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Historical Immigration, Documents, Articles and Other Immigration Items

The Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives has considerable documents and information on the mass migration of immigrants from primarily European countries to North America. Note that Immigration and the social - economic and other factors may be covered under separate topics.

The immigrants gained access to the United States principally through the north Atlantic ports of entry of the steamship lines. These ports, in order of importance were: New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. Through New York at Ellis Island came nearly three-fouths of all our immigrants.

Immigration Stations

• Castle Garden
• Ellis Island
• Boston

Immigration Topics

• Canadian Immigration
• Deportation of Emigrants
• Emigration
• Immigrant Documents and Documentation
• Immigrant Stories
• Immigrant Steamship Tickets and Contracts for Passage
• Immigrant Types
• Immigration Laws and Acts
  • Legislation and Administration Addressing the Immigration Problem
• Inspection of Immigrants (Medical and Mental)
• Other Immigration Issues and Problems
• War Time Factors In Immigration

Featured Articles

• 1892-1975 An Immigrants' Story - Follow the journey of this young Norwegian Immigrant from Trondhjem.
• 1898-02-26 Ellis Island Immigration Station - The Threshold of America
• A Summary of the Immigration Laws of the United States from 1882
• 1903-12 Immigration Article: The Flood From Europe - The Immigration Problem
• 1904 - Ellis Island Photographs - Views of Immigrants at Ellis Island
• 1905-02 How Immigrants Are Inspected at Ellis Island circa 1903
• 1907 Questions and Answers for Prospective American Citizens
• 1907 A Summary of the Naturalization Laws of the United States
• 1911 Attractive French Woman Deported after Ten Years in America - Insight into one day at the deportation pen at Ellis Island.
• 1913 Immigrants Going Through Ellis Island - includes period photographs
• 1915 A Brief of the Question of Immigration in Outline Form - perfect for students who are studying immigration in preparing subject matter reports and thesis.
• 1918 (Report) Immigrants to the United States: Inspection, Social and Economic Conditions - (Ellis Island) Excellent Summary of the process at Ellis Island includes tables and footnotes.
• 1923 Immigrant Documents - Ellis Island - A superb collection of documents from a Lithuanian Immigrant who traveled to America on the Holland America Line. Includes Immigrant Inspection Card and Certificate of Vaccination and Disinfested, Immigrant Outer Garment Identification Card, Passenger Manifest relating to this immigrant, and photographs.
• 1928-07-26 Immigrant Identification Card, United Stated Department of Labor for Non-Quota Immigration Visa.

Historical Articles on Immigration related topics - In the Queue For Uploading

• 1838-06-12 Report to Congress on Passengers Arriving in 1837. Document No. 427, 25th Congress, 2nd Session, John Forsyth, The Hon. the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The annual statement of the number and description of Passengers arriving in the United States on shipboard, during the year ending the 30th September 1837. Shows the number and designation of the passengers who have arrived in each collection district of the United States, and in each quarter, pursuant to the act of March 2, 1819, regulating passenger ships and vessels.
• 1850-11-12 Depopulation of Ireland
• 1870- The New York Custom house - Historical perspective covers the activity of the Custom House with information on smugglers from transatlantic voyages.
• 1926 Brochure: How To Become A Citizen Of The United States, Foreign Language Information Service, New York City, 28 Pages. Topics Include Introduction, Declaration of Intention, Petition for Naturalization, The Final Hearing, Effect of a Man's Naturalization on His Family, Citizenship of Women, Procedure for Special Cases,n Loss of American Citizenship.

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