Primary Use: Busiest immigrant inspection station in the U.S. from 1892 to 1954
Location: In New York Harbor, between New Jersey and New York
Current Function: Part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument, accessible only by ferry
The Ellis Island Wall of Honor is a memorial located on Ellis Island that pays tribute to the millions of immigrants who passed through the island on their journey to America.
It currently features over 775,000 names inscribed on 770 stainless steel panels, making it the largest collection of immigrant names in the United States.
While most of the names on the wall are of immigrants processed through Ellis Island, it also honors individuals from other backgrounds, including slaves, Native Americans, and immigrants who arrived by other means.
How the Wall of Honor Began
The Wall of Honor was initially formed in the late 1980s as a fundraising effort by the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation to help restore Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.
After Ellis Island closed in 1954, it was abandoned for more than 30 years.
During that time, the National Park Service, former President Gerald Ford, and Chrysler Corporation chairman Lee Iacocca collaborated to raise more than $350 million in donations for the island’s renovation and reopening.
The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Foundation were established as part of this fundraising endeavor.
In the late 1980s, the foundation devised the Wall of Honor as a fundraising strategy.
Along with the immigrant museum, the wall was inaugurated in 1990 with just 75,000 names engraved on copper panels.
The Wall of Honor at Ellis Island Today
Today, there are 775,000 names on 770 panels.
After reconstruction, the panels were upgraded from copper to stainless steel and extended to accommodate more names each year.
It is formed in a semicircle facing New York’s Lower Manhattan skyline and commemorates every immigrant’s journey.
The names of everyone hoping for the promise of a better life are on the wall, from the earliest settlers to today’s immigrants.
At the American Family Immigration History Center, visitors can view and add names to the Ellis Island Wall of Honor.
Alternatively, you can view the Ellis Island names on the wall and all information about the names that are entered online.
New names are inscribed on the wall panels every year. However, the spots for Ellis Island names on the wall are filling up.
As a matter of fact, only five panels remain empty, with enough space for roughly 3300 names.
How to Visit the Ellis Island Foundation Wall of Honor?
The monument is located on the island’s eastern end, just outside the National Museum of Immigration’s Great Hall.
It takes around five minutes to walk the length of the wall, which is completely outside.
If you’re looking for a certain name, the first few letters of the names mentioned on each panel are engraved at the top.
Each name is listed alphabetically, according to the last name provided.
Before visiting Ellis Island, look up your family’s name and panel number online to see where they are on the wall.
After touring the Wall of Honor, make sure to wander the island and take in the breathtaking perspective of the city.
The views from behind the wall are some of the greatest in Lower Manhattan.
Add a Name to the Ellis Island Wall of Honor
The Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration Authority allows individuals to add names to the Wall of Honor in six easy steps.
You can choose from the three inscription options to help preserve the story of American Immigration.
Each purchase includes one complimentary certificate of acknowledgment, and additional certificates can be provided upon request.
Once you’ve completed the form, you’ll be prompted to make a minimal donation.
All donations benefit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Foundation, which works to preserve and manage both islands.
After the name has been written, you can even have the panel reproduced.
It’s an excellent method for sharing your inscription and carrying the memories with you after you leave the island.
Contents
The prices of different packages are listed below:
| Types of Name Entry | Prices |
|---|---|
| Single-name entry | $225 |
| Double-name entry | $300 |
| Special name entry | Starting from $1000 |
Note: A special name entry involves two lines, particularly placement on the Ellis Island American Immigrant Wall of Honor and admission to the exclusive Emma Lazarus Society.
If you wish to acknowledge your family’s legacy and give a remembrance gift, click here to add a name to the Immigrant Wall of Honor on Ellis Island.
FAQ
1. What is on Ellis Island?
Ellis Island is shaped like a “C.” Two landmasses of equal size are on the northeastern and southwestern sides, separated by what was formerly a ferry pier.
The Immigration Museum, Wall of Honor, and Fort Gibson are all on the Manhattan side. The former Contagious Disease Wards are on the Liberty Island side.
2. What is the Wall of Honor Ellis Island?
The Wall of Honor is a permanent exhibit at Ellis Island featuring individual and family names.
The wall celebrates America’s ethnic diversity across generations. The National Immigration Museum is also an unmissable place to visit.
It is a tribute to the earliest settlers who arrived by ship, plane, or foot and the land’s indigenous people.
3. How to find the name Wall of Honor on Ellis Island?
People who have opted for the Statue of Liberty tour can stop by the National Immigration Museum on Ellis Island for this purpose.
You can conduct research to find your family’s name and a little bit of history. You never know what you might stumble upon.
Research assistants at the Family History Center on the first floor can answer questions and assist you for a nominal fee.
4. When was the Wall of Honor built?
The Wall of Honor was first envisioned in the late 1980s as a fundraising campaign by the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation to help rehabilitate Ellis Island.
Featured Image: Statueofliberty.org
