Abandoned island connected to New York City by tunnels that no one is allowed to visit
In the midst of the East River, just off the bustling cityscape of New York, lies a secluded and enigmatic piece of land known as U Thant Island, officially designated as Belmont Island. This diminutive isle, measuring a mere 100-by-200 feet, holds a captivating history that has kept it untouched by human hands.
The island’s origin can be traced back to the late 1800s when William Steinway, the renowned piano maker, embarked on an ambitious project. Steinway envisioned a tunnel connecting his company town, Steinway Village, beneath the East River for trolleys. The construction process inadvertently gave rise to the emergence of Belmont Island. The granite outcrop, known as the Man-o’-Reef, saw the accumulation of debris during tunnel construction, eventually forming the basis of the island.
Tragically, Steinway passed away before witnessing the completion of his vision. A decade later, in 1905-1907, August Belmont Jr. took over the project, successfully finishing construction and giving rise to Belmont Island. However, this achievement was marred by a devastating incident in 1906, when a shaft accident claimed the lives of four workers due to a burst compressed air pipe. Two workers succumbed to suffocation and decompression sickness, while the other two drowned in the tunnel, their resting places still untouched at the tunnel’s bottom.
In 1977, a Buddhist group assumed control of the island and renamed it in honor of U Thant, the former United Nations Secretary-General. Initially granted limited access for greenery maintenance, the island became increasingly restricted due to heightened security, with visits dwindling by the mid-1990s.
Today, U Thant Island remains off-limits to the public, designated as a protected space for migrating birds. The island serves as a sanctuary where these avian creatures nest, adding a layer of mystique to this uninhabited land. While inaccessible to human exploration, observers from the shores of Manhattan and Queens may catch a glimpse of the island’s small, feathered inhabitants, a testament to nature reclaiming a space with a rich and haunting history.