New York immigration ports 1890s

This is a circa 1891-1893 photo of the Barge Office in New York. Philip, Frances, Louis, Celia, and Frances Strakos likely entered the United States through the Barge Office immigration center.

Most people think of Ellis Island but New York had several different immigration centers in the early 1890s. Castle Garden was in service until 18 April 1890 and Ellis Island did not open until 1892. This makes the Barge Office the likely reception center for the Strakos family when they arrived on 27 May 1890.

"From August 3, 1855 to April 18, 1890, Castle Garden was America's first official immigration center, a pioneering collaboration of New York State and New York City. In 1890, the federal government determined to control all ports of entry and take responsibility for receiving and processing all immigrants to the U.S. The Castle was closed and the reception center was moved to the U.S. Barge Office which was located on the eastern edge of The Battery waterfront. It operated until the U.S. Office of Immigration opened the newly built Ellis Island in 1892." -- CastleGarden.org

• Castle Garden at the Battery
  http://www.castlegarden.org/
• New York Public Library Digital Collections Barge Office
  https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/search/index?&keywords=barge+office&sort=keyDate_st+desc#
• The Transatlantic Crossing
  http://www.norwayheritage.com/emigrants.htm
• Barge Office: Arrival of the Immigrant
  http://members.tripod.com/~L_Alfano/bargeoff.htm