Roosevelt Island is a Beautiful Place in the Fall

A recent visit to my hometown of Roosevelt Island in New York City in October could not have provided a more serene and beautiful backdrop for taking some photos.

With the autumn wind blowing and the fall foliage changing the leaves to beautiful shades of yellow, orange, red and brown, I spent some time walking my favorite loop around The Rock to take it all in.

Roosevelt Island is a narrow island in the East River of New York City. It lies between the island of Manhattan  to its west and the borough of Queens to its east. Running from Manhattan’s East 46th to East 85th streets, it is about two miles long, with a maximum width of 800 feet (240 m), and a total area of 147 acres. The island is part of the Borough of Manhattan and New York County. The estimated population was about 12,000 in 2007.

Roosevelt Island New York City Fall Foliage
The fall foliage blows in the wind on a beautiful fall day on Roosevelt Island behind the Manhattan Park apartment complex.

 

Sunset over Manhattan and the Queensboro Bridge, as seen from Roosevelt Island
Sunset over Manhattan and the Queensboro Bridge, as seen from Roosevelt Island

 

Roosevelt Island New York City
A wall of the Westview apartment building on Roosevelt Island

 

Roosevelt Island New York City Lighthouse
On a beautiful fall day, the Roosevelt Island lighthouse stands tall next to the East River.

 

Roosevelt Island New York City
The sun peeks through the trees on a beautiful fall afternoon on Roosevelt Island as the leaves change color behind the Westview apartment complex.

The End of an Era: the Roosevelt Island Tram

For more then three decades, the Roosevelt Island tram shuttled hundreds of passengers across the East River every day.

In 2010, these iconic cabins took their final trip as they were taken down to be replaced by new modern ones.

While construction concludes, the original cabins sit gathering dust behind Motorgate: the Roosevelt Island parking garage.

 

Roosevelt Island Tram Abandonment
The old tram gathers dust behind the Island’s supermarket

For more on Roosevelt Island, visit Rep the Rock: a Roosevelt Island Fan Site