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Immigration to Ellis Island peaked between 1892 and 1924, during which time the 3.3-acre island was enlarged with landfill (by the 1930s it reached its current 27.5-acre size) and additional buildings were constructed to handle the massive influx of immigrants.
They hurried, and then waited-sometimes for hours-aboard barges. The first passenger to pass through the doors of Ellis Island in 1892 was given a ten-dollar gold piece. She was Annie Moore from County Cork. The busiest year was 1907 with 866,660 immigrants.