Swinburne Island is a 4-acre (1.6 ha)artificial island inLower New York Bay, east ofStaten Island in New York City. It was used forquarantine ofimmigrants. Swinburne Island is the smaller of two nearby islands, the other beingHoffman Island to the north.
After severalcholera pandemics in the nineteenth century, the federal government built two artificial islands, Swinburne Island andHoffman Island, to serve as areas of quarantine for immigrants arriving by ship and carrying contagious diseases.[1] Swinburne was originally called Dix Island. It was renamed in honor of Dr.John Swinburne (1820–1899), a military surgeon during theAmerican Civil War.[2][3]
Swinburne was used through the early 20th century toquarantine immigrants to theUnited States who were found to be suffering from dangerouscontagious diseases upon arrival at thePort of New York. Immigrants suspected of having such diseases were taken to the quarantine hospital and were not allowed to go toEllis Island for entry until they were shown to be well or were cured of the disease.[4][5] Originally, Hoffman was used to house patients who only had exposure to "pestilential" diseases, while Swinburne housed those with confirmed cases.[3]
Swinburne island was used to quarantine patients during the lastcholera outbreak in the United States in 1910–1911, which started with a passenger from Naples on theMoltke, a ship of the Hamburg-American line.[4][6]
During World War I, immigration was reduced. Later, the United States passed theImmigration Act of 1924, which sharply lessened immigration from southern and eastern Europe. By this time, the city and state had learned other means of controlling infectious diseases, so the quarantine facilities were little used.[citation needed]
By the start ofWorld War II, theUnited States Merchant Marine had adapted both islands as a training station, which had opened in 1938.[7]
Ownership of the island was transferred from the city to theNational Park Service in 1974.[8]
Both Hoffman Island (11 acres) and Swinburne Island (4 acres) are now managed by the National Park Service as part of the Staten Island Unit ofGateway National Recreation Area.
Hoffman Island features the remains of deserted docks, and its interior is densely overgrown, revealing only the foundations of demolished structures. Swinburne Island has five substantial dilapidated buildings. Among these ruins stands a brick chimney, likely associated with the former crematorium.[9]
They are not open to the public, and asThe New York Times reported, "Paradoxically, then, though the islands belong to the Gateway National Recreation Area, the only recreation permitted is practiced by visitors of the feathered and aquatic persuasions."[9] In the 2000s, Swinburne Island became a popular haul out site for Lower New York Harbor's population ofharbor seals andgrey seals. The populations of both species have been increasing every year.[10] There are nesting sites for five species of long-legged wading birds.[9]
April 23, 1863, what is now known as the General Quarantine Act was passed, defining the quarantine establishment, authorizing its construction, creating the permanent office of Quarantine Commissioner, defining the duties and powers of the Commissioners and Health Officer, and establishing a general system of quarantine for the port. Additional powers were conferred by amendments made to this general act in 1864, 1865, 1866, and 1867, under which two small steamers were purchased; the property atTompkinsville, Staten Island, known as the Marine Hospital Grounds, was sold; and the artificial islands in the lower bay were undertaken and afterward completed — Swinburne Island in 1870, and Hoffman Island in 1873.
A case of cholera developed today in the steerage of the Hamburg-American liner 'Moltke,' which has been detained at quarantine as a possible cholera carrier since Monday last. Dr. A.H. Doty, health officer of the port, reported the case tonight with the additional information that another cholera patient from the 'Moltke' is under treatment at Swinburne Island.
The sixth death from cholera since the arrival in this port from Naples of the steamshipMoltke, thirteen days ago, occurred yesterday at Swinburne Island. The victim was Francesco Farando, 14 years old.
The sixth death from cholera since the arrival in this port from Naples of the steamshipMoltke, thirteen days ago, occurred yesterday at Swinburne Island. The victim was Francesco Farando, 14 years old.
Media related toSwinburne Island at Wikimedia Commons
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40°33′56″N74°03′01″W / 40.56556°N 74.05028°W /40.56556; -74.05028
