Bannerman's Arsenal Photoessay
November 17, 2007 7:17 PM   Subscribe

Excellent post over at BLDBLOG on the history of Bannerman's Arsenal, a ruined island castle in the middle of the Hudson river, created by a war profiteer who was at one time the world's largest arms dealer. Bonus points for the amazing accompanying photos by Shaun O'Boyle, whose site Modern Ruins has been featured on the blue previously.
posted by jonson (14 comments total) 13 users marked this as a favorite
 
Wow, those shots are gorgeous. Somehow this one looks exactly like the world's most elaborate sand castle.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 7:28 PM on November 17, 2007


Earlier Modern Ruins link. These images are so haunting; it boggles the mind to think that this setting is just fifty-odd miles from Manhattan.

P.S. See also BLDBLOG's lovely, scary Waterworld Я Us post.
posted by rob511 at 7:33 PM on November 17, 2007 [1 favorite]


googe maps
posted by cazoo at 7:48 PM on November 17, 2007


Oops, I duplicated jonson's spelling; it should be BLDGBLOG.
posted by rob511 at 7:51 PM on November 17, 2007


whoops. let me try this again.


Google Maps
posted by cazoo at 7:55 PM on November 17, 2007


Let me simply say this:


I
Want
It.
posted by mrzarquon at 8:03 PM on November 17, 2007


The Bannerman's Island Trust website has more info and some nice pictures in their gallery from 'back in the day'. I used to live in this area and loved to stop at the overlook on 218, the views in this area of the hudson are incredible. $50 bucks would get you a tour of the island via kayak last year.
posted by fatbaq at 8:11 PM on November 17, 2007


What a great essay. I've been to Bannerman twice, once by the trust's charter boat, and once by kayak via Hudson Valley Outfitters. It is a really weird place. Bannerman's odd buildings and details (he drew all the floorplans and none are based on square or rectangles) remind me a lot of Jeff McKissack's Orange Show. Both are worth a visit.

The tours of Bannerman border on amateur, but in an awesome way. While the Wikipedia article states that the island was purchased by New York State, it's my understanding that it was a gift from a Rockefeller. The state certainly doesn't seem to be doing anything with it. It is a treacherous mess of rocky paths, falling-down buildings and overgrowth.

Overall, it is great if you like to explore ruins with old ladies who are reading from notes, telling dubious stories, and wearing hardhats (you get to wear a hardhat!), but bad if you like bathrooms.
posted by unknowncommand at 8:18 PM on November 17, 2007


Also, the main arsenal is not as big as it seems in the photos (or from the train). The building itself bows out as it gets taller, making it seem more massive than it is.
posted by unknowncommand at 8:19 PM on November 17, 2007


I've passed that island a few times while riding the Metro North—it always made me think, "What in the...huuuh?" or something less eloquent. Although it intrigued me, I never bothered to figure out what it was actually called.

BUT NOW I KNOW. Yay. Thanks for the link!
posted by roboppy at 11:11 PM on November 17, 2007


I've paddled around Bannerman's, too, with a friend who's a military history buff and could rattle off the whole story of the place—we didn't need any stinkin' tour guide. Great pix, great post!
posted by languagehat at 5:05 AM on November 18, 2007


Nice find. I too passed it many times on the train and wondered what it was. Years later I got a boat and so am now very familiar with it. They don't like you tying up there without permission. And they don't give permission. It seems Kayaks are ok though.
posted by Sk4n at 6:47 AM on November 18, 2007


Heck with Google Maps -- Live.com has it in 3D.

While the Wikipedia article states that the island was purchased by New York State, it's my understanding that it was a gift from a Rockefeller.

The money may have come from the Laurence S. Rockefeller fund. Laurance was a conservationist who gave most of hte land for Grand Teton National Park. The brother of Governor and VP Nelson, he was once state parks commissioner, and his fund was designated specifically for the expansion of NY state parks.
posted by dhartung at 12:22 PM on November 18, 2007


Sic transit gloria mundi.

Btw for locals who want to rock the original Dutch pronunciation of Pollepel island: it's not Pol-luh-pel but Pol-lay-puhl. Lepel means spoon, pol-lepel means ladle.
posted by jouke at 7:15 PM on November 18, 2007


« Older Proof that Led Zeppelin fans are geekier than Rush...   |   Smile. Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments