A small Roosevelt Island is located in East River, between Manhattan and Queens. It attracts public’s attention. A few asylums, hospitals and prisons used to be located there. Remains of these institutions can be seen today, and that is one of the main reasons why the island is one of New York’s tourist attractions. History, sighs and thought-out organization make this island attractive for visiting, but also for settling down.
The island is not easily accessible by a car – furthermore, some parts of the island were designed not to have traffic at all. However, public transportation, i.e. trams, connect the island with eastern Manhattan. Trains and a ferry ride also possible solutions for getting to the island, as well as a cable car from Manhattan. The island used to have different names, such as Pig Island because the Dutch used to breed pigs there. The British called it Manning’s Island, and finally in 1973 it was named Roosevelt Island after Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Even though the island is under New York jurisdiction, it was leased to a corporation that dealt with urban development. Many buildings on the island are for rent. The island is known for its tumultuous history when lower classes, i.e. the poor, the ill and criminals were exiled from Manhattan because it was believed they impaired the area’s reputation. This was a frequent event the island came into Manning’s son-in-law hands Robert Blackwell. That period is one of the darkest in the island’s history.
One of the oldest buildings on the island is among six oldest buildings in New York – that is the house of Blackwell’s descendants. The family inhabited the island until the 19th century, trying to sell it a couple of times. The New York City bought the island in 1828 in order to build hospitals for the mentally ill and some kinds of prisons. And that is how it all went – a state prison and an asylum were opened in 1832. However, it is connected with many shady events such as drugs trafficking, assaults, escapes etc. It all led to changing the island’s name into “Welfare Island” in the 1930s, thus marking the beginning of a reform period. Inmates were transferred to other prisons, and the prison was demolished. Asylum for mentally ill was opened in 1838, but it was imagined to be more of a resort than a mental institution.
During the 19th century there was an orphanage and a hospital – over time, it turned into a city hospital, one of the biggest institutions of such kind in the USA. During the 1850s, it served as an institution for the treatment of smallpox disease – nowadays, it is a tourist attraction. Even though it seems unapproachable, it is very pretty to look at.
Today, the island has decorated parks, a cable car, a museum, and it is a place for many cultural events. It has around 11.000 citizens. Many humanitarian organizations are located on the island. Even In spite of the island’s dark history, nowadays Roosevelt Island is a fine place for living with peace and quiet, in addition to the view of Manhattan it offers. This part of New York may also be one if the most beautiful in whole New York.
Author of the article:
Marijana Niković tour guide for Montenegro
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photo credit:Clay Leconey
