Hello, friends!
Each Friday, we journey through time to explore the stories that shaped Roosevelt Island, our country, and the events that continue to influence our community today. Let’s connect the past with the present right here at home.
A Quiet Guardian Beside The Octagon
If you’ve ever strolled along the Promenade behind The Octagon, you’ve likely paused in the company of Sabrina, the cast-bronze statue sitting peacefully with arms outstretched toward the East River. Her serene gaze and welcoming posture are hard to ignore. But who is she? And why is she here?
Then: A Gift from Across the Sea
The figure of Sabrina originates from Scottish sculptor William Calder Marshall, who crafted a plaster version in 1845, followed by a marble cast in 1847. Both were displayed at the Royal Academy. Originally part of a series inspired by the mythological goddess of the River Severn in England, this particular cast found a permanent home beside The Octagon, a location rich with its own layered history.
The Octagon itself, once the grand entrance to the New York City Lunatic Asylum, had stood in ruins for years before its redevelopment into residential housing. Gudgeon’s Sabrina was placed on the riverbank as part of a public art initiative, aiming to bring peace, reflection, and beauty to a place that once held pain and confinement.
The connection was poetic. In myth, Sabrina was a spirit of healing waters. Inspired by John Milton’s poem “Sabrina Fair,” she embodies a sunlit river spirit. On Roosevelt Island, she became a symbol of transformation of redemption through art, nature, and community renewal.
The bronze statue became a beloved icon at Amherst College: a 300-pound bronze, cast by J.L. Mott Iron Works in 1857 and donated by Massachusetts Lt. Governor Joel Hayden to sit by the college’s octagonal building.
Now: A Community Icon
Architect Bruce Becker, an Amherst alumnus, installed a bronze recasting of Marshall’s Sabrina in the landscaped grounds behind The Octagon on Roosevelt Island. This marks the first solid bronze casting outside Amherst, thoughtfully placed to echo the historical pairing of an octagonal structure with Sabrina.
Today, Sabrina is more than just a statue. She’s part of the island’s visual identity. Locals take morning coffee walks to sit with her. Children climb gently into her lap. Visitors ask about her story. And photographers love the way she catches the golden hour light, year after year.
She’s also an enduring tribute to the power of public art in healing collective memory. Where once there were whispers of institutionalization and decay, there is now a thriving, inclusive community and Sabrina has watched it unfold quietly, day by day.
Reflecting on Our Roots
Sabrina stands at the intersection of art and history, still waters and new beginnings. For those who live nearby, she’s a gentle reminder of how far Roosevelt Island has come—and the calm strength that continues to guide its future.
So next time you pass her by, stop a while. Listen to the river. Feel the breeze. And let yourself be part of the story, just as she has been for nearly three decades.
I Take the Tram Because I Have To
There are people on this Island you learn to recognize long before you ever learn their names. Like the real estate man with the blue goatee, the one whose name I keep forgetting, though I could pick him out of a lineup any time of day.
