United States: The American Immigrant Wall of Honor 1892 to 1954

Ellis Island, a few hundred yards north of the Statue of liberty in New York Harbour, United States was the first stopping off point for 12 million immigrants into the United States from 1892 to 1954.

More than 40% (over 100 million) of living Americans could trace their roots to an ancestor who came through Ellis Island.

Statue of Liberty - click to enlarge

Ellis Island - click to enlarge

Ellis Island Registration Hall - click to enlarge
On Ellis Island is a display wall of hundreds of thousands of names of immigrants.  The wall built in a circle behind the main building carries metal plates each engraved with hundreds of names.  People are to make a 'contribution' of $100 to have their ancestor's name permanently etched onto a plate.  Contributions of $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000 will receive special places of honor.  Names are also entered into a database in the main building, some of the money goes towards the Family History Centre.

Wall of Honor - click to get close up of list 1

Wall of Honor - click to get close up of list 2

On visiting the Wall one finds children 'brass rubbing' and photographing the names of their ancestors.  Click on the above pictures to see the lists, as at October 2000, for yourself.