As a young student in 1975, Richard Marc Sakols ventured to the Manhattan‘s Lower East Side to explore the neighborhood where his grandmother was born.
His photos of the Eldridge Street Synagogue showcase the precarious state of the building, then in disrepair after years of neglect, and provide a glimpse into the earliest efforts to preserve its legacy.
By the 1970s, much of the Lower East Side’s Jewish population had moved away and more recent arrivals, notably from Latin America and China, along with a bevy of young artists drawn by low rents, ushered in a new chapter of the neighborhood’s story.
The photographs of Lower East Side, 1975 shed light on this cultural moment.
The Museum at Eldridge Street, which is housed in the historic 1887 Eldridge Street Synagogue, is presenting “Lower East Side, 1975: Portrait of a Changing Jewish Neighborhood,” an exhibition featuring never-before-seen photographs of the Lower East Side by Richard Marc Sakols.
On Tuesday, December 3, 2024, from 6 until 8 pm, the Museum will host an exhibition opening featuring an informal talk by the photographer.
The ticket price which includes Museum admission, is “Pay-What-You-Wish.” You can get tickets here.
Find some artistic bargains this and next weekend at Gallery RIVAA
More great shopping next weekend!!!
Annual RIHS Rivercross Display Window Revealed
Our three bears are all snuggled up under a Roosevelt Island tapestry throw.
All our critters are gathering uder the dramatic forest
Time to think of Chanukah gifts
Chanukah starts on the evening of Dec. 25th.
Our cuddle critters are swinging from the swag
You never know where a sloth will pop up
Our tree is ready for gifts beneath
SHOP THE KIOSK THIS WEEKEND 12 NOON TO 5 PM
JULIA GASH TAPESTRY THROW IS BACK!! $75-
JULIA GASH ROOSEVELT ISLAND PORCELAIN ORNAMENT $20-
CREDITS
NEW YORK ALMANACK JUDITH BERDY
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
Annual tree lighting this evening at the Blackwell Lawn (Photo Rooseveltislander blogspot)
Stop into the warm and comfy
Find some artistic bargains this and next weekend at Gallery RIVAA
Annual RIHS Rivercross Display Window Revealed
Our three bears are all snuggled up under a Roosevelt Island tapestry throw.
All our critters are gathering under the dramatic forest
Time to think of Chanukah gifts
Chanukah starts on the evening of Dec. 25th.
Our cuddle critters are swinging from the swag
You never know where a sloth will pop up
Our tree is ready for gifts beneath
SHOP THE KIOSK THIS WEEKEND 12 NOON TO 5 PM
JULIA GASH TAPESTRY THROW IS BACK!! $75-
JULIA GASH ROOSEVELT ISLAND PORCELAIN ORNAMENT $20-
JULIA GASH EXCLUSIVE DESIGN NOTE CARDS 10 PACK $18-
JULIA GASH ROOSEVELT ISLAND TOTE $22-
JULIA GASH ROOSEVELT ISLAND BABY BIB $10-
KIDS BOOKS LONELY PLANET TRAINS, LONELY PLANET AIRPORTS $ 10- 100 FIRST WORDS LITTLE NEW YORKERS, LITTLE GENIUSES $10- ZOOM! BEEP! VROOM! $11-
ADULT BOOKS IMAGES AMERICA ROOSEVELT ISLAND, QUEENSBORO BRIDGE, LONG ISLAND CITY $25- DAMNATION ISLAND $18- ZINES MANDY CHOI, SHEEP IN THE CITY $ 6-
NELLIE BLY’S TEN DAYS IN A MAD-HOUSE $12-
OUR COLORING BOOK IS BACK $10-
SQUEEZE TAXI $5- SMALL, $8- SMALL
NOTHING IS BETTER
GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL ALL DRESSED UP FOR THE HOLIDAYS
CREDITS FOR WINDOW DECOR
JUDITH BERDY GLORIA HERMAN SHEILA WALSH
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
Annual tree lighting this evening at the Blackwell Lawn (Phot Rooseveltislander blogspot)
Stop into the warm and comfy
Find some artistic bargains this and next weekend at Gallery RIVAA
Annual RIHS Rivercross Display Window Revealed
Our three bears are all snuggled up under a Roosevelt Island tapestry throw.
All our critters are gathering uder the dramatic forest
Time to think of Chanukah gifts
Chanukah starts on the evening of Dec. 25th.
Our cuddle critters are swinging from the swag
You never know where a sloth will pop up
Our tree is ready for gifts beneath
SHOP THE KIOSK THIS WEEKEND 12 NOON TO 5 PM
JULIA GASH TAPESTRY THROW IS BACK!! $75-
JULIA GASH ROOSEVELT ISLAND PORCELAIN ORNAMENT $20-
JULIA GASH EXCLUSIVE DESIGN NOTE CARDS 10 PACK $18-
JULIA GASH ROOSEVELT ISLAND TOTE $22-
JULIA GASH ROOSEVELT ISLAND BABY BIB $10-
KIDS BOOKS LONELY PLANET TRAINS, LONELY PLANET AIRPORTS $ 10- 100 FIRST WORDS LITTLE NEW YORKERS, LITTLE GENIUSES $10- ZOOM! BEEP! VROOM! $11-
ADULT BOOKS IMAGES AMERICA ROOSEVELT ISLAND, QUEENSBORO BRIDGE, LONG ISLAND CITY $25- DAMNATION ISLAND $18- ZINES MANDY CHOI, SHEEP IN THE CITY $ 6-
NELLIE BLY’S TEN DAYS IN A MAD-HOUSE $12-
OUR COLORING BOOK IS BACK $10-
SQUEEZE TAXI $5- SMALL, $8- SMALL
NOTHING IS BETTER
GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL ALL DRESSED UP FOR THE HOLIDAYS
CREDITS
JUDITH BERDY GLORIA HERMAN SHEILA WALSH
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
When we think about the past, how do we know what we know about it? Sure, someone can tell you that something happened, but what about events and actions that took place beyond the reaches of living memory?
