A Victorian Lighthouse: The Blackwell Island Light, Roosevelt Island, NYC

A look at the mysterious Gothic lighthouse that stands at the tip of New York City's Roosevelt Island. Did a lunatic named Thomas Maxey build the lighthouse? If so, why did a now-missing stone say that an unknown person named John McCarthy built it? Or was it designed by 19th century starchitect, James Renwick, Jr, who was also responsible for St. Patrick's Cathedral? There isn't a lot of good information about this online, but a deep dive into newspaper archives had helped get some answers. Chris shares some theories about the lighthouse, as well as more about the industrious "lunatic," Thomas Maxey, who may have had a hand in its construction. Highlights include: • More about Fort Maxey • James Renwick, Jr, architect of St. Patrick's Cathedral • Drama with the US Lighthouse Board • Plenty of wild speculation For the shownotes and sources, visit buriedsecretspodcast.com. You can listen to more audio on patreon ($3/month): https://www.patreon.com/buriedsecrets Follow on instagram @buriedsecretspodcast E-mail at [email protected].