Smallpox Hospital, Roosevelt Island
historic place
The Smallpox Hospital, a historic place on Roosevelt Island in New York, New York, was designed by architect James Renwick Jr.. Constructed between 1854 and 1856, this 100-bed hospital opened on December 18, 1856. It was the first hospital in the United States dedicated to treating smallpox, providing isolation and quarantine for patients. The Gothic Revival structure served this purpose until around 1875, when it closed as a smallpox facility. The building then became a training center for nurses and a maternity and charity hospital training school. Two wings were added between 1903 and 1905 to accommodate the growing nursing program. By the 1950s, the hospital was abandoned. In 1972, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Four years later, on March 23, 1976, it was designated a New York City Landmark, notable as the city's only landmarked ruin. This site illustrates a period of public health efforts in New York City.