djgagnon:

#NYC #NewYork #RooseveltIsland

Welfare Island 1921-1973, Roosevelt Island (today)

A linen-finish, unsent postcard published by Manhattan Post Card.

“Midtown New York Skyline - Fronting the East River is now dotted with gigantic office buildings and modern skyscraper apartment houses. Welfare Island in the foreground is noted for its reformatories and hospitals.”

Beginning in the 1830s, this 2 mile long island was a relatively isolated place to contain ‘problems’ which threatened city residents. A smallpox hospital and a ‘lunatic asylum’ (commented on by Dickens) provided economic activity. Later, both Billie Holiday and Mae West were among those briefly incarcerated in the jail here.

Some of the historic buildings remain and some of these are being restored.

(Source: )