Located in the East River in New York City, nestled between Manhattan Island, Queens, and Long Island, lies small yet amazing Roosevelt Island. The island is only 2 miles long but it is jam-packed with history, culture, and residents.
History
Originally, the island was purchased in 1637 by a Dutch settler named Wouter van Twiller, and was known as Hog Island. Dutch possession of the island did not last long, and in 1666 Captain John Manning gained control of the island for the next 20 years. After Mannings' death, what was known as Manning Island passed to his son-in-law, Robert Blackwell, who changed the name yet again to Blackwell Island. The island was used mainly as a prison, and many hospitals were also opened here during the 19th century. The island was purchased by the city of New York in 1828, thus making it officially part of the state of New York. During 1921–1971, Roosevelt Island was called Welfare Island due to the increasing number of hospitals and penitentiaries built there. Finally, in 1971 Welfare Island officially became known as Roosevelt Island in honor of the late president, Franklin D. Roosevelt.
In 2010 the island had a population of less than 12,000 people and today operates like any other small borough in the state of New York. A former resident of this amazingly charming island is Sex and the City actress Sarah Jessica Parker. Although Roosevelt Island is considered a small borough of New York City, it is rich with history and culture.
Landmarks
One of the oldest buildings on the island is Blackwell House, which was constructed by Jacob Blackwell, the great-grandson of Robert Blackwell. The house, now just another residential home in the area, is the sixth oldest house in New York City. Octagon Tower, now a residential building, was once the New York Lunatic Asylum, which opened in 1839. Roosevelt Island has been the location for many hospitals, including the now abandoned Smallpox Hospital. This hospital had 100 patient beds when it opened in 1856 but was closed down in 1956 due to worsening conditions. Another hospital, built in 1832, was originally named the Penitentiary Hospital and was intended for prisoners who stayed on the island’s Blackwell Prison. The prison closed in 1935 and the hospital followed in 1957. In 1872, the Blackwell Island Light lighthouse was built on the tip of Roosevelt Island by James Renwick, Jr. and was operated by the City of New York instead of the Lighthouse Board.
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park is a park named after the Four Freedoms speech given by the late president in 1941, officially becoming a National State Park in 2012. Another great landmark on Roosevelt Island is the Chapel of the Good Shepherd, a historic church built in 1888 by architect Frederick Clarke Withers and recently restored in 2003. The bridge linking Roosevelt Island to Manhattan is the Queensboro Bridge, which was designed by Gustav Lindenthal and Henry Hornbostel and completed in 1909.
What's Nearby
Roosevelt Island is located close to Manhattan and New York City, therefore can be accessed by different modes of transportation. There are train stations on the island, as are bus stops and trams.