The Lonely Island: A Look at Hart Island in the Early 1900s

The Lonely Island: A Look at Hart Island in the Early 1900s

In the early 20th century, Hart Island was a place of last resort, a small strip of land in the Long Island Sound set apart from the bustle of New York City. It served multiple functions for the city’s Department of Public Charities and Correction, housing the living who were forgotten and burying the dead who were unclaimed. The island was a combination of a workhouse, a hospital, and the city’s official potter’s field. The primary and most end…