For archivists, the answer to this question is simple: the documentary record. Our ability to authenticate what we know (or challenge what we think we know) about the past rests in the security, integrity, and accessibility of the archival record.
And in New York City, as you may imagine, the written, photographic, and electronic records of all the iterations of City government, from European contact to the present, have been at serious risk of loss and destruction at various times in their history.
Prior to the early 1950s, New York City had no centralized archive to preserve and make available local government records. New York State laws governed the practices of other municipalities, but New York City was exempt from those requirements.
Although the Municipal Library had existed, as a unit of the New York Public Library, to collect, preserve, and make available government publications and reports, there was still no real program to address the collection of unpublished material produced by NYC government. The situation at the time of the creation of the Municipal Archives in 1950 was dire.
In 1900, as part of a major (and in some cases, first) attempt to understand what historical records were available in the United States, the American Historical Society established the Public Records Commission.
Professor Herbert Osgood, of Columbia University, surveyed the records of NYC government as part of this survey. His findings, cited “neglect” and “loss” and described records in various offices “indiscriminately heaped together in a large pile on the floor and covered with dust.” His descriptions are enough to make any concerned citizen cringe (or cry).
Over ensuing decades, various mayors tried to rectify the problem, ordering collections be kept by the New York Public Library, and making other ad hoc attempts at fixing the enormous problems facing the city’s historical records. Study after study confirmed the findings, but there were no comprehensive attempts providing for the sustainability of the archival records.
Enter Rebecca B. Rankin, founding Librarian of the Municipal Library. As a result of her advocacy, Mayor La Guardia convened a committee in 1939 to deal with the issue.
The Mayor’s Municipal Archives Committee took stock of the situation, finding that historical records were stored in over 2,000 locations, in “offices… basements, attics, piers, and bridgeheads.”
Crucial to Rankin and the Committee’s advocacy for a comprehensive records program was the finding that 20% of working space in municipal buildings in 1940 stored unused records. Then, as now, city real estate was not cheap.
The result: In 1943, the City bought the Rhinelander building at 238 William Street for use as a central repository for government records.
In 1952, on the eve of Rankin’s retirement, the New York Times reported that moving to a central storage system had saved the City over $1,200,000 in storage costs since 1942. The Municipal Archives had begun.
Archival material began to trickle in, and a system for taking in active city records was established. The archival collection, consisting primarily of the historical records of the Office of the Mayor, totaled only around 14,000 cubic feet at the outset (now it is around 225,000 cubic feet and growing).
In 1953, the center, still managed by the NYPL, was renamed the Municipal Archive and Reference Center (MARC).
However, the records program was beleaguered by lack of staff and lack of proper equipment due to a decrease in funding after World War II. The MARC was not functioning. Some agencies did not use the services that MARC provided, since they weren’t compelled by law to do so, and historic records of the City were spread among a variety of agencies, historical societies, and other libraries.
In addition, space at the Rhinelander was running out, as the MARC accumulated nearly 15,000 cubic feet of records per year. As the City attempted to grapple with the ever-increasing volume of records, plans were even made to refurbish the spaces in the arches of the Brooklyn Bridge to store the extensive records generated by the Office of the Comptroller. This odd plan was eventually deemed a stop-gap measure to a larger problem, and discarded.
Mayor Lindsay eventually forged ahead, commissioning a Mayor’s Task Force on Municipal Archives in 1965. The Task Force presented their findings in a 1966 report that concluded: “New York City’s past, even its very recent past, is threatened with obliteration.”
The Task Force recommended the convening of a Public Records Commission to deal with the issues and, in 1968, MARC moved out of the purview of the NYPL and was established as part of the new Municipal Services Administration. The storage facility was also moved, from the Rhinelander building to 23 Park Row.
Enter the notorious fiscal crisis that besieged the city in the 1970s. Once again the MARC suffered from a lack of adequate funding and staff. In 1977, with yet more advocacy by Municipal Librarian Eugene Bockman and City Council President Paul O’Dwyer, local law 49 established the Department of Records and Information Services as a mayoral agency and provided capital funding to refurbish the Hall of Records at 31 Chambers Street.
The law requires that the Archives “preserve and receive all city records of historical research, cultural or other important value.” Finally, New York City’s records were legally required to come to a specific agency, giving birth to a centralized record-keeping system and protecting the integrity, security, and accessibility of New York City government’s historical record.
A version of this essay by Rachel Greer was first published on the New York City Municipal Archives Blog. The Municipal Archives preserves and makes available New York City government’s historical records. Records include office documents, manuscripts, still and moving images, vital records, maps, blueprints, and sound recordings. Learn more about historical records the Municipal Archives at their website.
Illustrations, from above, from the NYC Municipal Archives: Storage room, NYC Department of Records and Information Services, n.d.; Rebecca Rankin, probably late 1930s, Director of the Municipal Reference Library from 1920-1952; and the Hall of Records at 31 Chambers Street in lower Manhattan, mid-1980s.
