Thursday, June 13, 2013

June 14: Ellis Island Burns

On this date in History .... June 14, 1897: 

A fire at Ellis Island burned the immigration station to the ground, destroying immigration records going back to 1855. The pine building was no protection against the raging fire.  The U.S. Treasury ordered the center rebuilt but with one condition: all buildings, then and in the future, will be built fireproof. 

The new building opened in December 1900 and over 2200 new immigrants stepped onto the shores of the U.S. that day.

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