North and South Brother Islands (New York City)
North and South Brother Islands are two small, uninhabited islands in New York City’s East River, between the Bronx and Rikers Island. North Brother Island is home to the old Riverside Hospital, once used to treat quarantinable diseases, but today the island is abandoned. South Brother Island is smaller and also part of a wildlife sanctuary. Public access to both islands is forbidden, though researchers and journalists can visit with an NYC Parks escort.
Ownership and purpose
- North (about 20 acres) and South (about 6 acres) Brother Islands were first claimed by the Dutch in 1614 (they were called De Gesellen, “the companions”). They later came under British ownership and were part of Queens County, then were moved to the Bronx area as New York City developed.
- In 2007, the federal government bought the islands with help from groups like the Trust for Public Land, then gave them to New York City. They are now wildlife sanctuaries managed by NYC Parks, with the Bronx Zoo helping in oversight. Access is limited and monitored.
History of Riverside Hospital and beyond
- A lighthouse was built on North Brother Island in 1869. In the mid-1880s, Riverside Hospital moved there from Blackwell’s Island to quarantine diseases such as smallpox, typhoid, tuberculosis, and later treated polio in 1916. A TB pavilion opened in 1943 but became obsolete after vaccines became common after 1945.
- The island was the site of the 1904 General Slocum disaster, when a fire caused the deaths of more than 1,000 people after the ship ran aground nearby.
- Typhoid Mary, Mary Mallon, was confined to North Brother Island for over 20 years, from 1915 until her death in 1938, after being identified as a public health threat.
Later uses and current status
- After World War II, the island housed war veterans and students, then a center for adolescent drug addicts in the 1950s–1960s. The facility claimed to offer treatment, education, and rehabilitation but closed in 1963 amid concerns about corruption and cost. The site has been linked to cultural works, including a Broadway play that helped launch Al Pacino’s career.
- Since the mid-1960s, several plans were proposed for the islands—selling them, housing the homeless, or expanding the Rikers jail—but none were carried out. Today the islands sit largely abandoned, with most buildings in ruin and a dense forest growing over them. Public visits are allowed only for compelling academic or scientific purposes and must be escorted by Parks staff.
Conservation and wildlife
- The islands are designated wildlife sanctuaries. North Brother Island once hosted a large nesting colony of black-crowned night herons, but these birds left by around 2008. Barn swallows now nest in the ruins.
- South Brother Island supports nesting for several water birds, including black-crowned night herons, great and snowy egrets, and double-crested cormorants. The NYC Bird Alliance has monitored nesting colonies here for over 20 years, though a 2019 survey did not confirm breeding of great blue herons or green herons on the coast.
- The islands remain important for birds and other wildlife, with limited access to protect the habitat.
Notable notes and appearances
- The islands have appeared in television and literature, including Life After People, Broad City, and The Changeling. They are also referenced in other media and fiction.
Recent events
- In March 2025, there was a fire on North Brother Island. Firefighters responded, transported by boat, and it took several hours to extinguish the blaze.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 02:18 (CET).