Ellis Island’s “Gateway to America” closes - This Day in History – Nov 12th

New York City’s Statue of Liberty was a welcomed landmark to those who arrived via ship to Ellis Island.  Known as the, “Gateway of America,” this processing area for immigrants from all over the world closed in 1954 after overseeing 12 million immigrants from its start back in 1892.

According to history.com, “On January 2, 1892, 15-year-old Annie Moore, from Ireland, became the first person to pass through the newly opened Ellis Island, which President Benjamin Harrison designated as America's first federal immigration center in 1890. Before that time, the processing of immigrants had been handled by individual states.”

Readers Digest founder, DeWitt Wallace is born 

Back in 1889, Easton, PA welcomed the future founder of the popular magazine, “Readers Digest.”

Mr. Wallace and his new Wife, Lila were married in Pleasanton, NY, the future home of Reader’s Digest.  They started the magazine themselves in a basement in Manhattan and published their first edition in Feb 1922 with a total of 1500 copies.

According to history.com, “By 1929, circulation had reached 200,000 and was growing. In 1933, the magazine began publishing original articles, and the following year began to condense books. The magazine continued growing rapidly and by the end of the 20th century had the largest circulation of any publication in the world, with more than 17 million readers in dozens of countries and some 20 languages.”

Academy Award- winning Actor, William Holden dies

Back in 1981, the actor who starred in successful Hollywood movies such as, “Network,” and “Sunset Boulevard,” “Stalag 17, “ “Love is a Many-Splendored Thing,” died on this day at the age of 63.  According to history.com “the Academy Award-winning actor reportedly died after falling and hitting his head; his body was found several days later.” 

Born, William Feanklin Beedle in 1918, the O’Fallon, IL native would later win an Academy Award for his role in the movie, “Stalag 17,” back in 1953.

According to history.com, “off camera, Holden was friends with Ronald Reagan and served as best man at his 1952 wedding to Nancy Davis. Holden’s final film was director Blake Edwards’ S.O.B. (1981), a satire about Hollywood and the movie business.”

All History facts provided from the link below:

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/goldenrod-sets-the-land-speed-record?catId=17