From 1892 to 1954, Ellis Island saw over 12 million immigrants pass through its inspection station. The first person to go through was a 17-year-old Irish girl on Jan. 1, 1892. But many got stuck on the island, waiting for money, an escort, or a transportation ticket.
Personal stories of these American wannabes inspired the amateur photographer Augustus Sherman. As Ellis Island’s office clerk, he had a unique opportunity to capture immigrants in their national dress. Most of the immigrants were Europeans that had left home because of financial deprivation or persecution.
During years 1906 to 1914, Sherman created unique portraits that were just recently rediscovered.
Today almost a 100 million Americans can trace back their ancestry to Ellis Island immigrants. What their stories were is left unanswered.
Russian Cossacks, 1906. NYPL
Ruthenian (Ukrainian) woman, 1906. NYPL
Albanian soldier, circa 1906-1914. NYPL
German stowaway, 1911. NYPL
Algerian man, c1910. NYPL
Slovak women. NYPL
Bavarian man, circa 1906-1914. NYPL
Danish man from Svendberg, 1909. NYPL
Dutch women, circa 1910. NYPL
Romanian piper, circa 1906-1914. NYPL
17-year-old Hindu boy, 1911. NYPL
Lapland children, possibly from Sweden, circa 1910. NYPL
Three women from Guadeloupe. NYPL
Sami woman from Finland, 1905. NYPL
Norwegian woman, 1906-1914. NYPL
Romanian women. NYPL
Romanian shepherd, 1906. NYPL
Greek soldier, 1911. NYPL
Italian woman, circa 1906-1914. NYPL
Dutch siblings from the Island of Marken, holding religious tracts, 1905. NYPL
Cossack man from the steppes of Russia. NYPL
Turkish bank guard, 1912. NYPL
Romanian shepherds. NYPL
Gypsy family, 1905. NYPL
Slovak woman and children, circa 1910. NYPL
