Show Ellis Island Once Gay and Named Oyster Island Islan d I In the days when New York was a s I Dutch possession and known as ns New Ne w Amsterdam In In the Seventeenth Se cen century tury EllIs tury-EllIs Kills Island the famous Immigrant grant station was called Oyster Island and was a gay g y and exclusive re re- re- re resort e- e sort For Tor almost years Oyster Island continued to lo be New Amsterdam's Amsterdam favorite resort for picnics oyster oster roasts clam bakes and fishing parties par tIes says Edward CorsI former forme United States commissioner of Immigration gration at nt Ellis Island In tn his ills valuable book In the Shadow of Liberty The Chronicle of Ellis Island It passed passe finally Into Inlo the hands of ot Samuel Ellisa Ellis a farmer of Bergen county New Jer sey It later became the property of ot o othe the state st te of New York how not clear and In 1808 New York ceded the Island Islam d to the federal government It wa wathen was s then used usell as us a powder magazine and an d arsenal and after various uses by the the th e government go In It was designated designate d as an Immigrant nt station Mr Ir CorsI notes noles that during his ad administration ministration mInIstration-In In 1032 I I I was s to wit witness witness ness the actual changing of the thee tide tille e the first In more than a L hundred years year 1 I when more people had hod left our shores shore s than were arriving The changing chan ln tide S of Immigration was brought brou ht about bout by b y the depression In that year rear year 1032 persons person s were admitted while left In I a 1923 ID S the figures were wele admitted 07 JJ left i Kansas 7 Kansas I City Star |