Ellis Island served as the largest immigration station in the United States from 1892 to 1924. During this period, an estimated 12 million people from all over the world passed through the station, which was nicknamed the "Island of Hope." The significance of this passage was monumental as it gave a chance to countless Italian, Jewish, Hungarian, Greek, Guadeloupean, and Russian families to start a fresh life as American citizens.
This largely manmade patch of land in Upper New York Bay has since become a distinctive feature in American history that helped make the country one of the most powerful and diverse nations in the world. The fascinating photos below capture the diverse cultures and people that arrived at Ellis Island at the turn of the century.
