Over three billion hits in its first two years of operation result from
the focused formula of www.EllisIsland.org.
It's a relatively small site with five main navigable areas and approximately
30 site owner-developed pages plus user sign-in, help, and information.
What's the reason for the site's success? It begins with a massive database and personalized file storage system accessible through this virtual counterpart of the American Family Immigration History Center (AFIHC) housed on the grounds of Ellis Island, a national monument. Learn more about its aesthetic and functional design starting here.
What is Ellis Island?
Situated in the New York Harbor near the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island was the first stop for many European immigrants entering the United States from 1892 to 1924. During this peak period of immigration, over 10 million people passed through this portal to freedom. Individuals were required to undergo legal and medical inspection prior to receiving authorization to enter the United States.
In 1965, President Johnson declared Ellis Island an official part of The Statue of Liberty National Monument. A $160 million restoration effort funded by The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. was completed in 1990, enabling visits by the general public. Today, The national monuments of The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island are maintained by the National Parks Service.
Why Ellis Island for me (author of this analysis)?
I was first introduced to Ellis Island as a young person growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina. Writer and editor, Harry Golden, whom I met through his books at the public library, led me to this now famed and restored port of entry many times.
Harry Golden was everything I could want in a writer. He dramatically recreated scenes, interpreted cultural conventions and sub-cultural mores, presented colorful characters and explained their rationale, all while weaving significant truths into his nonfiction stories and essays.
Much of what he wrote centered on his life growing up in the Lower East Side of New York, home to many immigrant communities. Life in America began for his family and those that he knew as a child at Ellis Island. Hope for freedom and the future, mingled with the uncertainty of a foreign land, language, and culture, embodied Ellis Island for me.
As a young adult, I was solicited to fund the restoration effort of Ellis Island. Gladly, I gladly sent $20, a small part but reflective of the broad support needed for such a project.
In searching for a well-designed, interactive, and noncommercial site for my final JOMC 222 project, I was truly excited to find www.EllisIsland.org.
Thanks to the Oswego City School District for the photograph of Ellis Island.