roosevelt island, nyc: the historic island of misfit toys

For the price of a subway fare, New Yorkers and tourists alike can take a day trip to this quaint island rooted in haunted history, without technically leaving Manhattan.

The rusty red Roosevelt Island Tramway. Photo credit: @jhor_dee

Roosevelt Island is located in no-man’s (is)land between Upper East Side and Queens, and is accessible by, of all things, gondola. Who knew there was a gondola in the middle of Manhattan?

When you cross over to the other side, it feels as though you’ve left the city and gone into a spooky parallel suburbia. For 100 years, from 1832-1930’s, the island was used to house New York City’s ‘undesirables’-- prisoners, the mentally insane, and quarantined Smallpox patients. Today, it is a charming island with beautiful city skyline views, picnic spots and parks.

Planning your visit:

When: There isn’t a bad time of year to visit Roosevelt Island. Check the island’s event calendar to see if there are any upcoming festivals to plan your visit around.

Where: This guide has a custom Google Map with a collection all of the points of interest mention below. You can also click on any of the locations in bold below to take to you Google Maps in a pinch.

The abandoned Renwick Smallpox Hospital.

haunted history

The Penitentiary was built first in 1829 after New York City purchased the land from a family of wealthy farmers in 1825. Inmates were punished with hard labor, forced to break rock in the quarry, which would later be used to build other of the island’s institutions.

One of these institutions was the New York City Lunatic Asylum, which was active from 1841-1894. According to Politico, Charles Dickens said this about his visit there,

“Everything had a lounging, listless, madhouse air, which was very painful. The moping idiot, cowering down with long disheveled hair; the gibbering maniac, with his hideous laugh and pointed finger; the vacant eye, the fierce wild face, the gloomy picking of the hands and lips, and munching of the nails.”

In 1887, a 23 year-old bada$$ female journalist by the name of Nellie Bly, went undercover in the mental hospital for 10 days to expose the wretched conditions. The SF Gate goes into more detail about her interviews with patients and the heartless conditions they endured. Today, the asylum has been replaced by a high-rise apartment building called The Octagon. The old entrance still remains, which is what gives the building its name. Check out the SF Gate for more about Nellie Bly, a daredevil feminist who also completed a trip around the world in 72 days.

Another eerie remnant is the still partially erect, Renwick Smallpox Hospital. Over ~100 years, 13,000 people passed away from Smallpox in this 100 bed hospital. (NY Daily News) It was abandoned in the 1950’s, but it’s ivy-covered gothic architecture still stands today.

how to get here

By Tram/Gondola: Take the 4, 6 or N train (express) to the Lexington/59th Street stop. From the station walk east to E 60th Street and 2nd Ave-- there you will find a rusty red entrance to Roosevelt Island Tramway on the corner. The ticket is equivalent to a subway ride— just swipe your MTA card and pay $2.75 to fly alongside the Queensboro Bridge.

Roosevelt island is also accessible by the F Train (Roosevelt Island stop), by bus and by car. WikiHow has more detailed travel instructions.

points of interest

The island’s quaint Visitor’s Center is right outside of the tram exit next to the water’s edge. Inside are by-donation maps of the island, waters, trail mix and a very sweet woman who will ask you to sign her guestbook.

From here, you can walk to the north side of the island (25 minutes), the south side of the island (12 minutes), or take the free Red Bus shuttle that runs around the island every 8-15 minutes.

the north side

The Blackwell House: Before the City of New York purchased Roosevelt Island in 1825, it was owned by the Blackwell family for generations. This original farmhouse built in 1796 was used as a living quarters for the wardens of the penitentiary, asylum and hospitals (New York State).

The Octagon: The entrance to this high-end apartment building is the original from New York City Lunatic Asylum. Check out the NY Daily News for interviews with current residents of The Octagon, and whether or not they believe it to be haunted.

Roosevelt Island Lighthouse and Lighthouse Park: At the northern tip of the island is the original lighthouse, and park perfect for a picnic. There are grills, picnic tables and ample green space. As of 2018 this park is under construction, but is still a scenic stroll.

Main Street: Just like any other neighborhood, Roosevelt Island has local residents, grocery stores, a post office, library, community garden and restaurants. See for yourself!

the south side

The Esplanade: Beautiful skyline views of the city and the Queensboro Bridge. Made for biking, strolling, dog-walking, they are wide enough for everyone— a nice break from the crowded streets of Manhattan.

Mansion Park: Explore Cornell Tech campus’ grassy knolls. Perfect for dogs!

Renwick Smallpox Hospital: See the abandoned ivy-covered remnants of the Smallpox Hospital for yourself. At night it is illuminated, making it even spookier.

Roosevelt Four Freedom’s Park: Located on the Southern most tip of the island, Four Freedom’s is a memorial to the island’s namesake, President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Perfect for watching the sunset, stumbling upon art exhibitions and even watching the famous Manhattanhenge. Check out the event calendar for more public programs.

Strecker Memorial Laboratory: This small Romanesque revival stone building was constructed in 1892, and at the time was the first laboratory in the country devoted exclusively to pathological and bacteriological research (New York State).

thank you

Is Roosevelt Island really haunted? If you visited IRL, let us what you think by tagging #dopedaysonly on IG. Don’t forget to share this guide with your friends in New York, and sign up for our email list below for more dope days. Yeehaw!