"This abandoned Renwick Smallpox Hospital is on Roosevelt Island in Manhattan and is 155 years old. This was a place built to care for New York City's unfortunate and destitute. The island sits between Queens and Manhattan, and was easily accessible by ferry; it was home to a prison, insane asylum, and other similar facilities. The remote location made this a prime location for the care of victims of smallpox, although both charity cases and paying patrons were admitted.
As of 1872, an annual number of 7,000 patients were treated, with an average of 450 deaths, but was emptied of patients in 1886. The island was renamed Welfare Island in 1921, and in the 1950s many of the institutions on the island became obsolete and were abandoned.
Welfare Island was renamed once again to Roosevelt Island in 1973, and during this time Renwick fell into ruin quickly even though it was deemed a historic landmark worthy of preserving."
thanks to Jamie for this info!
This would be an awesome band name for any kind of band, but I'm going to have to go ahead and name my imaginary indie rock band Welfare Island. We're a 3-piece with a girl (me) on drums. We're from Brooklyn, duh.
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