Over one million souls rest here. On Potters Island. A chilling thought isn’t it? But Potters Island is more than just a resting place for the unclaimed. It’s a poignant chapter in New York City’s history.
Potters Island part of Hart Island is situated in the Long Island Sound. It’s a place where the city’s forgotten and unclaimed are laid to rest. A potter’s field. It started modestly enough in 1869. A young woman named Louisa Van Slyke became the first resident. She died in Charity Hospital with no family to claim her.
But Hart Island’s story goes far beyond its use as a cemetery. This small piece of land has held many roles. It began as a training ground for United States Colored Troops in 1864. Then it became a Civil War prison camp. Later a psychiatric institution. Then a tuberculosis sanatorium. It was even a homeless shelter and a drug rehabilitation center. Can you imagine the lives that have touched these shores? The hopes and dreams that blossomed and faded here? The sheer range of human experience?
During the Cold War Nike defense missiles were stationed here. A surprising detail isn’t it? Imagine the juxtaposition of life and death. The quiet finality of the graves contrasted with the Cold War’s high-stakes drama.
Access to Potters Island was once highly restricted. Run by the Department of Correction. Visiting was difficult. Burials were even performed by inmates from Rikers Island. Until 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hart Island Project a public charity helped improve access and records. In 2019 the New York City Council voted to transfer jurisdiction to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. That changed things considerably.
The remains on Potters Island aren’t only those of the homeless or indigent. Many had families who couldn’t afford funerals. Many weren’t claimed by relatives. Some notable people were buried here. Such as playwright Leo Birinski and painter Mihri Müfik Hanım. Even novelist Dawn Powell and composer Noah Creshevsky found their final resting place here.
Today Potters Island is undergoing a transformation. The city plans to open it to the public. A touchstone memorial is planned. To honor the lives laid to rest here on Potters Island. It is a place of immense sadness but also profound reflection. A place where we can remember the lives of those often forgotten. Potters Island will be part of the city’s history. Forevermore.