In 2013, the RIHS acquired 180 architectural drawings of Goldwater Hospital. These included original blueprints and updates of the building over the years. After storing the rolls of plans in our Octagon office, they were relocated to our storage area during a building renovation. During this period, we reached out to the Municipal Archives and proposed transferring the plans to them. This process would be straightforward as the plans originated from a municipal agency. At the time, the Archives were relocating from the Surrogate Court Building to a new site in Industry City, Brooklyn. Finally, in 2021, we received permission to transport the files to Brooklyn. Fortunately, the plans have now been organized, cataloged, and are conserved in a newly built conservation space.
Plans in Goldwater kitchen waiting to be sorted
Plans in RIHS Octagon Office
Plans in the Municipal Archives
STOP BY THE KIOSK 12 NOON TO 5 P.M. DAILY EXCEPT TUESDAYS ALL CHARGES ACCEPTED
ROOSEVELT ISLAND COLORING BOOK $10- TRAM HOLIDAY STOCKING $ 35- “IMAGES OF AMERICA- ROOSEVELT ISLAND” $25- HELL GATE BRIDGE MODEL $40- CROCHET TRAM ORNAMENT $20-
CUDDLY-STUFFED SLOTHS IN 3 SIZES $12, $18, $24
CUDDLE PUPS AND KITTENS $12-
IMPORTED HANDMADE DOG SWEATERS $ 35- (LIMITED STOCK)
IMPORTED HANDMADE GONDOLA PILLOWS $55-
HANDMADE IMPORTED CROCHET ORNAMENTS $20-
EXCLUSIVE HOLIDAY GREETING CARDS $3.50 EACH
JULIA GASH TAPESTRY THROW IS BACK!! $75-
JULIA GASH ROOSEVELT ISLAND PORCELAIN ORNAMENT $20-
JULIA GASH EXCLUSIVE DESIGN NOTE CARDS 10 PACK $18-
JULIA GASH ROOSEVELT ISLAND TOTE $22-
JULIA GASH ROOSEVELT ISLAND BABY BIB $10-
KIDS BOOKS LONELY PLANET TRAINS, LONELY PLANET AIRPORTS $ 10- 100 FIRST WORDS LITTLE NEW YORKERS, LITTLE GENIUSES $10- ZOOM! BEEP! VROOM! $11-
ADULT BOOKS IMAGES AMERICA ROOSEVELT ISLAND, QUEENSBORO BRIDGE, LONG ISLAND CITY $25- DAMNATION ISLAND $18- ZINES MANDY CHOI, SHEEP IN THE CITY $ 6-
NELLIE BLY’S TEN DAYS IN A MAD-HOUSE $12-
OUR COLORING BOOK IS BACK $10-
SQUEEZE TAXI $5- SMALL, $8- SMALL
NOTHING IS BETTER
GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL ALL DRESSED UP FOR THE HOLIDAYS
CREDITS
JUDITH BERDY NEW YORK ALMANACK
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
From stopping for a pint at the local pub or ordering crispy fish n chips to munch on, there’s no better place to experience English culture in NYC than its very own Little Britain.
Is there anything more British than a cup of tea? Tea & Sympathy owners, Nicky Perry and Sean Kavanagh-Dowsett, have set out to bring a true taste of England to NYC with afternoon tea fit for a Queen. Beyond tea time, the adorable shop sells an assortment of British groceries and comfort food. We recommend stopping by for a Full English Breakfast.
108 Greenwich Avenue
Fancy some fish n chips? This British classic is best served at A Salt and Battery. Sink your teeth into crispy, lightly-battered, deep fried fish like only England knows how to do. And don’t forget to splash some malt vinegar on your chips (aka fries)!
112 Greenwich Avenue
Myers of Keswick is an integral part of NYC’s Little Britain as the city’s oldest British grocery store. Selling homemade pies, sausages and scones since 1985, no visit to Little Britain is complete without picking up a few British goods from here. Whether you’re a British expat in NYC or simply an Anglophile, find all the best treats of England, from Jaffa Cakes to Smarties (iykyk).
634 Hudson Street
It’s not a trip to Little Britain without grabbing a pint at the pub. White Horse Tavern is NYC’s second oldest tavern, and a perfect place to enjoy a nice cold beer. Famous patrons such as Bob Dylan, James Baldwin, and Dylan Thomas are rumored to have frequented the spot.
