@@richm7410 Sorry, no. My dad, a Warrant Officer, worked at the MRU/Machine Records Unit (the old punch-card computers), and I was an Army Brat. I'm now a retired Chaplain.
I lived and worked on Governor's Island for 7 years! I watched the Reagan-Gorbachev summit from my office. The Statue of Liberty was a portrait from my living room window in our apartment. I used to take my sons to the Burger King. It was a really special place to live.
They host jazz fest here every summer, everyone dresses up in the old garb and jazz bands play and everyone has a huge picnic and dances and drinks. It’s amazing
Love the video. My late aunt, Mary Sullivan, worked for the Army during WWII and until the Army left in 1966. She loved working on the island. She was the secretary to the Quartermaster. Thanks for the video. Have to visit someday.
Governor's Island is also a zero-waste island - all the businesses must compost and have compostable serviceware! The composting is done at Earth Matter, the awesome urban farm on the island with over 70 hens (and sometimes goats)! Thanks for the great video, Tom - what a NYC gem!
Born and raised here in New York all 46 years of my life never been to Governors Island. The funny thing was I was thinking about going the other day?😂
love the epic fact alert and sick plugs thank you and eric for all your hard work showing all this cool stuff. I would love to live on that island in those old houses..."now he would be like omg nvm lol" - these vids are so funny I love it
when i use to live in staten island i would take the ferry and see this place all the time nd there use to be 2 big ass abandoned apartment buildings i always wanted to go into them since i was into urbex at the time, i guess u could say. i moved back to ny a few months ago and sad to see they're now gone. i always thought access to this place was restricted but now seems to be a tourtist destination...
Omg as an aviation enthusiast you left out at one time there was a runway for smaller aircraft’s to land right down the middle of that island. There’s old photos showing it.
Tom, can you add a pay or reward to your RU-vid display. I would like to send you a few bucks to keep this channel going. You have a great sense of humor and provide a very good narration of the places you vlog. Thanks
Have family history on Governors Island, as my late Grandfather was in the coast guard while they worked on the island and my mother lived there briefly as a child while it housed the coast guard and families. My grandfather loved American history and it's always been an interesting place for me to explore when I visit NY from Florida (Go BUCS!) so it was exciting to see a video from you about such a cool little island.
It's actually that John Jay was cancelled to call it Fort Columbus, then John Jay was ok again and they changed it back. Columbus hadn't been cancelled quite yet. That would take almost 100 years.
Some people live next to or close to elevated trains running all day and night. I used to live down the block from a firehouse. It becomes second nature eventually.
Despite the bit of rambling at the beginning, really loved this. Great humour and funny odd clips throughout, you would make a cracking tour guide fella. There's a game called Freedom Fighters which is one of my favourites of all time, and it takes place in an alternate timeline where Russians invade New York, and features mostly Manhattan and Brooklyn, but the later levels are set on a snowy atmospheric Governor's Island, and I had no idea that Fort Jay really existed. Wow 😳😯 Also about that game, that big cylindrical structure that has all the fans for the tunnel at 11:37 looks like the big building where you sneak onto the island the first time, through the underground vent shaft. 12:12 Tommy Lee Jones 🤣 Wicked that is, brill video 🙂😉
The Nut Island part really cracked me up. I don't know if it's a Florida thing or not, but it's hilarious. I think they should develop on Governors Island but with taste. Not take over all the Island but have some development and preserve the parks and open spaces
I’m glad to see they’re letting people besides military in. We used to be the only ones. I had a dream about the whole pre-Mayflower Dutch settlements. Actually, a lot. 😢
8:57 *Rats* Durty fifthy rats ... book Tom is reading, Manhattan in the shape of a rodent on cover Perhaps an upcoming tour Can "Looking for Jimmy in da Meadowlands" (with author Robert Sullivan) be too far behind :) At least with the spring thaw in a few months count the emerging floaters in Wallabout Bay, Brooklyn. What's ya'l say Tom ? Floaters Anyway, thanks for the tour
I have a feeling that money, like most times, will win and turn the island into a lifeless, soulless zombie, with apartments and investment possibilities for wealthy people. Solid work, Tom, as well as Eric, beautiful images, taken while still possible.
Potentially a very stupid question, but is this part of a borough? I know it’s obviously an island, I just assumed that everything part of New York City was affiliated with one of the five.
Manhattan Or, historically Manhattan Island is part of Governors Island since Governors Island was settled first followed by Manhattan. Legally, whelter it's administered by the municipality of Manhattan, NYC, New York State or, Federal Government is a question for Tom. Believe he mentioned it was trusted to the Dutch New Amsterdam/Netherlands. The developers will have their opinion on this.
There is a proposed extension of manhattan (reclaiming land I guess) which will incorporate Governors Island. In 10 years it may be all skyscrapers offices and apartments.
