What are some fun facts about Roosevelt Island?

  • Roosevelt Island is two miles long and located on the East River between Manhattan and Queens.
  • It was formally known as Blackwell's Island and Welfare Island.
  • The F line train station on Roosevelt Island opened in 1989.
  • The island can also be reached by the Roosevelt Island Tramway, the ferry and by bridge from Queens.




Roosevelt Island in New York City is full of historical quirks, most notably its Pneumatic Trash System (AVAC). It is one of the only places in the U.S. where garbage is sucked through underground vacuum tubes to a central plant, meaning you won't see garbage trucks or smelly bags on the curbs. Historically, the island was once known as "Welfare Island" and "Blackwell's Island," serving as a site for prisons, almshouses, and the "Smallpox Hospital," the ruins of which are now a landmarked site. Another fun fact: the iconic Roosevelt Island Tramway was originally built in 1976 as a "temporary" solution while the subway was being finished, but it became so popular that it remained a permanent fixture. Today, it is also home to the "The Octagon," a luxury apartment building that was once the grand entrance to the New York City Municipal Lunatic Asylum, which was famously investigated by the undercover journalist Nellie Bly in 1887.

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While still a part of Manhattan, Roosevelt Island is its opposite: quiet, homely, and mostly green-colored.

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Roosevelt Island is a popular neighborhood for home buyers who can afford to buy a home in the median price range of $925K. If this price doesn't match your budget, expand your search to include homes in popular neighborhoods around Roosevelt Island.

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Sportspark is the island's recreational facility. The swimming pool, basketball court, Sportspark studio, and Sportspark Rec room can be rented for a variety of indoor sports and fitness activities.

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There are a few large mammals (like deer and foxes) that live on the island for all or part of the year. Many, many birds either visit the island year round (like woodpeckers, herons, and ducks) or stop in on their way between wintering and summering grounds (like warblers). There are a few snakes on the island.

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First Development. By 1823 New York City had become a bustling trade hub and the country's largest city. To combat the rising rates of crime, poverty, and general threats to public health, the city began purchasing the islands surrounding Manhattan for the construction of institutions for rehabilitation.

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In colonial days, the Blackwell family, prosperous neighbors from across the river in Queens, owned Roosevelt Island (then called Blackwell's Island), where they farmed and quarried. In the early 1800s the family sought to sell the island, and around 1825 it was purchased by the City of New York.

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Roosevelt Island Bridge The span length is 418 feet. It was known as the Welfare Island Bridge when it was first opened to traffic in 1955. The bridge is the only means of vehicular access to Roosevelt Island.

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Roosevelt Island, island in the East River, between the boroughs of Manhattan and Queens, New York City. Administratively part of Manhattan, it is 1.5 miles (about 2.5 km) long and 1/8 mile wide, with an area of 139 acres (56 hectares).

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The cats of Roosevelt Island can be found stalking through the underbrush of the abandoned smallpox hospital, lounging in the community gardens, and slinking through the gaps in construction fencing throughout the island.

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At just 1.75 miles ? or 35 city blocks ? long, it's worth hitting both ends of the island, and the northern tip is a pleasant, 20-minute stroll from the tram (or a five-minute walk from the terminus of the island bus system, which you can ride for free).

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At the northern tip of Roosevelt Island is another park, Lighthouse Park, named after the Blackwell Island Light.

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Overall, Roosevelt Island has a moderate risk of flooding over the next 30 years, which means flooding is likely to impact day-to-day life within the community. This is based on the level of risk the properties face rather than the proportion of properties with risk.

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From Manhattan, you can take the Roosevelt Island Tramway, located at East 59th Street and Second Avenue, for $2.75 one way. If you're coming from Queens, you can drive or walk onto the island via the Roosevelt Island Bridge, or take the Q102 bus line.

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The trail is part pea gravel and part boardwalk. This short, ? mile trail passes through the heart of the island, including the memorial plaza with its statue and fountains. It is paved with pea gravel.

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