The Renwick Ruin, resembling an ancient castle lost to time, appears along the East River as a crumbling, medieval-like apparition, something not quite believable. Sitting between two new additions on Roosevelt Island -- the campus of Cornell Tech and FDR Four Freedoms Park -- these captivating ruins, enrobed in beautiful ivy, tell the story of a dark period in New York City history.
The island between Manhattan and Queens was once known as Blackwell's Island, a former pastoral escape that transformed into the ominous 'city of asylums', the destination for the poor, the elderly and the criminal during the 19th century.
During this period, the island embodied every outdated idea about human physical and mental health, and vast political corruption ensured that the inmates and patients of the island would suffer.
In 1856 the island added a Smallpox Hospital to its notorious roster, designed by acclaimed architect James Renwick Jr (of St. Patrick's Cathedral fame) in a Gothic Revival style that captivates visitors to this day -- even if the building is in an advanced state of dilapidation.
What makes the Renwick Ruin so entrancing? How did this marvelous bit of architecture manage to survive in any form into present day?
PLUS: The grand story of the island -- from a hideous execution in 1829 to the modern delights of one of New York City's most interesting neighborhoods.
After you've listened to this show, check out these Bowery Boys podcasts with similar themes:
-- North Brother Island: New York's Forbidden Place
-- Nellie Bly: Undercover in the Madhouse
A Gilded Age Tour Up the Island of Manhattan
Rewind: The Deadly Draft Riots of 1863
The Making of the Pledge of Allegiance
#412 The New York Parking Wars
#411 Miss Subways: Queens of the New York Commute
#410 The Roeblings: The Family Who Built The Brooklyn Bridge
Rewind: The Birth of the Broadway Musical
#409 The Great New York City Pizza Tour
#408 The Titanic and the Fate of Pier 54
#407 New York by Gaslight: Illuminating the 19th Century
Rewind: When The Irish Came To New York
#406 How Wall Street Got Its Name
#405 Mona Lisa at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
The First Woman Ever Photographed
#404 Nighthawks and Automats: Edward Hopper's New York
#403 The Fulton Fish Market: History at the Seaport
Rewind: A Bar Named Julius', New York's Newest Landmark
#402 Treasures from the World's Fair
Side Streets: Good Diners, Great Pizza and Mars 2112
#401 The World Before Wordle: Talking Puzzles With AJ Jacobs
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Dark Histories
The Best Song Podcast
Irish Songs with Ken Murray
The Rest Is History
Lore