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January 2015 Blackwell's Almanac

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January 2015 Blackwell's Almanac Vol I, No 1 A Publication of the Roosevelt Island Historical Society Your Island, Your History The recorded history of Roosevelt Island begins in 1633 when Wouter Van Twiller, the New Netherlands governor, bought it from the local Canarsie tribe. The Dutch used the property to raise hogs for the larger colony’s tables. From that moment on, the heritage of this little strip of land—known variously as Varckens Eylandt (Hogs Island), Blackwell’s Island, Welfare Island, and finally Roosevelt Island—has reflected the development, politics and culture of the city to which it belongs. The Roosevelt Island Historical Society is dedicated to researching and communicating that heritage—by collecting, preserving, exhibiting, and educating. To date, the Society has produced books, photo collections, talks and tours. It has been instrumental in preserving such artifacts as the WPA murals in Goldwater Hospital. It maintains extensive archives for students of history. It trains interns in conjunction with local graduate history departments. And it offers historical consults to an array of academic and commercial undertakings. Now, for the first time, the Society is publishing a newsletter. Its purpose is to share Roosevelt Island’s past on a regular basis with you, its residents. Issued quarterly as a digital publication, Blackwell’s Almanac will chronicle interesting historical events and publicize current activities surrounding them. Look for it in February, May, August and November. Judith Berdy, President, RIHS A Currier & Ives print from 1862 looking south on the East River. The Octagon Asylum, with its dome, and Blackwell’s Island are seen on the left. To be added to the Blackwell’s Almanac mailing list, email request to: [email protected] RIHS needs your support. Become a member—visit http://rihs.us/?page_id=4 1 Blackwell House: Our Link to the th 18 Century On September 8, 1664, the history of our city and island Contents took a dramatic turn. That was the day New Netherlands p. 2 Blackwell House: Governor Peter Stuyvesant officially surrendered to the Our Link to the 18th British. All Dutch lands came under control of King Century Charles II, who in turn granted Long Island and its neighboring islands to his brother, James, Duke of York p. 4 Happy 50th Anniver- (ultimately to become King James II). sary Landmarks Preservation Law; RI It would be more than a hundred years in the future Landmark Events before the iconic house with which we are familiar came into existence. But the stage was set. p. 5 The Many Lives of the Visitor Center Kiosk; Become a James awarded the island to Captain John Manning, the Member and Support Sheriff of New York, for his loyalty to the Crown. When RIHS he died in 1685, ownership passed to his stepdaughter Mary and the property was eventually deeded to her p. 7 Unknown New York: husband, Robert Blackwell. Filming “The Great Gatsby; Coming Soon in The Blackwell family farmed the island throughout the the Unknown New York 18th century, witnessing the tumultuous period of the Series Revolutionary War, when Blackwell’s Island was p. 8 “Antiques Road- occupied by the British and used to quarter American show” Comes to RI; prisoners of war. RIHS Calendar In the aftermath of the conflict, James and Jacob Blackwell, probably the great grandsons of Robert, found themselves in financial difficulties and tried to sell the family holding. From th- A 20 century sketch of the original their advertisement Blackwell House drawn for purposes of 1784, we know of restoration. New York State UDC. Blackwell’s there were “two small Dwelling Almanac Houses, a Barn, Bake, and Fowl House, a Cyder Mill, a Publisher: large orchard, stone quarries and running springs”— but Judith Berdy not yet “our” house. That was finally built in 1796. Editor: It seems the brothers never found a buyer! But having Bobbie Slonevsky recovered from the earlier financial setbacks, James constructed a clapboard farmhouse in the vernacular © 2015, Roosevelt style of that period. The beautifully proportioned Island Historical Society 2 structure originally consisted of a single New York State Urban Development two-story section with pairs of dormers Corporation (UDC) had plans to projecting from a gabled roof on both redevelop the island (renamed Welfare the east and west. On both sides of the Island in 1921), and with those plans façade, two windows flanked either side came renewed life for Blackwell House. of a simple central doorway on the first floor, and five windows adorned the In 1969, a UDC report recommended second—all with six-over-six sash. On that it be restored, and between 1973 the east (Queens side), there was a and 1976, noted architect Giorgio spacious one-story porch on a stone Cavaglieri recreated the structure inside foundation. It was surrounded by a and out. Somewhere along the way, a simple wood rail, and the wood-shingle