Roosevelt Island, which lies in the East River just off Manhattan, was named Blackwell for nearly two centuries. The Blackwell family owned the island for some time and their ancestral home still stands near the center (sorry, no pictures). The island was purchased by the City of New York in 1828 and transformed into an island of municipal institutions including prisons, poor houses and hospitals. The island was renamed Welfare Island in 1921, reflecting the status of its inhabitants. The prison facilities were transferred to Rikers Island in 1935. In the late 1960's, plans were developed to turn a portion of the island into a residential community. The island was renamed Roosevelt Island in 1973 and the first housing complex opened in 1975.

The lighthouse in the picture stands at the northern tip of the island. It was built in 1872 based on a design by architect, James Renwick, Jr., who also designed St. Patrick's Cathedral. The lighthouse was constructed with gray gneiss and stands 50 feet tall. The large building in the background is the Manhattan Psychiatric Center on Wards Island.

Photographer's Note: This picture was mistakenly shot at ISO 3200. I was playing with the camera in available light the night before and forgot to reset the ISO the next day to a more normal setting for the lighting conditions.