567 Hudson St., at 11th Street
STOP BY THE KIOSK 12 NOON TO 5 P.M. DAILY EXCEPT TUESDAYS ALL CHARGES ACCEPTED
ROOSEVELT ISLAND COLORING BOOK $10- TRAM HOLIDAY STOCKING $ 35- “IMAGES OF AMERICA- ROOSEVELT ISLAND” $25- HELL GATE BRIDGE MODEL $40- CROCHET TRAM ORNAMENT $20-
CUDDLY-STUFFED SLOTHS IN 3 SIZES $12, $18, $24
CUDDLE PUPS AND KITTENS $12-
IMPORTED HANDMADE DOG SWEATERS $ 35- (LIMITED STOCK)
IMPORTED HANDMADE GONDOLA PILLOWS $55-
HANDMADE IMPORTED CROCHET ORNAMENTS $20-
EXCLUSIVE HOLIDAY GREETING CARDS $3.50 EACH
JULIA GASH TAPESTRY THROW IS BACK!! $75-
JULIA GASH ROOSEVELT ISLAND PORCELAIN ORNAMENT $20-
JULIA GASH EXCLUSIVE DESIGN NOTE CARDS 10 PACK $18-
JULIA GASH ROOSEVELT ISLAND TOTE $22-
JULIA GASH ROOSEVELT ISLAND BABY BIB $10-
KIDS BOOKS LONELY PLANET TRAINS, LONELY PLANET AIRPORTS $ 10- 100 FIRST WORDS LITTLE NEW YORKERS, LITTLE GENIUSES $10- ZOOM! BEEP! VROOM! $11-
ADULT BOOKS IMAGES AMERICA ROOSEVELT ISLAND, QUEENSBORO BRIDGE, LONG ISLAND CITY $25- DAMNATION ISLAND $18- ZINES MANDY CHOI, SHEEP IN THE CITY $ 6-
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
STOP BY THE KIOSK 12 NOON TO 5 P.M. DAILY EXCEPT TUESDAYS ALL CHARGES ACCEPTED
ROOSEVELT ISLAND COLORING BOOK $10- TRAM HOLIDAY STOCKING $ 35- “IMAGES OF AMERICA- ROOSEVELT ISLAND” $25- HELL GATE BRIDGE MODEL $40- CROCHET TRAM ORNAMENT $20-
CUDDLY-STUFFED SLOTHS IN 3 SIZES $12, $18, $24
CUDDLE PUPS AND KITTENS $12-
IMPORTED HANDMADE DOG SWEATERS $ 35- (LIMITED STOCK)
IMPORTED HANDMADE GONDOLA PILLOWS $55-
HANDMADE IMPORTED CROCHET ORNAMENTS $20-
EXCLUSIVE HOLIDAY GREETING CARDS $3.50 EACH
JULIA GASH TAPESTRY THROW IS BACK!! $75-
JULIA GASH ROOSEVELT ISLAND PORCELAIN ORNAMENT $20-
JULIA GASH EXCLUSIVE DESIGN NOTE CARDS 10 PACK $18-
JULIA GASH ROOSEVELT ISLAND TOTE $22-
JULIA GASH ROOSEVELT ISLAND BABY BIB $10-
KIDS BOOKS LONELY PLANET TRAINS, LONELY PLANET AIRPORTS $ 10- 100 FIRST WORDS LITTLE NEW YORKERS, LITTLE GENIUSES $10- ZOOM! BEEP! VROOM! $11-
ADULT BOOKS IMAGES AMERICA ROOSEVELT ISLAND, QUEENSBORO BRIDGE, LONG ISLAND CITY $25- DAMNATION ISLAND $18- ZINES MANDY CHOI, SHEEP IN THE CITY $ 6-
NELLIE BLY’S TEN DAYS IN A MAD-HOUSE $12-
OUR COLORING BOOK IS BACK $10-
SQUEEZE TAXIS LARGE $ 8- SMALL $5-
THE R.I.H.S NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT!!
TO WELCOME ALL TO THE ISLAND AND THE RIHS VISITOR CENTER AND INTRODUCE THEM TO OUR ISLAND
TO PRESERVE HISTORIC LANDMARKS ON THE ISLAND
TO ADVOCATE FOR PRESERVATION OF OUR STRUCTURES
TO WORK WITH ARTISTS, WRITERS AND PROFESSIONALS TO TELL THE STORY OF THE ISLAND AND ITS HISTORY. EDUCATE ALL ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MULTIPLE LAYERS OF ISLAND HISTORY, SUCH AS OUR PROGRAMS WITH THE NYPL.
TO TEACH OF CHILDREN OF THE FAMILIES THAT LIVED HERE BEFORE US
TO WELCOME VISITORS TO THE ISLAND AND GUIDE THEM IMPROVE SIGNAGE TO GUIDE VISITORS TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES.
TO ESCORT GROUPS TOURING THE ISLAND
TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS BECOMING INVOLVED IN GUIDING VISITORS
SPONSOR OFF ISLAND PROGRAMS TO LEARN OF OTHER COMMUNITIES
TO WORK WITH ARTS GROUPS SUCH AS RIVAA ON PROGRAMS AND EXBIHITS.
TOP WORK WITH RIOC TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTENANCE OF OUR COMMUNITY FABRIC.
TO EDUCATE PERSONS WORKING ON THE ISLAND OF THE HISTORY AND MAKE THEM AMBASSADORS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
TO WORK WITH SCHOLARS RESEARCHING ISLAND HISTORY
WITHOUT MEMBERSHIPS AND DONATION THE VISITOR CENTER AND SOCIETY CANNOT SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
ROSIE STROLLS ON MAIN STREET TODAY!!! JUST SUNDAY IN THE PARK TODAY TV FAME HAS NOT SPOILED HER
OUR FAVORITE ISLAND COLORING BOOK IS BACK
GREAT GIFT FAVORITES AND LOTS OF NEW GREAT STUFF
CREDITS
JUDITH BERDY ROOSEVELTISLANDER LINK TO ABC NEWS
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
TO WELCOME ALL TO THE ISLAND AND THE RIHS VISITOR CENTER AND INTRODUCE THEM TO OUR ISLAND
TO PRESERVE HISTORIC LANDMARKS ON THE ISLAND
TO ADVOCATE FOR PRESERVATION OF OUR STRUCTURES
TO WORK WITH ARTISTS, WRITERS, AND PROFESSIONALS TO TELL THE STORY OF THE ISLAND AND ITS HISTORY. EDUCATE ALL ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MULTIPLE LAYERS OF ISLAND HISTORY, SUCH AS OUR PROGRAMS WITH THE NYPL.
