Roosevelt Island Historical Society

Dec

Weekend, December 11-12, 2021 – A DAY OF CELEBRATION AT THE GIRL PUZZLE IN LIGHTHOUSE PARK

By admin

FROM THE ARCHIVES

WEEKEND, DECEMBER 11-12, 2021

THE 543rd EDITION

DEDICATION OF THE

GIRL PUZZLE MONUMENT

AT

LIGHTHOUSE PARK

Amanda Matthews addresses the audience

Judith Berdy, Rebecca Seawright, Ben Kallos, Susan Rosenthal, Tad Sudol with Nellie

You can touch the miniature and feel the Braille text

Christina Delfico tests the surface

Susan Rosenthal and Shelton Haynes with restored lighthouse

Reflecting in the orb

That was a large bow!

The gulls were a receptive audience

After event at The Sanctuary. A perfect afternoon celebrating Nellie, Amanda and our Island

CONFLUENCE
Speech by Judith Berdy at Dedication

We are at a major confluence. The joining of the East and Harlem Rivers, and the Long Island Sound. This Island, where the bodies of water meet, sometimes as a swirling sea. A location with many turbulence, including shipwrecks, on the unseen rock formations in the rivers.

This site was adopted as a fort by an asylum inmate to protect us from the imagined invasion that never came.

Nellie Bly came here to see and experience the turbulence of an asylum that was in turmoil, and was not a peaceful respite space for those whose lives had been upended. Lives interrupted by illness, madness and complicated situations for women towards the end of the late 19th century; those women depicted here by Natalie, Cutia, Audrey and Mioko.

At this northern tip of Blackwell’s Island, many were disillusioned, uncaring and failed to recognize human suffering. Elizabeth Cochrane used her pen to start a movement and work to make those lives better.

For many years, I heard from dozens of writers, playwrights and actors who wanted to know more about the girl in the madhouse. They were all intrigued by this one small aspect of Nellie’s life – only 10 days. Her life of advocacy went around the world to tell the stories that were hidden from view.

A few years back, Susan Rosenthal, our highly driven president of RIOC, initiated a campaign to recognize and celebrate Ms. Bly here on Roosevelt Island.

As a member of the team I was happily amazed at Amanda’s design which materialized into The Girl Puzzle, not only celebrating one person but representing so many women.

Lighthouse Park is very special to me. When I arrived here 44 years ago, it was just a muddy field with a dark lighthouse and little more than that. I was here at its dedication in 1980. This has always been my favorite park, with its panoramic views, the river traffic and, so many times, people fishing & catching bass from the river. On the coldest days of winter, the seagulls sun themselves here, their only respite from the biting cold.

The calmness here will now be lit by this wonderful restoration of the Lighthouse by Tom Fenniman especially with the rebuilt and historically correct top glowing in the night, reflecting the faces of the Girl Puzzle.

I cannot say Thank You enough to everyone who worked so long and hard to make this day come true. I also welcome all our friends from Coler, our closest neighbors, to come to this park, to continue to enjoy the ambiance and remember that out of the swirling waters will arise an area of communal meeting and enjoyment.

Judith Berdy
President
Roosevelt Island Historical Society

p.s.
Thanks to all the RIOC staff and Administration who worked so hard to make this day memorable

WEEKEND PHOTO
SEND YOUR ANSWER TO:
ROOSEVELTISLANDHISTORY@GMAIL.COM
OR JBIRD134@AOL.COM

FRIDAY PHOTO OF THE DAY

Red tailed hawk on RIvercross terrace, probably scouting dinner!

Hi. Just read about the unusual birds of NY.
This one was on the Rivercross stoop in September.
He wasn’t bothered by the group who gathered to observe and try to help what we thought was a lost baby.
Ignored us for the most part and then when someone brought a box to keep him safe until help could come he just flew away…Marcia Ellis

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