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Podcast: IT’S HISTORY
Episode: Why New York's North Brother Island is Totally Forbidden
Description: North Brother Island is one of New York City’s most mysterious and eerie places. Located in the East River between the Bronx and Rikers Island, this abandoned island is steeped in history and tragedy. Originally developed in the 19th century as a quarantine facility for smallpox patients, it later became infamous as the home of Typhoid Mary, one of the most notorious cases of contagious disease in American history.
The island was repurposed over the decades, serving as a rehabilitation center for drug addicts in the mid-20th century, but was eventually abandoned. Today, it is off-limits to th...