Monday 29 December 2014

Ellis Island records coverage extended to 1957

I've had an email from the Ellis Island Foundation records website, which recently relaunched at http://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/, announcing a new museum experience for those who can get to New York, and more importantly for genealogists, an extension to its online records provision on the website:

We are excited to report that we're heading into the final stretch of the completion of the Peopling of America® Center! Due to your support over the past few years, the Post-Ellis immigration wing at Ellis Island, along with a dynamic new museum entrance, are scheduled to open next spring. If you haven't already visited the Pre-Ellis Era immigration galleries, we certainly urge you to plan a trip next summer so you can see your contributions at work in this expanded museum experience, soon to be renamed Ellis Island: The National Museum of Immigration.

We also want to thank you for your dedication and patience during the launch of our new website. With your valuable observations and suggestions we have made important changes and will continue working to improve the site. We are pleased that this new technology has allowed us to fulfill a desire expressed by many of you: expanding our Ellis Island/Port of New York arrivals database to include the years 1925-1957. That's over 50 million records available for free search online! The website also offers new features such as oral histories by Ellis immigrants and workers, family immigration stories submitted by our Members, and networking opportunities among newly-discovered relatives.

The Ellis Island Foundation is also constantly looking for donations to help fund its services - to make a donation, please visit http://libertyellisfoundation.org/donate.

COMMENT: I had to use the new website last week for the first time to search for a passenger record, and initially found it to be quite a culture shock from the previous incarnation. That said, once I got used to the new set up, I actually found it considerably better to use than its predecessor. So if approaching it for the first time in a while, persevere - it is worth it! The passenger search is directly accessible at http://libertyellisfoundation.org/passenger.

(With thanks to the Ellis Island folk)

Chris

Stuck for a Christmas gift?! I have a series of genealogy books available in the UK, Australia and Canada, on Scottish, Irish and British based subject areas. Further details at http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html. Santa approves!

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