Progressive Era (1890-1913) A scene from a Thomas Edison film, Emigrants landing at Ellis Island RealVideo (streaming) MPEG Format (20.5 MB) Help With Video Credits The First Immigrant Landed on Ellis Island January 1, 1892 Nearly half of all Americans have ancestors who came here through Ellis Island, but this was only one of many ports of entry for ships; some others were Philadelphia, Boston and Baltimore. Ask someone in your family about how your grandparents or great-grandparents came to this country. If your ancestors came from Canada or Mexico, how would they have entered America? page 3 of 3 Library Of Congress | Legal Notices | Privacy | Site Map | Contact Us VIDEO CREDIT: "Emigrants [i.e. immigrants] landing at Ellis Island." Thomas A. Edison, Inc. filmed, July 9, 1903. Copyright, July 24, 1903. Early Motion Pictures, 1897-1920, Library of Congress.