when  opening • timeline

opening

Project completion: December 2020. An opening date for the FDR Hope Memorial has not been set.

timeline

1828

CITY OF NEW YORK PURCHASES BLACKWELL’S ISLAND FOR CHARITABLE AND CORRECTIVE INSTITUTIONS
 

1832

THE PENITENTIARY OPENS, BUILT FROM STONE QUARRIED ON THE ISLAND
 

1839

NEW YORK CITY ASYLUM FOR THE INSANE OPENS
 

1856

SMALLPOX HOSPITAL BUILT WITH CONVICT LABOR
 

1861

CHARITY HOSPITAL BUILT WITH CONVICT LABOR
 

1869

THE WORK-HOUSE OPENS
 

1882

FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT BORN JANUARY 30 IN HYDE PARK, NEW YORK
 

1894

FIRST KNOWN UNITED STATES POLIO EPIDEMIC OCCURS IN VERMONT
 

1905

FDR MARRIES ANNA ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
 

1910

FDR ELECTED TO NEW YORK STATE SENATE
 

1916

SEVERE POLIO EPIDEMIC HITS NEW YORK CITY
 

1921

FDR CONTRACTS POLIO AND NEVER REGAINS USE OF HIS LEGS
 

1921

BLACKWELL’S ISLAND RENAMED WELFARE ISLAND
 

1927

FDR FORMS GEORGIA WARM SPRINGS FOUNDATION FOR POLIO REHABILITATION
 

1928

FDR ELECTED GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK
 

1929

FIRST PATIENT SAVED BY NEWLY INVENTED “IRON LUNG”
 

1932

FDR ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
 

1934

FDR’S BIRTHDAY BALL FUNDRAISERS FOR POLIO CARE AND RESEARCH BEGIN
 

1936

FDR RE-ELECTED
 

1937

NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR INFANTILE PARALYSIS (MARCH OF DIMES) ANNOUNCED BY FDR
 

1939

GOLDWATER HOSPITAL FOR CHRONIC CARE OPENS, BECOMES A LEADER IN CARE FOR PARALYZED POLIO PATIENTS

1940

FDR RE-ELECTED
 

1941–1945

FDR LEADS THE UNITED STATES DURING WORLD WAR II
 

1944

FDR RE-ELECTED
 

1945

FDR DIES APRIL 12 AT WARM SPRINGS, GEORGIA
 

1945

THE UNITED NATIONS, ENVISIONED BY FDR, OPENS
 

1952

POLIO CASES REPORTED IN THE UNITED STATES PEAK AT OVER 57,000
 

1953

DR. JONAS SALK DEVELOPS POLIO VACCINE
 

1973

WELFARE ISLAND RENAMED ROOSEVELT ISLAND, BECOMES RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY, MEMORIAL TO FDR PLANNED
 

1976

GOLDWATER HOSPITAL PATIENTS JOIN COMMUNITY IN APARTMENTS DESIGNED FOR THOSE PHYSICALLY DISABLED
 

1990

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT BECOMES LAW
 

2012

FDR FOUR FREEDOMS PARK OPENS AT THE SOUTHERN TIP OF ROOSEVELT ISLAND
 

2013

GOLDWATER HOSPITAL DECOMMISSIONED AND DEMOLISHED
 

2020

FDR HOPE MEMORIAL OPENS
 

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WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ANNOUNCES POLIO IS ERADICATED GLOBALLY
 

ALL COMMUNITIES BECOME MORE LIKE ROOSEVELT ISLAND: ACCESSIBLE, INCLUSIVE, AND WELCOMING