Hart Island

Hart Island, located in the Bronx, New York City, is a large island historically used as a public cemetery and detention site. It primarily serves as a resting place for unclaimed or indigent individuals, with the New York City Department of Correction managing the burial operations. The island contains a mass graveyard with thousands of unmarked graves and is also home to a correctional facility. Over the years, efforts have been made to improve access and transparency about its use, transforming it into a symbol of both municipal care and historical significance related to city mortality management.