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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.
Arriving in the U.S. Soon after arriving, immigrants headed to Castle Gardens, located across from the Statue of Liberty on an island off the southwest tip of Manhattan. As the predecessor to Ellis Island, Castle Gardens served as the station to examine and process new immigrants until 1890.