Happy Birthday Queensboro ( fka Blackwell's Island) Bridge !

Many, certainly not all, Roosevelt Island residents know that the Queensboro Bridge, which turns 100 years old today, was once named for the island's former name "Blackwell's Island".

But few know that the bridge due to opposition to the British sounding name "Queensboro" almost did not get renamed to its curent moniker. The below article from the NY Times archive reports on a City hearing about the name change proposal and that one City Alderman did not believe those in favor of the name change had made their point.

As it is the bridge and the island have gone by many names. And many music fans outside NYC are not aware that the Simon and Garfunfle standard "The 59th Street Bridge" song is the Queensboro Bridge anyway.

To buy the above book about the Queensboro Bridge and to support the Roosevelt Island Historical Society which produced the book in conjunction with the Astoria Historical Society please link HERE.