From 1892 to 1954, Ellis Island was the gateway to a new life in the United States for millions of immigrants. Then, during World War I and World War II, it was used to detain enemies of the government and train US troops. In later years, the island was deserted, the buildings decaying. Even after President Lyndon Johnson named it a historic site, Ellis Island was not restored until the 1980s, when Americans from all over the country donated more than $150 million. It opened to the public once again in 1990 as a museum. Readers will love learning about America's history, as well as their own, through one of the most popular landmarks in the country. From 1892 to 1954, Ellis Island was the gateway to a new life in the United States for millions of immigrants. In later years, the island was deserted, the buildings decaying. Ellis Island was not restored until the 1980s, when Americans from all over the country donated more than $150 million. It opened to the public once again in 1990 as a museum. Learn more about America's history, and perhaps even your own, through the story of one of the most popular landmarks in the country.