Where is Ellis Island Hospital Complex, New York City, New York?

Written by | Updated On: December 09, 2025, 14:28 ET

Ellis Island Hospital Complex is located on Ellis Island in New York Harbor, USA. It lies between New York and New Jersey and is part of the area near the Statue of Liberty. It is famous for being a historic immigration hospital where millions of immigrants were treated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Ellis Island Hospital Complex Location Map, New York City, New York

Where is Ellis Island Hospital Complex Located in New York City, New York
About Map: The map showing location of Ellis Island Hospital Complex in the New York City, New York in the United States.

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Top Attractions Inside Ellis Island Hospital Complex

  • The Laundry & Powerhouse Building – Historic facility where over 3,000 pieces of laundry were sanitized daily, with original machinery and sanitizing rooms. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
  • Contagious Disease Wards (Measles / Isolation Pavilions) – Pavilion‑style wards used to isolate and treat immigrants with measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria, whooping cough and other contagious diseases. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
  • Morgue & Autopsy Theater – Medical mortuary and autopsy space used for deceased patients and for pathological study — part of the hospital’s serious‑illness infrastructure. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
  • Staff Housing & Administrative Buildings – Dormitories, offices, and administrative areas for medical staff who cared for patients at the complex. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
  • General Hospital Buildings (Main Hospital / General Wards) – Larger hospital buildings for general medical care when immigrants failed initial health inspections, predating the contagious-disease pavilions. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
  • Recreation Pavilion / Shelter – Built in the 1930s for patients’ recreation and fresh air, offering insight into hospital life beyond wards and treatment rooms. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
  • Historic Architecture & Hospital Campus Layout (Spine Corridor) – The interconnected layout of many buildings via corridors (“the spine”) illustrating early 20th‑century public‑health hospital design. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
  • “Unframed – Ellis Island” Art Exhibit – A compelling installation by artist JR: archival immigrant photos pasted on walls and windows throughout the hospital, bringing haunting human stories to the decaying spaces. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}
  • Guided Hard Hat Tour of the Hospital Complex – The only permitted way to explore the unrestored south‑side buildings: a 90‑minute tour taking you to key historic areas including laundry, wards, morgue, and more. :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}

Ellis Island Hospital Complex Facts

Official NameEllis Island Hospital Complex
LocationEllis Island, New York Harbor, New York / New Jersey, USA
Latitude & Longitude≈ 40.6990° N, 74.0396° W (Ellis Island general coordinate) :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
Island(s)South side of Ellis Island — includes Island 2 and Island 3 sections (General Hospital + Contagious Disease Hospital & support buildings) :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
TypeImmigrant Hospital / Public Health & Marine Hospital Service / Public Health Service medical complex including General Hospital, Contagious Disease Hospital, Isolation Wards, support buildings (laundry, kitchen, morgue, staff housing) :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
Construction Started / First Hospital OpenedConstruction began ~1901; Main Hospital building opened March 1902 :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
Further Expansion / Contagious Disease Hospital Built1907–1908 for contagious disease pavilions; isolation wards added and opened by June 20, 1911 :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
Architect / DesignerPrimary hospital buildings — designed by federal architects under U.S. Treasury / supervising architect (e.g. for Island 3 contagious‑disease hospital and support buildings, designed under government supervision) :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
Operated ByInitially by U.S. Marine Hospital Service (until 1912), then by U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) in conjunction with the immigration authorities :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}
Peak Function / PurposeMedical examination and treatment of arriving immigrants — both non‑contagious (“general hospital”) and contagious diseases (measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria, whooping cough etc. in contagious disease & isolation wards). Also provided housing, laundry, kitchen, morgue facilities. :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}
Patient & Throughput Capacity (Historic)By some accounts, the hospital complex accommodated up to ~750 beds at its peak; could treat many immigrants arriving daily. :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}
Staff / PersonnelAt peak, over 150 doctors, nurses and staff worked there; some staff lived on‑site in dormitories on the island. :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}
Notable StatisticsAbout 1.2 million immigrants (≈10% of arrivals) passed through the hospital for examination or treatment. Estimated ~3,500 people died there; ~350 babies were born there during its operational period. :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}
Closure (Hospital)Hospital services ceased March 1, 1951 (USPHS vacated) :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}
Station / Immigration Complex ClosureFull immigration station (and associated facilities) closed November 12, 1954 :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}
Post‑Closure / UseSome buildings used by U.S. Coast Guard (1951–1954) for file storage; thereafter largely abandoned. :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19}
Historic / Heritage StatusPart of Statue of Liberty National Monument since 1965; recognized as part of the overall heritage of Ellis Island and U.S. immigration history. :contentReference[oaicite:21]{index=21}
Public Access / ToursSince 2014, guided “Hard‑Hat Tours” of the hospital complex are offered (under restricted access — visitors required to wear hard hats, stay with tour groups; access to select areas only) :contentReference[oaicite:22]{index=22}
Current ConditionBuildings are largely in a state of decay / disrepair; many windows broken, roofs leaking, interiors deteriorated due to salt air and weather; some parts remain intact but none are restored for general use. :contentReference[oaicite:23]{index=23}
Purpose / Significance (Historic & Cultural)Served as primary medical inspection & treatment facility for immigrants arriving through Ellis Island — a critical gateway to U.S. immigration for ~12 million people from 1892‑1954; reflects U.S. immigration health screening history, public health response, and immigrant experience. Also represents early‑20th‑century hospital architecture and public health infrastructure. :contentReference[oaicite:24]{index=24}
Official Website / Preservation BodyManaged as part of Statue of Liberty National Monument by National Park Service (in cooperation with preservation group Save Ellis Island, Inc.) :contentReference[oaicite:27]{index=27}

Distances from Ellis Island Hospital Complex to Nearby Landmarks

  • Statue of Liberty – 1 km (0.6 mi)
  • Battery Park – 3 km (1.8 mi)
  • One World Trade Center – 4 km (2.5 mi)
  • Wall Street – 3 km (1.8 mi)
  • Brookfield Place – 3.5 km (2.2 mi)
  • Trinity Church – 3 km (1.8 mi)
  • New York Stock Exchange – 3 km (1.8 mi)
  • World Trade Center Memorial – 4 km (2.5 mi)
  • Brooklyn Bridge – 5 km (3.1 mi)
  • South Street Seaport – 4 km (2.5 mi)
  • Governors Island – 1 km (0.6 mi)
  • Liberty State Park (NJ) – 1 km (0.6 mi)
  • Castle Clinton National Monument – 3 km (1.8 mi)
  • City Hall Park – 4 km (2.5 mi)
  • Battery Park City – 3 km (1.8 mi)
  • Staten Island Ferry Terminal – 5 km (3.1 mi)
  • Federal Hall – 3 km (1.8 mi)
  • National Museum of the American Indian – 3 km (1.8 mi)
  • Chinatown, Manhattan – 5 km (3.1 mi)
  • Little Italy, Manhattan – 4.5 km (2.8 mi)