New York City

For 150 years, New York City buried its unclaimed dead in mass trenches on a restricted island — dug by prisoners, closed to families. Who lies beneath Hart Island?

Portrait of a male author with glasses standing against a concrete wall, wearing a green shirt and jacket.

Edward C.

Rikers Island: The Jail New York City Cannot Close

Rikers Island holds thousands of unconvicted New Yorkers on a jail island no one can see from shore. They've been promising to close it for decades. It's still open.

North Brother Island: New York City's Forbidden Island of Quarantine, Disaster, and Decay

The most infamous quarantine prisoner in history died here alone. The island has been locked, abandoned, and unreachable ever since. Learn about NYC's darkest 20 acres.

Edward C.

Tragedies & Disasters

Ground Zero and the World Trade Center: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of New York’s Heart

Trace the history of Ground Zero, from the ambition of the Twin Towers to the devastation of 9/11 and the recovery at 'The Pile.'

Portrait of a female author smiling in warm evening light on a city street.

Clara M.

Hart Island: NYC's Secret Cemetery for a Million Forgotten Dead

Rikers Island: The Jail New York City Cannot Close

North Brother Island: New York City's Forbidden Island of Quarantine, Disaster, and Decay

Ground Zero and the World Trade Center: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of New York’s Heart