roosevelt island

I spent this past weekend romping around Roosevelt Island (formerly Welfare Island, before that Blackwell’s Island, and originally Minnehanonck). Since the first time I visited this island over 5 years ago, I thought it was spooky as hell. I remember one of my first trips a friend and I stumbled onto the island late at night and walked around just yelling “why is this here?” at all of the random architectural choices. Since then, every time I go back it’s more unsettling.

This weekend I brought a group of friends with me for some spooky October fun. I asked friends to come prepared to make up ghost stories and share any spooky vibes they felt. This time, I did some research beforehand. I learned more about the history of the island, how it was “acquired” from the Lenape people, how it was sold to the city, and its role in NYC’s horrific carceral history.

As we romped around the island, I shared this history. Other friends made up stories, spun conspiracies, and scoffed at the condos that now overrun the island. We agreed that the haunting is real. I’m grateful we learned more from one another and that most of us agree abolition is long overdue. There’s deep joy in learning our histories and being accountable to them. Plus, I still love a dash of “why is this here?” while romping around this ridiculous island).