Entering Little Island feels like stepping onto a green terrace tucked at the foot of a hill. Long before the tulip-shaped pods lifted this man-made island above the Hudson, the Lenape tribe landed their canoes here – on the shore of “Sapokanikan” or “Land Where the Tobacco Grows”[1]. Those fields stretched through what is now Chelsea and Greenwich village. Today, visitors enter from 13th Street, some pausing at The Glade for coffee before hiking the paved paths between the trees. Joggers slow into a walk, children play by the rocks, tourists stop for photos and most New Yorkers drift towards the amphitheatre.
Ten rows face the wooden stage overlooking the river. The audience’s arrangement resembled skyscraper windows at dawn – each revealing different story – some people still asleep, some rushing to catch a flight, some already working from home in their pyjamas. Similarly, the staggered arrangement of people here told their own stories: two friends shared breakfast on a lower tier, a man further up kept changing spots whenever clouds blocked the sun, and a group of artists sketched the view. One sketched the remnants of Pier 54, where some of the Titanic’s survivors arrived on April 18, 1912[2]. Three years later, the Lusitania departed from Pier 54 and was torpedoed merely six days later – a loss that drew America into World War I[3].
After being abandoned by the shipping industry and damaged over time, the Chelsea Piers became a popular place for gay men. Although it was rebuilt in the early 2000s, Pier 54 was devastated by Hurricane Sandy. It was transformed into Little Island, which opened to the public in 2021[4].
From nautical tragedy to queer cultural vibrancy, this island remains subtly controversial, leaving visitors puzzled whether it feels natural, artificial, or both. Near the amphitheatre, a family debated the design – the son insisted that curated areas mustn’t have rusting iron pillars and unfinished wooden benches, while his father loved the natural feel, explaining that teakwood requires no polish. As the son continued complaining about the island being man-made, the father said, “Well I could pick out so many problems with you too, and you’re made by God”.
[1] https://barnard.edu/news/tour-native-new-york
[2] https://archive.org/details/theencyclopediaofnewyorkcitysecondedition/page/235/mode/2up
[3] https://atlanticliners.com/cunard_home/lusitania_home/
[4] https://littleisland.org/pier-history/
