Between 1900 and 1914, millions of immigrants arrived at Ellis Island in New York Harbor. Most travelers stayed in steerage, which was the lowest and cheapest deck of large steamships. Upon arrival, tugboats moved these ships to the docks. Immigrants carried their belongings in heavy bundles, wicker baskets, and wooden trunks. They left the ships and walked toward the massive brick Main Building to begin the inspection process.
Inside the building, immigrants left their heavy luggage in a ground-floor baggage room. They then climbed the stairs to the Registry Room, also known as the Great Hall. This room was 200 feet long and 100 feet wide with a high, vaulted ceiling. Thousands of people waited in metal-railed lines. The noise in the hall was constant because people spoke dozens of different languages at once.
Doctors from the United States Public Health Service watched the immigrants as they climbed the stairs. They looked for signs of shortness of breath or limping. Once in the Great Hall, doctors performed the “six-second physical.” They used a buttonhook tool to flip eyelids and check for a contagious eye disease called trachoma. If a doctor suspected a health problem, they used chalk to mark a letter on the immigrant’s clothing. An “X” meant the person needed a mental health exam, and a “P” meant they had lung issues. Marked individuals went to the island’s hospital for further testing.
Those who passed the medical exam moved to the manifest desk. Inspectors used large ledger books from the ships to verify each person’s identity. They asked 29 specific questions to each immigrant. People had to state how much money they carried and whether they had a job waiting for them. Interpreters stood nearby to help translate for those who did not speak English. Most people spent three to five hours on the island to complete these steps.
After passing both exams, immigrants reached the “Staircase of Separation.” This staircase had three aisles. The right aisle led to the railroad ticket office for those traveling to other states. The left aisle led to the ferry that took people to Manhattan. The center aisle led to the detention area. Officials held people in this area if they failed the legal or medical tests. About two percent of all immigrants were excluded from entry and sent back to their home countries at the expense of the steamship company.