TO TEACH THE CHILDREN OF THE FAMILIES THAT LIVED HERE BEFORE US
TO WELCOME VISITORS TO THE ISLAND AND GUIDE THEM IMPROVE SIGNAGE TO GUIDE VISTORS TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES.
TO ESCORT GROUPS TOURING THE ISLAND
TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS BECOMING INVOLVED IN GUIDING VISITORS
SPONSOR OFF ISLAND PROGRAMS TO LEARN ABOUT OTHER COMMUNITIES
TO WORK WITH ARTS GROUPS SUCH AS RIVAA ON PROGRAMS AND EXHIBITS.
TO WORK WITH RIOC TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTENANCE OF OUR COMMUNITY FABRIC.
TO EDUCATE PERSONS WORKING THE ISLAND OF THE HISTORY AND MAKE THEM AMBASSADORS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
TO WORK WITH SCHOLARS RESEARCHING ISLAND HISTORY
WITHOUT MEMBERSHIPS AND DONATION THE VISITOR CENTER AND SOCIETY CANNOT SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
SHOP THE KIOSK ON BLACK FRIDAY FROM 12 NOON TO 5 P.M.
OUR FAVORITE ISLAND COLORING BOOK IS BACK
OUR TAPESTRY THROW IS BACK
GREAT GIFT FAVORITES AND LOTS OF NEW GREAT STUFF
GREAT GIFTS AND BOOKS
CREDITS
JUDITH BERDY ROOSEVELTISLANDER LINK TO ABC NEWS
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
Years ago, when visiting Goldwater Hospital I met Dr. Alba. She was a petite woman who with her talents saved many from years in Iron Lungs and struggling with Polio. Even after she retired, she was in contact with her former patients. Unsure of their medical needs, they turned to her for advise.
Goldwater was a leading hospital treating Polio patients and those with respiratory illnesses. Through her work thousands world-wide were saved from suffering.
She is well remembered by those in the obituaries below.
Judith Below
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of a beloved colleague and friend, Dr. Augusta Alba. She passed away on November 5, 2024 (having celebrated her 100th birthday in October 2024).
As the former Chief of Rehabilitation Services at Coler-Goldwater for multiple decades, Dr. Alba’s medical career centered on polio survivors who required breathing assistance. Her dedication to solving the respiratory insufficiency problems of polio patients led her to master every piece of ventilator equipment and technique—the rocking bed, chest cuirass, frog breathing and noninvasive ventilation. Dr. Alba always sought to educate both her colleagues and polio survivors about the importance of appropriate equipment and personal assistance. In addition to co-authoring many seminal medical articles on the respiratory topic, her lectures and publications reflect a life-long body of work focused on assisting the respiratory-disabled patient to live the most independent life possible.
Dr. Alba was a champion of person-centered care to her patients, residents, colleagues, and team members. She was an extraordinary, larger-than-life individual who has had a profound impact on the lives of many.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to Dr. Alba’s family and loved ones.
I wanted to share with you all, a copy of Dr. Alba’s recent obituary in the NY Daily News. She was truly a giant among us, who inspired us all. What she was able to accomplish was simply remarkable and deserves to be honored by us, in a meaningful way, as we all had the privilege of working closely with her for all those years. In retrospect, her humility belied her tremendous accomplishments. Her dedication and determination literally helped make the “iron lung” obsolete, a relic from an age when it, sadly, was all too commonplace among the victims of polio. As a child, I remember this child, who was around my age, attending a basketball game in an iron lung, which was so cumbersome and bulky, such that he could only watch the game using special mirrors. Let’s pursue this further. Perhaps, an article about her in “Caring for the Ages,” the newsletter of PALTmed (The Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association) would be a good starting point.
Dr. Augusta S. Alba Obituary Dr. Augusta (Strongman) Alba, or “Gussie” as her friends and family called her, transitioned from this life to the next on November 5th, 2024. Hers was a life well-lived. She was a woman of deep Roman Catholic faith, and in the course of her 100 years she answered the call of many vocations, not the least of which were daughter, sister, friend, aunt, wife, physician, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and even great-great grandmother. Gussie was born on October 7, 1924, the middle child of Howard and Augusta Ruth Demsky Strongman, who raised 4 daughters and one son on their farm in upstate Highland, New York. Even at a young age, she was intelligent and determined. She graduated as valedictorian of her class at Highland High School at 15 years old, and won a scholarship to college. In 1940, just shy of her 16th birthday, she began studying chemistry at Wagner College in Staten Island, NY.
At Wagner, she excelled academically, but she also expanded her horizons in other ways. It was there that she decided to convert from Lutheran to Roman Catholic, noting that she was inspired by the Catholic devotion to Mary as the Mother of God. On a blind date in 1940, she met Luigi (Louis) Filippo Alba, a fellow Wagner student. According to family records, on that first night, he told her he was going to marry her, and she promptly told him he was crazy. Luigi went on to coach her in fencing, and she won an inter collegiate championship for form in 1944. Apparently, he was not crazy – they were married not once, but twice: a November 25, 1944 secret civil ceremony, followed by a family-filled wedding at St. Martin of Tours Roman Catholic Church in Amityville, NY, on July 5, 1947.
Gussie graduated summa cum laude from Wagner College and pursued a dual biochemistry PhD and medical degree at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. However, she returned to New York City after a year, declaring that she would rather work with people than test tubes. She graduated from Cornell University Medical School in 1951, one of only eight women in a class of 100. She then interned at Brooklyn Hospital, followed by two years serving residencies in both Neurology and Psychiatry at the Veterans’ Administration Hospital, also in Brooklyn. In 1957, she completed her fellowship in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at New York University Medical School, then took a position at Coler-Goldwater Specialty Hospital and Nursing Facility on Roosevelt Island, in New York City.