large wing had been added to the north roof rested on elegant slim columns. side of the house. This was razed, while Shortly after completion, a one-story two lesser changes were made that kitchen wing was added on the south, enhanced the house: a root cellar approximating the Blackwell House we entrance was constructed at the know today. northeast corner of the main section, and a pedimented portico in Greek For almost 30 years, the family revival style replaced a less esthetic homestead reigned over its bucolic addition to the doorway on the west environment. Then, in the 1820s, New façade. Antique furniture was donated to York City purchased the island and the cause, and the community suddenly had a wonderful facility that was used for weddings, parties, and Christmas celebrations, complete with a local Santa Claus. In less than two decades, though, fortune withdrew its smile. Hungry for revenue, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) leased the landmarked building to a private design firm in 1992. The tenant turned out to be completely irresponsible, wrecking the interior and failing to pay rent. After a court battle, the company was evicted in Blackwell House in an advanced state of decay before 1999 and, again, the neglected structure restoration and before the north wing was razed. His- began to deteriorate. toric American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress. Again, in 2006, the exterior was repurposed both the land and the repaired. Nevertheless, much still needs house. Agriculture gave way to to be done before a certificate of institutional development, beginning with occupancy can be issued and the the erection of a penitentiary in 1829, building can be returned to community and Blackwell House became the use. An American Disabilities Act- residence of a series of administrators. compliant entrance to the house and exit from the kitchen must be added. Fulfilling this function well into the 20th The entrance decking on the Main St. century, the house was subsequently side has already started to decay and abandoned and, by the 1960s, was a must be repaired. And the interior also decayed ruin. Fortunately, however, the needs repairs. Discussion between the 3 city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Note the delicate decorative work under RIOC began in 2010. The two agencies the eaves of the roof. Compare the have agreed on the share that each will related cut-outs under the portico. pay toward the required construction. Appreciate the scale and proportion. But city and state building practices do You could be forgiven for thinking that not agree and so the talks slog on. the 18th century still has much to teach us today. Hopefully there will be a resolution to the stand-off. In the meantime, Sources: Blackwell House remains the sixth Berdy, Judith, and RIHS. Images of America: Roosevelt Island. Charleston, SC: Arcadia oldest farmhouse in New York City— Publishing, 2003. one of the few dating from the years http://www.history.com/news/the-dutch- immediately after the Revolutionary surrender-new-netherland-350-years-ago War. It was designated a landmark in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackwell_House 1975 and serves as a concrete link to http://rihs.us/?page_id=1323 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/16/nyregion/bef our past. If you’ve never taken a really ore-it-was-called-roosevelt-island.html?_r=0 good look at the house, you should. th Happy 50 Anniversary Landmarks Preservation Law It was 1965. After years of wrang- ling, New York City finally enacted RI Landmark Events a Landmarks Preservation Law. Its purpose was to protect historically Chapel of the Good important structures and neighbor- Shepherd: hoods from alteration or destruction. Talk–“Religious RI,” February 10, 6:30 pm @ Among the early designated land- Library marks were six buildings on Roosevelt Tour, March 15 Island: • Blackwell House Strecker Lab & Smallpox • Chapel of the Good Shepherd • Strecker Laboratory Hospital: • The Smallpox Hospital Talk–“Medical RI,” April • Octagon 14, 6:30 pm @ Library • The Lighthouse Tour, May 24 As part of the anniversary celebration, Octagon & Lighthouse: RIHS, in conjunction with the Munici- Talk, “North End of RI,” pal Arts Society, will host three tours Date TBA of our historic buildings. In addition, Tour, Date TBA RIHS will sponsor background talks sometime before each tour provid- ing wider context on the subject. See Calendar, page 8, or visit http://rihs.us for further details. 4 The Many Lives of the Visitor Center Kiosk Mugs, maps, books, toy trains and cars Second Avenue terminal to a street may now be the stock in trade of the terminal at Queensboro Plaza. It was Roosevelt Island Visitor Center kiosk. obliged to continue because the And information dispensed to over Blackwell’s Island (by then renamed 35,000 (mostly off-island) visitors in Welfare Island) trolley stop on the bridge 2014 may be its current claim to fame.
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