The FDR Drive goes right past the decaying remnants of the old Bellevue Hospital. But Bellevue was just one in a series of 19th-century institutional buildings located along the East River—with most of them on Roosevelt Island.

At various times during the 19th century, the island was home to the city’s main prison, a smallpox hospital, a disease research laboratory, an insane asylum, a fort and a lighthouse. All of these are now abandoned and in various states of disrepair. An Eagle Scout from Roosevelt Island created the picture-filled Roosevelt Island Historical Walk and there’s also Forgotten New York’s photo essay of abandoned Roosevelt Island. Our favorite site? The Octagon—a fort that, according to tradition, was built in the 1870s by an insane-asylum inmate who feared a British invasion.

On Sunday, March 19, Makor is hosting a Roosevelt Island hike. And in May, urban historian Gordon Linzner will lead a City Walk of the isle. C’mon: we know you want to see the fort an insane-asylum inmate built, too.

[Hike NYC—Roosevelt Island: 03/19/06]
[Roosevelt Island Walk with Gordon Linzner: 05/14/06]