As a trail-blazing physician driven by a compassionate heart, a curious mind, and a tireless work ethic, Dr. Alba’s professional accomplishments were numerous. She focused her career on helping polio survivors and other significantly debilitated individuals with breathing problems. Over the course of her 53 year career at Goldwater, she became a world-renowned leader in this field. At the peak of her career, she was Goldwater’s Director of Respiratory Rehabilitation, while also maintaining relationships with several other New York City hospitals, like New York University Medical Center.
She was an expert in breathing techniques and technologies, and an inventor of new solutions. She was committed to developing ways to allow patients to use less invasive mechanical support, which also improved patient survival rates, since highly intrusive methods came with negative, often fatal, side effects.
Her findings and recommendations were published in 72 peer-reviewed publications, and her work improved the quality and duration of life for innumerable patients. For example, in 1957, she removed over 200 people from continuous dependence on iron lungs and other body ventilators. In 1969, she was the first person to successfully remove a tracheostomy tube from a fully paralyzed patient, transitioning him to a less invasive mouth-based breathing device and enabling the man to have nearly 30 more years of life.
She travelled nationally and globally to lecture on these topics and expand the body of knowledge in this field. Her contributions were recognized by dozens of awards, but more importantly, in the heartfelt appreciation of her patients and colleagues. Her work and dedication provided patients around the world with the ability to breathe easier and enjoy healthier, more independent lives.
At the same time that Dr. Alba was forging her career, she was equally busy creating her family. From 1948 through 1961, she bore 8 children, five sons and 3 daughters. Balancing such an active and distinguished career with motherhood was no easy feat. She was grateful for the assistance of her husband, Lou, her in-laws Enrico and Giovanna Mazzone Alba, and of family friends, Al and Stella Repucci and their daughter, Barbara Repucci, amongst other helpers. As a mother, she was most focused on making sure her children had education, faith, health, and family. She always brought them to church on Sundays and sent them all to Catholic schools. She often brought her children to visit family, mostly in upstate NY and Long Island, enabling them to develop strong bonds and innumerable memories with their Strongman, Alba, and Sipala cousins, and cementing her place as a beloved aunt to her many nieces and nephews.
As grandchildren emerged, Gussie flourished as the family’s magnetic matriarch. Despite her busy schedule, she always made Sundays a special family day. Like her children before them, she fostered her grandchildren’s faith by bringing those who lived near her to Mass every Sunday. She fostered their family bonds by staying for bagels after Mass, bringing them swimming, hosting Christmas, and otherwise bringing them to visit each other. Despite her family spreading out of NY, to Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, she endeavored to stay engaged, participating in family vacations, sending birthday cards, and being present for every graduation or other major event.
Dr. Alba retired from Coler-Goldwater Specialty Hospital in 2010, at the age of 86. Despite her extraordinary life, she always remained somewhat of a farm girl at heart. She was always naturally an optimist who didn’t need much more than good company to be happy, and she spent her remaining years relishing life’s simple joys. She visited with family up and down the east coast many times. She took a memorable trip to New Mexico to spend quality time with her nieces and nephews in celebration of her 91st birthday, and spent a few beach vacations in the Carolinas with several of her children and grandchildren.
Time outdoors was always a favorite respite. Upon moving to Georgia in 2016 to live with her daughter, Norma, she relished trips to local gardens and museums, and enjoyed many an afternoon basking in the fresh air, reading and taking naps with the cat on the front porch.
With her talents and tenacity, Gussie was an inspiration and role model to many, yet is perhaps best remembered for living the Gospel in all she did, exemplifying what it meant to “Love thy Neighbor.” Her curiosity and compassion were ever-employed: whether you were her patient, her friend, her family, or someone she had just met, she was always concerned, caring, and helpful. She would go out of her way to learn about you, your life, and to make you feel special, no matter who you were. She truly knew what it meant to love everyone, unconditionally – to judge not, lest you be judged. Her life was spent caring for the spiritual and physical health of nearly all that she met, applying her gifts to the best of her ability.
Dr. Alba was predeceased by her husband, Louis, in 2015, and by her brother, Cal Strongman (2013), and sisters Frieda Strongman Trainor (2004), Norma Strongman Metelski Mize (2011), and Elaine Strongman Kesner (2018). She is survived by her 8 children, Joan Lemons, Henry (& Janice) Alba, Robert (& Gael) Alba, Elaine (& Michael) Merenda-Metelski, Norma (& George) McGuigan, Louis (& Maureen) Alba, John (& Rebecca) Alba, and Paul (& Greta) Alba, her “foster” son, Joseph (& Katie) Merenda, as well as 19 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandchildren.
ROSIE STROLLS ON MAIN STREET TODAY!!!
OUR FAVORITE ISLAND COLORING BOOK IS BACK
OUR TAPESTRY THROW IS BACK
GREAT GIFT FAVORITES AND LOTS OF NEW GREAT STUFF
GREAT GIFTS AND BOOKS
CREDITS
STEPHEN CATULLO HOWARD FINGER, MD NY DAILYNEWS
JUDITH BERDY
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
THANKS TO ANTHONY RAYNER AND STAMOS METZIDAKIS FOR PLANTING DAFFODIL BULBS AT THE TRAM PLAZA ON SATURDAY.
