8/1/2004
By Sharon DeBartolo Carmack
So your immigrant ancestors didn't pass through Ellis Island's "golden door"? Follow these tips to find family who landed in Boston, New Orleans, Baltimore, Philadelphia or the 90 other US ports that welcomed new arrivals.
Boston, where this ship is unloading, has welcomed immigrants for longer than any other US port. Baltimore ushered in 2 million immigrants, including this mother and daughter.
It's one of America's great romantic notions: masses of tired, hungry immigrants gazing upon the Statue of Liberty as their ships sail into New York Harbor, then stepping through Ellis Island's "golden door" onto US soil. That might be how the journey ended for the more than 16 million immigrants whose boats docked in New York between 1892 and 1954 — but what if your ancestor was one of the millions more who entered through America's 90-plus other ports? How do you find your family when you don't have a massive online database like Ellis Island's <www.ellisisland.org>? Although it may take a little more digging, you have plenty of resources to help you. Here's where to look.