Hart Island

They were fresh out of hearts.

The launch site of the NY area NIKE missile defense system once a battery of missiles were based there during America's cold war years most of the US army buildings are gone or used by the corrections dept the missile magazines remain there and are mothballed the defense works and radar and warhead and fueling areas were dismantled. It was one of a around 10-12 sites scattered on long island,Suffolk and Nassau and queens counties some upstate counties and new jersey counties that had NIKEmissile bases all with the mission of shooting down Russian bombers intent on dropping nuclear weapons on the NYC area and various military industries like the nuclear submarine facility at groton CT, brookhaven natl. Lab Suffolk NY USAF air defense command bases that housed supersonic jet fighters armed with nuclear air to air missiles to attack Russian bombers, 2 other missile bases called BOMARC were also part of the plan to defend NYC with bases in NJ &LI , the NIKE bases had Non nuclear Atlas missiles and Nuclear Bomarc missiles although the island battery didn't use nuclear missiles although there was a nuclear bomarc in the battery and during a test something went wrong triggering all but one of the launch commands this story has been confirmed and can be found in newspapers back in 1961 or just looking online. The one missile was removed after the test. These sites became useless as submarine launched icbms and icbm nuclear land based missiles could destroy cities with no way of stopping them. Once the bomber threat was lessened a large scale demilitarization of bases and missile sites started in the late 60s and continued into the 80s and now in some places you could hardly tell that very high security and general sense of impending doom existed during the early cold war years, perhaps you can remember having to squeeze under your desk in elementary school during the 70s and even 80s in case a nuclear attack was detected.

It’s really clean at hart island

The NYC Parks Dept. has done a great job at reintroducing the public to Hart Island and Potter's Field in a respectful manner. Through a lottery system, you can now take a 2 hour tour of the island. The tour currently takes you through the northern portion of the island.

You are ferried to the island and travel along the paths between burial sites while learning some of the history of the island and those who are currently interned there. The tour highlights the good and bad with regards to the history of Hart Island. People are now choosing to be buried on Hart Island in plots that are only noted by your placement within a large grave, holding upwards of 125 people in one plot.

Deer, geese, and even bald eagles visit the island.

It's definitely worth a visit. Note that you need to travel with your own water. There is only one available porta potty. Wear comfortable walking shoes.

Come to learn and see what Hart Island really is.

While it does have a beautiful view of Long Island Sound and Eastchester Bay, the decor is dreadful, not to mention it smells of something rotting. My two cents, it ain't worth dying to see.