NEW LOOK ON FIFTH AVENUE
Louis Vuitton Conceals Under-Renovation NY Store With Luggage Facade
Monday, November 25, 2024
ISSUE #1350
REALTY +
Fashion brand Louis Vuitton has concealed its under-renovation New York flagship store with a luggage facade and relocated to a temporary store that features OMA-designed sculptures.
Louis Vuitton covered its flagship at East 57th Street and 5th Avenue in a facade modelled after the brand’s distinctive trunks, while simultaneously opening a temporary location around the corner, with sculptures developed with OMA partner Shohei Shigematsu that rise through an atrium.
Designed by Louis Vuitton’s in-house team, the luggage facade wraps completely around the construction underway at the New York City flagship. It resembles six, grey trunks of various sizes stacked in descending size.
According to the team, the design pays homage to the brand’s Trianon Grey canvas, a light grey textile which dates back to the 19th century.
Details such as handles, locks, rivets and silver hardware are also represented on the facade, with the team noting the largest of the handles “weighs 5,000 pounds”.
“It is finished with the classic detailing synonymous with Louis Vuitton’s savoir-faire including handles, signature locks, and silver hardware rendered in chrome-plated, laser-cut steel,” said Louis Vuitton.
“3D scans of real Louis Vuitton hard-sided trunks were used to create the locks and latches, and the steel corners have been hand-welded. The stack features 840 rivets, each etched with the moniker ‘Louis Vuitton’.”
Strips of lighting run along each of the trunk’s perimeters, while bands of black and brown represent leather lining. While construction takes place at the flagship, the brand has relocated its retail operations to a five-storey building around the corner at 6 East 57th Street, which contains four floors inhabited by a chocolate shop, men’s and women’s wear, and the debut of the brand’s first cafe in the US.
The building’s exterior architecture and interior floorplan remain unchanged according to the team, although it is now outfitted in a material palette of light woods, creams and shades of brown amongst an exposed concrete structure
Four, towering 16-meter-tall sculptures developed by Shigematsu sit in the lobby atrium, similarly modelled after “iconic” trunks.
“The trunks are built at the ateliers to actual product specifications and stacked to erect shifting, counterbalancing, twisting and zigzagging forms showcasing strength and lightness,” said the team.
“Each is further distinguished by using different Louis Vuitton materials – historic stripes, classic Monogram canvas, white Damier, and a metallic Monogram – which have redefined the timeless piece from the past to today.”
Oversized, sculptures of a giraffe and ostrich and a screen with Louis Vuitton motifs cover the building’s facade, which was also lined with bright exterior pendants.
The flagship construction could “potentially” double the size of the store, according to New York Yimby, while the temporary location will shut down after the renovation is complete
THE TEMPORARY LOUIS VUITTON SHOP IS ACROSS 5TH STREET, (IN THE FORMER NIKE STORE, TEMPORARY TIFFANY STORE).
Today, Louis Vuitton unveiled their largest retail space in the United States, located at 6 E. 57th Street NYC. Though the store is a temporary location while the iconic Louis Vuitton flagship on 5th Avenue undergoes a multi-year renovation, you would not know it from a look inside. The location spans five floors and features a chocolate shop, a café, and a capsule collection that pays tribute to the city that never sleeps.
Upon entering the location, one immediately finds themself in an atrium space offering a glimpse of the above four floors. The room is adorned with stacks of the House’s Courrier Lozine trunks spanning from floor to ceiling. Designed by architect Shohei Shigematsu, the trunks highlight different materials the Maison is known for – from classic Monogram canvas to sophisticated white Damier checkerboard. It is a visual spectacle on a scale only Louis Vuitton could execute with such perfection.
OUR FAVORITE ISLAND COLORING BOOK IS BACK
OUR TAPESTRY THROW IS BACK
GREAT GIFT FAVORITES AND LOTS OF NEW GREAT STUFF
GREAT GIFTS AND BOOKS
CREDITS
JUDITH BERDY
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
JOIN US SATURDAY MORNING, NOV. 23rd 9 a.m. to 12 noon AT THE KIOSK TO PLANT THE BULBS
LET’S BEAUTIFY OUR TRAM PLAZA FOR THIS COMING SPRING WITH DAFFODILS.
Are Millions in Gold from a British Shipwreck StIll in the East River?
Friday, November 22, 2024
ISSUE #1349
UNTAPPED NEW YORK
The murky waters of Hell Gate, between Queens and Manhattan, hide a mystery that has puzzled historians and treasure hunters for hundreds of years. A British ship, the HMS Hussar, went down in Hell Gate’s perilous waters after colliding with Pot Rock in 1780. The ship was rumored to be carrying a significant British military payroll. Despite these stories, no treasure has ever been recovered. Could remnants of the ship and its gold still lie beneath the waves? Whether or not there is a fortune waiting to be found, there are remnants of the Hussar shipwreck you can see without a diving permit. During the American Revolution, British Admiral George Bridges Rodney ordered the Royal Navy HMS Hussar to set sail for Gardiner’s Bay at the eastern end of Long Island. On November 24, 1780, Captain Charles Pole navigated the HMS Hussar up the East River. He was safeguarding its cargo from French and American troops advancing on New York Harbor.
Captain Pole decided to take a shorter, faster route through the waters of Hell Gate. Unfortunately for him, the strong winds and aggressive currents caused complications for the vessel. Captain Pole pressed on despite the treacherous conditions of Hell Gate, only to meet disaster as the Hussar swept against Pot Rock. The ship and all of its contents sank, but the captain and crew survived the wreck and made it to the mainland on boats.
