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US Immigration History: Difference between revisions
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===Castle Garden=== | ===Castle Garden=== | ||
Castle Garden in New York City was the first official immigrant receiving station | Castle Garden in New York City was the '''first official immigrant receiving station''' in the United States and was opened on August 1, 1855. Castle Garden operated as an Emigrant Landing Depot until April 18, 1890, when the United States government assumed control of immigrant processing. In total, the center processed approximately 8 million immigrants (mostly from northern and western Europe). <ref>Arbeiter, Nancy Levin. "The Port of New York Before Ellis Island". ''AVOTAYNU'' XXI (Fall 2005): 27-34.</ref><ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Castle Clinton," ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Clinton, accessed 8 August 2018.</ref><ref>"Ellis Island History," ''The Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation'', https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/ellis-island-history</ref> | ||
*When immigrants disembarked at Castle Garden, they had to '''register with their name, birth place, and destination'''. | *When immigrants disembarked at Castle Garden, they had to '''register with their name, birth place, and destination'''. | ||
*A clerk at the Railway Agency would then '''purchase a railway ticket''' for the immigrant to travel to that destination. The immigrant's '''baggage would be weighed and checked to his destination'''. | *'''A clerk at the Railway Agency''' would then '''purchase a railway ticket''' for the immigrant to travel to that destination. The immigrant's '''baggage would be weighed and checked to his destination'''. | ||
*'''Exchange brokers''' for immigrants to exchange foreign currency and a '''restaurant''' were also located at the center. | *'''Exchange brokers''' for immigrants to exchange foreign currency and a '''restaurant''' were also located at the center. | ||
*A '''station for letter-writing''' was also available, in which an immigrant could '''send a letter free of charge to inform family or friends of their arrival'''. | *A '''station for letter-writing''' was also available, in which an immigrant could '''send a letter free-of-charge to inform family or friends of their arrival'''. | ||
*The '''Ward's Island''' and '''medicinal department''' was an important bureau at Castle Garden. There, '''immigrants without the means to support themselves''' would be cared for until assistance came from friends or the immigrants would be disposed of as laborers. | *The '''Ward's Island''' and '''medicinal department''' was an important bureau at Castle Garden. There, '''immigrants without the means to support themselves''' would be cared for until assistance came from friends or the immigrants would be disposed of as laborers. | ||
*A large blackboard with the '''names of ships who were or would shortly be at port''' was kept for friends of the immigrants to know when they arrived and locate them. | *A large blackboard with the '''names of ships who were or would shortly be at port''' was kept for friends of the immigrants to know when they arrived and locate them. | ||
*The Labor Exchange was where '''immigrants, and others, could apply for and generally find employment'''. | *The '''Labor Exchange''' was where '''immigrants, and others, could apply for and generally find employment'''. | ||
*Immigrants could also find '''boarding houses to rest for one or two days''' before heading out to their destinations.<ref>Krbechek, Blanche. "About Castle Garden: Notes from an 1871 Article." ''Kashubian Association of North America Newsletter'' (Summer 2008): 4-5.</ref> | *Immigrants could also find '''boarding houses to rest for one or two days''' before heading out to their destinations.<ref>Krbechek, Blanche. "About Castle Garden: Notes from an 1871 Article." ''Kashubian Association of North America Newsletter'' (Summer 2008): 4-5.</ref> | ||
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Castle Gardens was a very busy and important immigrant receiving station. To illustrate, in 1869, 2884 letters written from immigrants to their friends were forwarded, over $41,000 was sent from these friends in return. Also in 1869, 4393 telegraph messages were forwarded and 1351 answers were received. Also, 504 steamers and 209 sailing vessels arrived carrying passengers.<ref>Krbechek, Blanche. "About Castle Garden: Notes from an 1871 Article." ''Kashubian Association of North America Newsletter'' (Summer 2008): 4-5.</ref> | Castle Gardens was a very busy and important immigrant receiving station. To illustrate, in 1869, 2884 letters written from immigrants to their friends were forwarded, over $41,000 was sent from these friends in return. Also in 1869, 4393 telegraph messages were forwarded, and 1351 answers were received. Also, 504 steamers and 209 sailing vessels arrived carrying passengers.<ref>Krbechek, Blanche. "About Castle Garden: Notes from an 1871 Article." ''Kashubian Association of North America Newsletter'' (Summer 2008): 4-5.</ref> | ||
Records from Castle Garden can be found at [https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/expanded-passenger-records-release The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc.]. Records (numbering around 11 million) range from 1820 to 1892. | Records from Castle Garden can be found at [https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/expanded-passenger-records-release The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc.]. Records (numbering around 11 million) range from 1820 to 1892. | ||