Inside Blackwell House: Special Access Roosevelt Island Tour
Inside Blackwell House: Special Access Roosevelt Island Tour
Interior Photos Courtesy of Roosevelt Island Historical Society
- May 11th
- 1:00 PM ET
- In-Person
- $12 for Insiders (100% goes to the The Roosevelt Island Historical Society)
- Registration Opens on April 27th at 12:00 PM ET
Join Roosevelt Island Historical Society Director Judith Berdy and Untapped New York’s Chief Experience Officer Justin Rivers for a Roosevelt Island walking tour with access inside the historic Blackwell House!
- Discover a hidden Guastavino ceiling inside the Roosevelt Island Visitor Center Kiosk, a former trolley kiosk from the Queensboro Bridge
- Explore the first floor of the Blackwell House, originally built in 1789 for James Blackwell
- Learn about the home’s history as living quarters for wardens of the almshouse, the hospitals, and the penitentiary
- Visit notable sights of southern Roosevelt Island including a recently unveiled statue of FDR, a newly planted tiny forest, and The Strecker Laboratory – the first lab in the country devoted exclusively to pathological and bacteriological research
About the event:
The evolution of Roosevelt Island itself is illustrated in the history of the Blackwell House, a historic colonial home built for James Blackwell around 1796. James was a descendant of Robert Blackwell, the former owner of the island and man for whom the island was once named.
When the city bought Blackwell’s Island, it became less agricultural and more institutional. A penitentiary was erected in 1829 and the wooden house became a residential place for administrators. The house was abandoned during the 1900s and restored in the early 1970s. It earned a landmark designation in 1975.
In addition to being one of the few New York farmhouses from the period immediately following the Revolutionary War, it is also the only surviving building on Roosevelt Island from the time period when the island was still private property. Today it functions as a community center.
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How many tickets can I reserve?
If you are an Insider level member ($20/month), you can reserve 1 ticket to this event. Explorer level members ($30/month) can reserve 2 tickets. If you are a Virtual level member but would like to attend, it’s easy to upgrade your account here!
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The event is sold out?
In-person Insider tours may have limited capacity and are booked on a first come, first served basis.
But don’t worry! Sometimes spots open up closer to the event date if there are cancellations. We also repeat our most popular events when possible so you will have another opportunity to join us. There are also multiple other members-only events weekly that you can join in!
What if I need to cancel?
If you cancel more than 48 hours ahead of the scheduled event, you will receive a 100%. When canceled less than 48 hours before the start of your tour, you will receive a gift card that can be used on any future events. Please be courteous to your fellow Insiders and let us know if you can no longer attend so we can offer your spot to another person.