We took a couple tours of Hart Island (North & South) with the Urban Park Rangers. In this video, you'll see highlights of the South Side of Hart Island. July 2024.
Here's the playlist that will have all of our Hart Island (North & South Side) videos
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Hart Island currently serves as New York City's Cemetery, replacing previous burial sites such as Washington Square Park, Union Square, Madison Square Park, etc.
Overview, chapter list, and a little history:
Hart Island is a small, uninhabited island located in the Long Island Sound, off the coast of the Bronx in New York City. It is best known as the city’s public burial ground, or "Potter's Field," where over a million people—those who are unclaimed, unidentified, or indigent—have been buried since the 1860s. Beyond its role as a cemetery, Hart Island has also served various other purposes throughout history, including as a prison, quarantine station, reformatory, and even a Cold War missile base.
Chapters
00:00 City Dock and Ferry Ride
01:00 Memorials
01:16 South Side of Hart Island
02:31 Prison Wall Remains
02:50 South Side of Hart Island
04:07 Phoenix House site
04:17 South Side of Hart Island
04:36 AIDS Burials
05:10 South Side of Hart Island
05:45 Covid Burials
05:55 Hart Island Chapel
06:40 Reformatory School Superintendant Home
07:27 Gazebo and Memorial Section
08:47 Strolling the South Side of Hart Island
09:30 Ferry Ride back to City Island
Hart Island is a small, uninhabited island located in the Long Island Sound, off the coast of the Bronx in New York City. It is best known as the city’s public burial ground, or "Potter's Field," where over a million people—those who are unclaimed, unidentified, or indigent—have been buried since the 1860s. Beyond its role as a cemetery, Hart Island has also served various other purposes throughout history, including a Civil War POW camp, quarantine station, women’s asylum, reformatory for delinquent boys, tuberculosis hospital, and Cold War missile base. Each era has left its mark, creating a complex history reflecting New York City's evolving needs and fears.
South Side Highlights:
Prison Wall Remains:
Starting in 1885, Hart Island housed petty criminals and later served as a prison for various groups, including Confederate soldiers, drug rehab patients, and juvenile offenders. The harsh conditions, including hard labor in the burial grounds, cemented its desolate reputation.
Phoenix House Site:
In the 1960s, Phoenix House operated a drug rehab center on Hart Island. High operational costs, including maintaining ferry service, led to its relocation. The organization still exists today, continuing its mission in other locations.
AIDS Burials:
During the 1980s AIDS epidemic, Hart Island became New York City’s largest burial site for AIDS victims, who were buried in isolated, deep graves due to unfounded fears of contagion, highlighting the severe discrimination they faced.
COVID Burials:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hart Island once again became a focal point as a burial site for unclaimed victims, symbolizing the pandemic’s impact on the city's most vulnerable.
The Chapel:
Built in 1941, the chapel served the spiritual needs of those on the island. Though now in disrepair, it stands as one of the few remaining structures, symbolizing the island's layered history.
Reformatory Headmaster's House Wall Remains:
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a reformatory school for delinquent boys operated on the island, aimed at rehabilitation through strict discipline. The harsh conditions and isolation made it a challenging place for the young residents.
Of interest: Black Coney Island Proposal:
In the early 20th century, Timothy McCaskell, an entrepreneur from Barbados, proposed creating a “Black Coney Island” on Hart Island to provide African Americans with recreational opportunities. The plan was never realized due to racial discrimination, leaving it as an intriguing “what-if” in the island's history.
For more information:
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