New York Plans to Improve Access to Hart Island, the Nation's Largest Public Cemetery

Managed for decades by the Department of Corrections, the island could soon become a public park with regular ferry service and expanded visiting hours.

2 minute read

October 27, 2021, 5:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Abandoned buildings on Hart Island

Adam Moss / Hart Island

First used in 1869 as a public cemetery for unclaimed bodies and remains of the indigent, New York's Hart Island, home to the remains of over one million people and the nation's largest public cemetery, has a long-held reputation as the final resting place for the unidentified, the poor, and victims of epidemics like the 1918 flu pandemic and the AIDS crisis. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, as many as ten percent of New York's COVID victims were buried in one of the island's mass graves. Family members wanting to visit relatives' gravesites at the notorious 'potter's field' could choose one of two options, "both of which operate on predetermined schedules: monthly gazebo visits for any member of the public and monthly gravesite visits for family." Brody Ford reports on the effort to redesign the island, honoring the dead while making it a public amenity for the living.

After years of being managed by the state's Department of Corrections, Hart Island was handed over to the city's Parks Department this month. "Making it a more accessible and inviting space will be a challenge given the island’s deteriorating  buildings, ongoing burials and the need to establish a regular ferry service to the island," writes Ford. "More than $50 million has been allocated for the destruction of many of these structures and creation of new burial space," and "[m]any advocates envision full public accessibility with a museum to honor generations of often marginalized and forgotten New Yorkers."

For visitors like Kimberly Overton, the transition is promising. "It was nice to see a park ranger uniform and not a correctional officer," she said, but her visit was still guided by strict rules. The Parks department says they are still "determining what public access looks like post-pandemic," weighing plans to increase public access with the need to maintain the island's role as an active municipal cemetery. "The Parks Department is waiting on a city study of burial capacity before sketching up further plans, and a framework to improve transportation access is due next year."

Friday, October 15, 2021 in Bloomberg CityLab

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Bird's eye view of manufactured home park.

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing

Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

March 25, 2025 - Shelterforce

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

Colorful blocky apartment building facade.

Minneapolis Bans Rent-Setting Software

Four cities have enacted restrictions on algorithmic software that can inflate rent costs.

4 hours ago - Stateline

Silver electric BMW car parked in driveway of home in Oakland, California.

Oakland to Add 244 New EV Chargers

Oakland plans to launch its new charging network at eight locations by the end of 2025.

5 hours ago - City of Oakland

Sculpture of seated Jane Goodall holding hands with chimp on green lawn.

Jane Goodall Inspires with Message of Hope, Resilience, and Environmental Action

Speaking in Pasadena, Jane Goodall offered a hopeful and inspirational message, urging global compassion, environmental responsibility, and the power of individual action to shape a better future.

6 hours ago - Pasadena Star-News