page_title: Ellis Island
section_title: Structures
hierarchical_section_title: Ellis Island / Structures
caption_attribution_description: New York City enclave in Ellis Island
context_page_description: Ellis Island is a federally owned island in New York Harbor that was the United States' busiest immigrant inspection station. From 1892 to 1954, approximately 12 million immigrants arriving at the Port of New York and New Jersey were processed there under federal law. Today, it is part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument, accessible to the public only by ferry. The north side of the island is the site of the main building, now a national museum of immigration. The south side of the island, including the Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital, is only open to the public through guided tours.
  In the 19th century, Ellis Island was the site of Fort Gibson and later became a naval magazine. The first inspection station opened in 1892 and was destroyed by fire in 1897. The second station opened in 1900 and housed facilities for medical quarantines as well as processing immigrants. After 1924, Ellis Island was used primarily as a detention center. During both World War I and World War II its facilities were also used by the United States military to detain prisoners of war.
context_section_description: The current complex was designed by Edward Lippincott Tilton and William A. Boring, who performed the commission under the direction of the Supervising Architect for the U.S. Treasury, James Knox Taylor. Their plan, submitted in 1898, called for structures to be located on both the northern and southern portions of Ellis Island. The plan stipulated a large main building, a powerhouse, and a new baggage/dormitory and kitchen building on the north side of Ellis Island; a hospital on the south side; and a ferry dock with covered walkways at the head of the ferry basin, on the west side of the island. The plan roughly corresponds to what was ultimately built.
caption: viewtalkedit
  Buildings and structures at Ellis Island Main buildingKitchen-laundryBaggage-dormitoryBakery-carpentry shopPowerhouseFerry buildingLaundry-hospital outbuildingPsychopathic wardMain hospital buildingRecreation building and pavilionOffice building; morguePowerhouse and laundryMeasles wards (A, C, G, E)Administration building and kitchenMeasles wards (B, D, F, H)Isolation wards (I, K, L)Staff HouseWall of Honor
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