Berrien's Island facts for kids

Berrien's Island was once a small island in the East River in New York City. It was located near the northern shore of Astoria in Queens. The island got its name from Cornelius Jansen Berrien, who bought it in 1727. He was buried on the island after he died.

During the 1900s, Berrien's Island became connected to Long Island, which is where most of Queens is located. This happened because land was filled in between the island and the mainland. Today, a Consolidated Edison power plant stands on the site where the island used to be.

A Look Back: Berrien's Island History

Over time, many different people owned Berrien's Island. It had an interesting past, including a time when it was almost used for a special purpose.

The Cholera Epidemic and Cemetery Plan

In the summer of 1849, a serious illness called cholera spread through New York City. Thousands of people died. The city needed a new place to bury people. A city buyer named Marcellus Eells bought Berrien's Island for $20,000. He then sold it to a special city committee for $30,000.

However, some citizens, led by Leonard Kirby, were worried about how the city bought the island. They sued New York City, saying the purchase was unfair and that the city spent money illegally. The citizens won the case! Because of this, Berrien's Island was never used as a cemetery for the poor.

Sports and Landfill Changes

In 1890, the Manhattan Athletic Club bought Berrien's Island. We don't know exactly why they bought it, but some people think it might have been used for sports training.

Later, in the 20th century, Berrien's Island became part of Queens. Workers filled in the water between the island and the larger landmass of Long Island. This happened in the northern part of Astoria, where the Con Edison plant is now. Also, part of the original Berrien property is now where the Steinway piano company is located.

Island Features: What Berrien's Island Looked Like

Berrien's Island was about 23 acres in size. It was separated from the nearby Berrien farm by a narrow channel of water, about 150 feet wide.

Island Shape and Landscape

The island had a unique shape. It was like a belt, about 200 feet wide at the top. The top part was made of high, dry sand and gravel, with large rocks scattered around. This high land rose about 40 feet above the water. It almost surrounded a natural low area, like a basin, in the middle of the island.

On the northeast side, the land rose sharply from the water to about 32 feet high, then leveled off at 40 feet. From there, the land gently sloped down towards the basin in the center of the island.

Where Was Berrien's Island?

According to old documents, Berrien's Island was within the area controlled by New York County. It was about half a mile closer to Astoria than Randall's Island is today. Berrien's Island was also about 2 miles from both Astoria and Harlem.

Today, based on old maps and information, it seems the island was located somewhere near or off the coast of where LaGuardia Airport is now.

Proposed Uses for the Island

Before it became part of the mainland, people considered several uses for Berrien's Island.

A City Cemetery Proposal

In 1849, a man named Edwin Smith was asked to check out Berrien's Island and another island called Riker's Island. He needed to see if either would be good for a city cemetery. Smith, along with a doctor and Marcellus Eells, visited the islands to gather information. They found that Berrien's Island and the nearby farm together had about 47 acres of land.

Edwin Smith listed four main reasons why Berrien's Island was thought to be a good spot for a cemetery:

• Dry Soil: The soil was drier and looser, and the land was higher above the tides.
• Natural Basin: The island had a natural low area that could be used for burials without digging too deep. Earth from the higher parts could cover the graves.
• Location and Winds: It was located on the south side of the sound. During warm summer months, when winds usually blow from the south, a cemetery there wouldn't affect nearby areas as much as one on another island.
• Out of Sight: It wasn't directly in the view of boats traveling through the sound.

In 1850, a special committee also visited Berrien's Island. They noted that the island was in Flushing Bay, away from city developments. It was also farther away than five other locations they were considering.

Disagreements and Legal Action

The idea of using Berrien's Island as a cemetery led to some disagreements and even a court case.

Local Objections to the Cemetery Plan

Members of a Special Committee, including Edmund Griffin and Charles Crane, looked at several places for a public cemetery. They thought Berrien's Island was a good choice because it was far from people, easy to get to, and had suitable soil.

However, people from Astoria objected to this plan. The committee felt their objections weren't strong or reasonable. They believed one person from Astoria simply wanted to buy the island for themselves. As mentioned before, Berrien's Island was under the control of New York County.

The Court Case Against the City

On September 15, 1849, a special court meeting was held at New York City Hall. The purpose was to decide if a court order should stop the city from buying Berrien's Island. The defendants in the case were the Mayor Alderman and the Commonalty of the City of New York (which included officials like George Clark and Robert J. Haws).

These city officials had been told not to spend any money from New York City to buy Berrien's Island and the farm in Newtown, Queens County, which was owned by Ezra Berrien. This court case was part of the larger conflict over the island's purchase.