You might be surprised to hear that Ellis Island had a predecessor, Castle Garden. Castle Garden, New York was the original immigrant receiving center. It saw more than 8 million people pass through it prior to it’s closing in 1890. In 1892 Ellis Island opened. Between 1890 and 1892 immigrants were processed through the an old barge office in Manhattan.
Castle Garden originally started out as a fort to protect the harbor from the british during the war of 1812. After the threat of the british had been diminished, Castle Garden turned into a cultural center and theatre for many years. In 1855 it officially became the Castle Garden we know of today. It is located in Battery Park, at the southern tip of Manhattan.
There is a website dedicated to tracing immigrants who entered through Castle Garden. I was able to locate my ancestors through their database. When you have time, check out both websites and see if you can locate your ancestor’s entrance into America. If you have any problems doing so, please contact me and I can help you!
