The history of Long Island Hospital in Boston Massachusetts dates back to the early 1600’s when it was first settled by the Native Americans. But things would all change for the island in the late 1700’s when it soon became a defensive stronghold during the American Revolutionary War and again in the late 1800’s when it was used as a military camp during the Civil War.
Following the Civil War, the need for a dedicated facility to care for the sick and injured became obviously and increasingly apparent. At the time medical knowledge was still in its infancy and diseases such as tuberculosis, cholera, and the whooping cough were running rampant in the region.
So in a direct response to this growing public health crisis, in 1882 the City of Boston began acquiring the land on nearby Long Island, an actual long, narrow island situated approximately 6 miles out into the abyss of the Boston Harbor. The hospital was specifically chosen to be built on the 225-acre Long Island, as the strategic isolation would allow for patients to be treated without the fear of a huge outbreak where many people could be in direct contact with the contagions.
After a few years of debate and reconfiguring use for the island, in 1894, finally the Long Island Almshouse was established. The Long Island Almshouse provided shelter and health care to immigrants, criminals, alcoholics, the disadvantaged, and to the indigent and poor.
By 1924, the hospital complex had gradually extended to now include over 20 different buildings; including residential buildings for staff so they could temporarily reside on the island without having to boat back and forth to the mainland. An account of the buildings at this time lists the superintendent’s house, an institution building, men’s and women’s dormitories, men’s and women’s hospital buildings, a chapel, a power house, and a recreation center with a library, shelter buildings, laboratories, and a morgue.
The immediate land surrounding the hospital was cultivated for the use of both crop and animal production for its nearly 500 patients. It was also at this time that the hospital began focusing on the treatment of chronic and infectious diseases and the name was switched to Long Island Hospital to reflect this change, which still stands today.
By the 2000’s Long Island Hospital was still in high demand for medical care, however, a large portion of the complex was now being utilized for residential substance abuse treatment and as a homeless shelter. This shift was in large part due to the State of Massachusetts beginning to grapple with a deadly opiate epidemic, correlating to a fast growing number of homeless people within the City of Boston.
The shelter and social service programs were highly praised by some, but many also opposed it and scrutinized the authorities for discrimination, basically they felt that moving the addicts, alcoholics, and homeless to an island only shows segregation, racism, and classism.
Despite the concerns, the island went on to succeed and would go on to help save the lives of hundreds, if not thousands of people who suffered from a vast array of mental health problems and other illnesses.
Sadly, this would all come to an abrupt end. In 2014, the hospital was forced to shut down all operations due to safety concerns related to the Long Island Bridges unstable infrastructure. This closure had a profound impact on the local community, as many residents relied on the hospital for their healthcare needs. The official closure and subsequent 2015 demolition of the crumbling Long Island Bridge surely sealed the hospitals fate after over 140 years of support and care to Bostons most underserved and oppressed populations.
In conclusion, the story of Long Island Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of growth and resilience. From its humble beginnings as a small almshouse for the poor, to its renowned reputation for the care of infectious diseases, all the way to becoming a nationally recognized institution for substance abuse treatment, it has evolved into a leading healthcare provider throughout “Beantown” and the greater commonwealth of Massachusetts.
As of 2024, renovation work is underway and the once quiet and peaceful island is now a full on construction site. In the near future, it will be a brand new state of the art hustling and busting treatment center, sticking to its original roots and its now centuries old mission statement.
