Hart Island
Hart Island
3.5
About
No visitors are allowed on this 101-acre, uninhabited island, home to Potter's Field, the City Cemetery of New York, where more than 800,000 unidentified bodies are buried.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
3.5
11 reviews
Excellent
3
Very good
3
Average
2
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2
Terrible
1
Janet D
Connecticut52 contributions
Jul 2011 • Solo
One cannot visit Hart Island except under special circumstances. It is the cemetery for the poor, the unknown and the unclaimed. In the old days, these cemeteries were called "Potter's Fields" I understand that the Department of Corrections takes care of the island's burials and maintenance, using labor from the prison population and other employees.The Hart Island Ferry is moored at a dock down one of the streets on City Island. A white monument was erected there that acknowledges the various faiths of those interred there. It is a very poignant sentinel that acknowledges the humanity of those that are buried there. I'd like to know how one finds information about a family member buried there.
Written June 18, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joe P
New York City, NY484 contributions
Potters field cemetary for impoverished people what could be more depressing ?
Written March 11, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Base S
16 contributions
Oct 2019
As an Island that has gone through many transformations, this island is best used as it is: a burial ground for indigent and poor people who die in NYC.
Written October 22, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Charlene W
7 contributions
Apr 2024 • Couples
NYC Urban Rangers lead an informative and respectful tour of this island with an incredibly diverse history. You have to enter a lottery to go because space is limited and they only give tours 2x a month. We had a beautiful day and all totally FREE
Written April 9, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ANTHONY R
Bronx, New York27 contributions
Sep 2013 • Solo
This is a potter's field. It is not open to the public. Over decades upwards of 700,000 indigent city residents have been buried there in plain pine boxes. The bodies are ferried there from the foot of Fordham Street on City Island. The gravediggers are inmates from Rikers Island, the NYC prison.
Written January 22, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
anon943
nyc37 contributions
Oct 2015 • Business
The grounds of this well known, but until recently not readily accessible sacred space, are a visit back in history. Our treasured Potters' Field is open to all.
Written November 23, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
doreenb605
Yonkers13 contributions
Oct 2014 • Family
its potters field graves for john and Jane Doe no food or attractions just graves better off going to Woodlawn if you like cemetery's
Written September 1, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
thelmantimestwo
Fairfield, CT224 contributions
Apr 2013 • Friends
a great piece of NYC history....you can only see the island, you are not allowed to go on it and NY's finest are protecting it as well, but it is worth getting a look-see if you can...
Written January 11, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RayPharm
New York49 contributions
Apr 2024 • Couples
The public can now visit Hart Island via a NYC Parks Department tour
The tour is free, but tickets are allotted by lottery.
Pros:
-An important (if somewhat somber) place of history that few are aware of (more awareness recently due to the COVID19 pandemic).
-The two Urban Park rangers who guided our tour were knowledgeable, enthusiastic and articulate.
-The interfaith chapel still stands, though it is in bad condition. Hopefully a full restoration will happen in the future.
-A unique historical tour delivered in a respectful manner.
Cons:
-All of the historic buildings (except the chapel) were razed to the ground (~ 15 in total). The city decided they were in too far a state of decay to save (would cost too much).
-The website to sign up for the lottery is awful. Communication sent through the website goes unanswered. (Fortunately, if you call the phone # with questions, a park ranger will get back to you and they are very helpful).
-You do not tour the whole island. The first tours covered the North side of the island. On 4/23/2024, they initiated a tour of the Southern end (nothing about this on the website; learned when we arrived on the island).
- More of the narration could happen while walking (rather than standing in one place for extended periods of time).
Overall, a recommended experience. (I have no connection to the NYC Parks Dept).
The tour is free, but tickets are allotted by lottery.
Pros:
-An important (if somewhat somber) place of history that few are aware of (more awareness recently due to the COVID19 pandemic).
-The two Urban Park rangers who guided our tour were knowledgeable, enthusiastic and articulate.
-The interfaith chapel still stands, though it is in bad condition. Hopefully a full restoration will happen in the future.
-A unique historical tour delivered in a respectful manner.
Cons:
-All of the historic buildings (except the chapel) were razed to the ground (~ 15 in total). The city decided they were in too far a state of decay to save (would cost too much).
-The website to sign up for the lottery is awful. Communication sent through the website goes unanswered. (Fortunately, if you call the phone # with questions, a park ranger will get back to you and they are very helpful).
-You do not tour the whole island. The first tours covered the North side of the island. On 4/23/2024, they initiated a tour of the Southern end (nothing about this on the website; learned when we arrived on the island).
- More of the narration could happen while walking (rather than standing in one place for extended periods of time).
Overall, a recommended experience. (I have no connection to the NYC Parks Dept).
Written April 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Plunkett07
New York City, NY166 contributions
Sep 2018 • Family
It has a long history going back to the Revolutionary War, but mostly it was used as a storehouse for troubled boys, the insane and unclaimed bodies. Plus you can't go there. Recently there were calls to develop it but no one really wants to live in a Potters Field. So don't even think about it.
Written September 26, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I would like to find the grave of a relative, from around 1910.
Written April 25, 2017
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