On a cloudy Sunday afternoon, I was rejoicing at the sight of the cherry blossom trees that were planted alongside the riverfront that overlooked Manhattan. On my stroll, I stumbled upon a gothic-style building that seemed as if it were being close to being demolished. Some of the exterior walls had crumbled down and I could make out the uncanny rooms inside the neglected building. It was the Renwick Smallpox Hospital—and the sight of it sent shivers down my spine. Roosevelt Island was not just a tiny island that housed luxurious condominiums, overlooking the skyline of Manhattan. Walking to one side of the ruins, I observed thick vines that had grown in through the windows, interlacing the ancient structure in an embrace of luscious greenery. As I stood staring at the spectral wrecks of what Roosevelt Island had once represented, I began to wonder about the stories that existed within the grim structure. Indeed, being able to witness a historic site that was involved in a viral epidemic in New York City was crucial. What tales were hidden behind the walls of this colossal structure that had housed the patients infected with the notorious smallpox disease?
Located on Roosevelt Island, the abandoned remnants of the Renwick Smallpox Hospital still stand erected. In 1856, the Smallpox Hospital was completed by the famous architect James Renwick Jr. He was also the mastermind behind the St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth Avenue. The hospital is a large skeleton of a structure that is reminiscent of a paramount part of New York’s history—of when it was struggling to combat the deadly epidemic of smallpox. The earliest known record of smallpox dates back to the third century when smallpox symptoms were discovered on Egyptian mummies. Records have shown that the disease was responsible for the lives of every three in ten victims. The vaccination for smallpox was eventually discovered in 1796, although smallpox continued to be viral and deadly, especially in cities that were dominated by immigrants. Through the early routes of trade, smallpox was spread to various cities in the European and Asian continent, affecting even the Native Americans across the Atlantic Ocean. At one point, smallpox was introduced to Indian tribes as a mechanism of biological genocide. The history of the Renwick Smallpox Hospital stands relevant to the key formation of American society, especially as it spread through industrial cities where poor immigrants settled in.
The Renwick Smallpox Hospital was diligent in caring for its patients; at one given time, it was able to take in one hundred patients—many of whom were desolate immigrants that had arrived recently through Ellis Island. Unfortunately, about four hundred fifty patients were reported to die annually. Because of its location along the East River and the fact that the hospital offered spectacular views of the river, it was renamed as the Riverside Hospital, making it less blatant that the hospital focused primarily on those suffering with the viral smallpox. During this time in history, Roosevelt Island was known as Blackwell’s Island. The hospital’s location provided that smallpox patients would be kept away from the general population of New York City. The hospital ran for about nineteen years before it formally closed down in 1875, converting the structure into a nursing school known as the Maternity and Charity Hospital Training School. With the transition of the building from a hospital specializing in treating smallpox patients to a school for nurses, two additional wings were added, mimicking the original Neo-Gothic architecture implemented. It was an established nursing school in New York City for seventy years before it became a neglected structure. The Renwick Smallpox Hospital was relocated to another island that was south of the Bronx: North Brother Island. The island was known to house hospitals for those suffering with typhoid, tuberculosis, and smallpox.
The 1901 smallpox outbreak in New York City led to historical changes within the immigrant community—who were affected greatly by the outbreak of smallpox because of the grim conditions they were often resorted to. Because of threats that it may contain to the community of New York City, the police would raid the homes of families under the direct order of the Bureau of Contagious Diseases. During the routine smallpox raids, the police would take away anyone who had symptoms of smallpox, tearing apart suspected individuals from members of their family. During this outbreak, those who were showing symptoms of smallpox were taken to and quarantined in North Brother Island—once again, isolating the smallpox victims from the general population in order to avoid the spread of the contagious disease.
In 1972, Blackwell’s Island was renamed as Roosevelt Island to honor Franklin D. Roosevelt. The nursing school was eventually left abandoned, converting the gothic-style structure into an ancient ruin. Architect Giorgio Cavaglieri studied what had been left over of the Renwick Smallpox Hospital; he decided it was appropriate to install a structure to support the decaying walls. It was preserved and is known to be New York City’s only historic landmark by the National Register of Historic Places. Currently, there are not any tours that are being offered within the ghastly building that has much stories to recount of those who were dying of a viral disease during the industrialization of one of the greatest cities in the United States. Today, the current structure in Roosevelt Island is officially referred to as the Renwick Ruins.
I glanced one last time through the large black fence that bordered the lawn around the abandoned building of Renwick Smallpox Hospital. By then, the sun was fading behind the opaque overhead clouds, making the brick decayed walls appear to be blackened. As I followed the path that led back to the luxury condominiums, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of enlightenment upon discovering such a classical structure that voiced the dark history of New York City’s epidemic crisis.
Sources:
- “History: Smallpox Hospital.” Smallpox Hospital, www.theruin.org/history-hospitals
- “History of Smallpox | Smallpox | CDC.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/smallpox/history/history.html
- Marvar, Alexandra. “How New York Separated Immigrant Families in the Smallpox Outbreak of 1901.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 10 Jan. 2019, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-new-york-separated-immigrant-families-smallpox-outbreak-1901-180971211/.