2. The island itself was owned by Samuel Ellis in the 1770s. The War department bought the island in 1808 for $10,000 and built defenses on this and other islands in the area.

3. During the Civil War, Ellis Island was used to store munitions. After the Civil War, the island stood vacant.

4. While we think of Ellis Island as the main jumping off point for all immigrants coming to the United States, there actually was very little regulation of immigration until Castle Garden opened in New York City in 1855.

5. The Homestead Act was passed in 1862. Attracted by the opportunity to own land, more Europeans began to immigrate.

6.  In 1875 prostitutes and criminals were barred from entering the country.  In 1882 the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed. Restricted as well were “lunatics” and “idiots.”

7. Ellis Island Immigration Station replaced Castle Garden in 1892.

8.  On April 17, 1907, an all-time daily high of 11,747 immigrants received was reached.  In 1907, Ellis Island experienced its highest number of immigrants received in a single year with 1,004,756 arrivals.