Plan showing the Inboard profile plan as proposed for Hussar (1763). Image via Wikimedia Commons from Royal Museums Greenwich.
There are conflicting reports on where exactly the ship sank and no official location of the wreck has been determined. The New York Times reported that it sank in the East River in an article from 1985 when a salvage expert believed he had located the wreck off the Bronx shore. A 2002 New York Times piece puts the shipwreck between Port Morris in the Bronx and North Brother Island. There is a belief that the ship, or what is left of it after various 19th-century dynamite blasts in Hell Gate for navigation purposes, may be under landfill in the Bronx. Soon after the disaster, rumors circulated that the Hussar was carrying a significant treasure. While the British denied the presence of valuable cargo, salvage attempts over the years cast doubt on this claim. There was the belief that the British denied the presence of gold on the ship to deter treasure hunters from searching for the cargo. Crew on the ship said they had dropped the precious cargo off before the incident, but the British launched three recovery missions to salvage whatever was on board. These missions stoked suspicion and made treasure hunters even more intrigued. The exact value of the Hussar haul has varied and been distorted by the media. It has been estimated that the frigate was carrying 960,000 British pounds in gold when it sank. According to the Bank of England inflation calculator, that’s almost 143 million pounds (in 2024 currency). According to The New York Times, an international coin dealer estimated the bullion could be worth $576 million. Others believe only two to four million in gold were on board. There were also rumors that the ship held 60 American prisoners; their skeletons sunk in the ocean, still chained.
Early expeditions to explore the Hussar shipwreck involved diving bells—a technology still used today—in which divers would descend into the water inside a small metal chamber. A salvage company partially funded by Thomas Jefferson in 1811 dredged up iron nails and copper, but no gold. Regardless of early failed attempts, the Hussar was the hottest topic of the press in the 1800s. In Baltimore, a man named Samuel Davis began publishing ads in 1819 that aimed to seek funds for finding the vessel.
In 1843, diver George W. Taylor was the first to discover the wreck in a diving suit. However, his illness (and death) stopped his investigation. His protégé, Charles Pratt, took up the mission. Pratt was the most successful of the early Hussar explorers. Over 13 years, Pratt retrieved loads of artifacts from the Hussar shipwreck. His 70-pound submarine diving armor armor, with a hand-cranked pump for air, allowed him to navigate the wreck.
He found cannons, wine bottles, swords, and even human bones still in shackles that were possibly the American prisoners. He also found gold coins that belonged to the crew. The amount of these gold coins was far less than what was believed to be on the ship. Pratt was unable to get to the bottom of the ship where he believed the treasure was stored. His last dive to the Hussar was in 1866.His diving helmet is on display at the Worcester Historical Museum in Massachusetts.
Two cannons found at the wreck were donated to Central Park in 1865. They were originally displayed at a museum inside the former convent of Mount St. Vincent, then installed at Fort Clinton with granite bases. Vandalism caused them to be put in storage in the 1970s. They remerged in 2014 after the overlook at Fort Clinton was rebuilt. You can see them today on the east side of the park near 107th Street. In 2013, restoration workers found that one of the canons was still loaded!
Explosive blasts in Hell Gate performed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began in the 1850s. Their purpose was to clear some of the rocky obstructions, including Pot Rock. The Civil War put a halt to this work but it continued in the 1870s. In 1885, the blasts were reported to have been felt 50 miles away. The blasting of Flood Rock was reported as, “The greatest quantity of explosives ever attempted in a single operation.” These explosions likely destroyed and scattered whatever remnants were left of the wreck.
Flash forward to the 1930s, submarine pioneer Simon Lake spent years searching for the Hussar wreck but to no avail. He ventured out in a “baby submarine” that he crafted and a year later informed journalists that he had found the Hussar. It was never proven that he had. In 1985, as reported in The New York Times, salvage expert Barry L. Clifford also claimed to have found the Hussar after a two-year, $1 million search. Clifford claimed he had “found it on the first pass” using the same scanning equipment used to find the Titanic earlier that month. His find also wasn’t the Hussar.
Bronx native Joey “Treasures” Governali also spent a significant amount of time and resources searching for the wreck, which he claims to have located on a misfiled map in the archives of the New York Public Library. When Hurricane Sandy hit in 2013, New Yorker Steven Smith believed he found remnants of the Hussar’s wooden planks washed ashore, “hidden under layers of concrete blocks and building scrap,” according to The New York Times. The ship even makes an appearance in Kim Stanley Robinson’s 2017 novel New York 2140, as the center of the book’s subplot.
Today, the vessel’s possible fortune still stirs the imagination. According to Robert Apuzzo, author of The Endless Search For The HMS Hussar: New York’s Legendary Treasure Shipwreck, “prior to the sinking of the Titanic, there were more newspaper articles pertaining to the HMS Hussar than any other shipwreck in our maritime history. The mystery concerning the HMS Hussar, has baffled, scholars, historians, and treasure hunters for over 244 years, with no signs of going away.” While previous attempts at finding the gold and historical records suggest there was no treasure onboard, the legend of the Hussar persists, calling treasure hunters to the shores of Hell Gate like a siren’s song, fueling hopes that future storms might reveal its hidden riches.
OUR FAVORITE ISLAND COLORING BOOK IS BACK
OUR TAPESTRY THROW IS BACK
GREAT GIFT FAVORITES AND LOTS OF NEW GREAT STUFF
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JUDITH BERDY
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
As a young student in 1975, Richard Marc Sakols ventured to the Manhattan‘s Lower East Side to explore the neighborhood where his grandmother was born.
