On November 12, 1954, Ellis Island, the “gateway to America,” closed. It first opened in 1892. (Before this, individual states processed new immigrants.) Ellis Island’s primary purpose was to process third class ship passengers. They underwent medical and legal exams to ensure they didn’t have contagious diseases or in any way be burdensome to the U.S. At that time, only two percent of all immigrants were denied entrance. Today there is a museum on Ellis Island.
