Hidden in plain sight within the East River of New York City, North Brother Island is one of the most mysterious and off-limits locations in the United States. With a past filled with disease, tragedy, and abandonment, the island has gained a reputation as one of New York’s most haunted places.
Once a quarantine hospital and later a rehabilitation center, it is now completely uninhabited, reclaimed by nature and strictly restricted from the public.
Abandoned islands like North Brother Island exist worldwide, each with its own chilling history. From Japan’s Hashima Island, a former coal mining town left to decay, to Italy’s Poveglia Island, infamous for its use as a quarantine station and alleged paranormal activity, these places are shrouded in mystery.
Some, like Clipperton Island in the Pacific, were abandoned after disastrous colonization attempts, while others, such as the Scottish island of St. Kilda, were left behind when residents could no longer sustain themselves. These isolated locations often become overgrown and forgotten, their eerie ruins standing as silent witnesses to the past.
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North Brother Island’s History of Isolation and Disease
North Brother Island’s dark history began in 1885 when it became home to the Riverside Hospital. The facility was built to quarantine patients suffering from highly infectious diseases such as smallpox, tuberculosis, and typhoid fever.
One of the island’s most infamous residents was Mary Mallon, better known as Typhoid Mary, who was forcibly confined there for over two decades after being identified as the first known asymptomatic carrier of typhoid in the United States.
The hospital saw thousands of patients over the years, many of whom never left the island. The isolated and often inhumane conditions added to its grim legacy, with reports of mistreatment, suffering, and even deaths within its decaying walls.
The 1904 General Slocum Disaster
North Brother Island is also tied to one of New York’s worst maritime tragedies. In 1904, the General Slocum, a passenger steamship carrying over 1,300 people, caught fire in the East River. In a desperate attempt to save lives, the captain steered the burning vessel toward North Brother Island.
Sadly, over 1,000 people perished, with many drowning before they could reach the shore. The event left a haunting mark on the island, with some claiming that the spirits of those lost still linger along the riverbanks.
A Guide to New York City’s Islands
While New York City is renowned for its iconic skyscrapers and vibrant streets, it’s also a city shaped by water—home to nearly 40 islands, each contributing to its distinctive character.
From Addiction Treatment to Abandonment
After the hospital closed in the 1940s, North Brother Island was briefly used as housing for World War II veterans. By the 1950s, it had been repurposed as a rehabilitation center for drug addicts, particularly teenagers struggling with heroin addiction.
However, reports of unethical treatments and harsh conditions led to its closure in 1963. Since then, the island has been left to decay, its crumbling buildings overtaken by dense vegetation and its eerie past buried under layers of history.
A Forbidden and Mysterious Place
Unlike many abandoned sites that attract urban explorers, North Brother Island remains strictly off-limits to the public. The city of New York has designated it as a bird sanctuary, with limited access granted only to researchers and conservationists.
However, that hasn’t stopped rumors of paranormal activity from spreading. Visitors who have managed to set foot on the island report an unsettling silence, strange noises, and an overwhelming sense of being watched.
The Future of North Brother Island
There have been discussions about whether North Brother Island should be restored, turned into a historical landmark, or remain untouched as a protected wildlife refuge.
As of now, it remains frozen in time—an abandoned island in the middle of one of the world’s busiest cities, its decaying structures standing as a testament to its eerie and tragic past.