llis Island opened on January 1, 1892, and for the next sixty-two years, it was the gateway to America. More than twelve million immigrants arrived, were processed, and allowed entry to the United States through this island in New York Harbor. For many immigrants, Ellis Island was a symbol of hope and a place where their American dream could begin, but for others, it was the place where dreams stopped due to a denied application or the diagnosis of a disease. Ellis Island remains a tribute to the immigrants of the twentieth century. Their journeys and sacrifices shaped modern America.