Picture this. You are standing before Randalls and Wards Islands. These conjoined islands a vibrant tapestry woven from history and recreation. A short distance from bustling Manhattan they offer a unique perspective.
Randalls and Wards Islands hold a significant place in New York City’s past. Originally separate entities they were joined in the early 1960s. Before European settlement Native Americans called Wards Island Tenkenas meaning Wild Lands or uninhabited place. Randalls Island was known as Minnehanonck. The islands’ first European names were Great Barent Island and Little Barent Island. They were named after a Danish cowherd Barent Jansen Blom. Their names changed many times reflecting various owners.
Captain John Montresor a British army engineer purchased Randalls Island in 1772. He renamed it Montresor’s Island. During the Revolutionary War both islands served as British military posts. Montresor’s house was burned in 1777. After the war Jonathan Randell bought Randalls Island. The Ward brothers sons of Judge Stephen Ward purchased Wards Island. Both islands adopted their current names from these new owners.
The 19th century witnessed a transformation. Randalls and Wards Islands became havens for various social facilities. Randalls Island housed an orphanage a poorhouse and an asylum. Wards Island hosted a hospital for immigrants and an asylum for the insane. Hundreds of thousands of bodies were relocated to these islands from other cemeteries. The Manhattan Psychiatric Center once the world’s largest psychiatric institution was located on Wards Island.
The opening of the Triborough Bridge in 1936 spurred a remarkable shift. The islands began their conversion into parkland. Little Hell Gate the waterway separating Randalls and Wards Islands was infilled. Sunken Meadow Island another smaller island was also connected to Randalls Island in 1955. This infilling created the larger Randalls and Wards Islands we know today.
Today Randalls and Wards Islands are a sprawling park. They are home to Icahn Stadium a state-of-the-art track and field facility. Over 60 athletic fields cater to various sports. The islands boast miles of pedestrian and bike paths. They even host major music festivals. Despite the recreational facilities the islands still house several public institutions. These include psychiatric hospitals homeless shelters and a fire academy.
The Hell Gate Bridge a railroad bridge and the Robert F Kennedy Bridge formerly the Triborough Bridge cross Randalls and Wards Islands. A pedestrian bridge connects the islands to East Harlem. Another footbridge links Randalls Island to the South Bronx. The islands a blend of past and present a unique and captivating part of New York City’s landscape. They are a testament to the city’s continuous evolution. Enjoy your visit to this captivating place.