Portraits of America: Ellis Island: The Museum of the City of New York

Called both the "Island of Hope" and "Island of Tears," Ellis Island has a history as rich and surprising as that of the immigrants who passed through its doors. Between 1892 and 1954, it was the first stop for some 12 million immigrants coming to America, a tiny speck of land in New York Harbor that served as their gateway to new lives in a strange new world. Their experiences are put into vivid historical context, highlighted with riveting firsthand accounts and vintage photographs that eloquently capture their hope and heartbreak. In addition, you'll read accounts of the hardworking officials manning the station and the reformers who strove to salvage the immigrants' humanity on their journey through the Golden Door.