Historical Background and Unique Purposes of Randall's Island and Ward's Island

This chapter provides a historical background of Randall's Island and its connection to Ward's Island, including how they were conjoined together with landfill in the 1930s. It also highlights the unique and sometimes dark purposes that New Yorkers have used the islands for in the past, such as burning garbage, illegal boxing matches, quarantine hospitals, insane asylums, and shipwrecks in the dangerous Hellgate strait.