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Castle Clinton (Castle Garden) National Monument

From the National Park Service. Located in Battery Park on the southern-most tip of Manhattan, Castle Garden was the arrival point of some eight million immigrants who entered New York harbor from 1855 to 1890. It was the Ellis Island of its day.

Castle Garden

Free online searchable database of over 10 million immigrants who arrived at Castle Garden at the tip of Manhattan between 1830 and 1892. Searchable by name. Before Ellis Island was opened, Castle Garden functioned as the first official immigration center in the United States as a collaboration between the State of New York and New York City. Information in the online database is taken from the original ships' manifests and provides occupation, age, sex, date of arrival, place of origin and ship name. Results of advanced searches require a fee-for-download.

Immigrant's Story - Castle Garden

From the New York Times of December 23, 1866.

Immigration and the Commissioners of Emigration of the State of New York

A book by Friedrich Kapp.

Steve Morse's One-Step Castle Garden Search Engine

One-Step search of Castle Garden immigration records covring the years 1851 to 1891. This search requires a subscription to a pay-for-use database.

The ShipsList - Ships Pictures, Ports and Logos

Irish Immigrants: New York Port Arrival Records, 1846-1851

Original source: Famine Irish Entry Project, 1846-1851. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.

New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957

Original source: Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M237, 675 rolls); Records of the U.S. Customs Service, Record Group 36; National Archives, Washington, D.C.; Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957; (National Archives Microfilm Publication T715, 8892 rolls); Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Naturalization Index - NY Eastern Jul 1865-Sep 1906

Original source: NARA M1164. A card index to naturalization petitions filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York from July 1865 through September 1906.

Naturalization Index - NY Eastern Nov 1925-Dec 1957

Original source: NARA M1164. A card index to naturalization petitions filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York from November 1925 through December 1957.

Naturalization Index - NY Eastern Oct 1906-Nov 1925

Original source: NARA M1164. A card index to naturalization petitions filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York from October 1907 through November 1925.

Naturalization Index - NY Southern Intentions

Original source: NARA M1675. Alphabetical Index to Declarations of Intention of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, 1917-1950.

Naturalization Index - NY Southern Petitions

Original source: NARA M1676. Alphabetical Index to Petitions for Naturalization of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, 1824-1941.

Naturalization Index - NY Western

Original source: NARA M1677. Alphabetical Index to Petitions for Naturalizations of the US District Court for the Western District of New York, 1907-1966.

Naturalization Index - NYC Courts

Original source: NARA M1674. The Soundex index to naturalization petitions filed in federal, state, and local courts in New York City, including New York, Kings, Queens and Richmond counties, 1792-1906.

Genealogical Resources at the National Archives

Research Topics of Genealogical Interest