, as more immigrants applied for visas at American consulates in their native countries, it transformed itself into a detention facility, housing over 7,000 detainees by World War II. In 1954, the last detainee is released and Ellis Island officially closes. It eventually reopens to the public in 1976 and, starting in 1984, undergoes a $160 million renovation. The main building, the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, now receives almost two million visitors annually.
Today's Feature History Article
300 Million and Counting
The United States reaches a demographic milestone, thanks largely to immigration
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