page_title: Long Island (Massachusetts)
section_title: Twentieth century
hierarchical_section_title: Long Island (Massachusetts) / History / Twentieth century
caption_attribution_description: English: Boston Public Health Commission facilities on Long Island. The old water tower is used by airplane pilots as an FAA visual clue and has checkered markings at the top. From Left to right: Our Lady of Hope Chapel (vacant), the old Administration Building, the Nichols Building, The (Mary) Morris Building behind, the newer McGillivray Building with dining room, the Tobin Building, and the Curley Auditorium (vacant) on the far right.
context_page_description: Long Island is located in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. The island is part of the City of Boston, and of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. The island is 1.75 miles long and covers 225 acres.
  Prior to October 2014, access to the island was via a road over a 4,175-foot causeway from the Squantum peninsula of North Quincy to Moon Island, and from there, over a 3,050-foot two-lane steel bridge – officially named the Long Island Viaduct – from Moon Island to Long Island. Access to the causeway leading to Moon Island and Long Island is controlled by police at a guardhouse at its southern end, and permission must be obtained in advance since it is a restricted area.
  In October 2014, all access to Long Island was cut off for the indefinite future by then Mayor of Boston, Marty Walsh, based on the warning of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation that the bridge was unsafe. All those living on Long Island and being serviced by recovery programs or who were guests in the homeless shelter were no longer able to get there. They were abruptly relocated elsewhere on an emergency basis. The bridge to Long Island was demolished on March 23, 2015.
context_section_description: In 1928, homeless men were housed in an addition to the former hotel, and in 1941 another addition housed a treatment center for alcoholics. New men's dormitory facilities were built and dedicated as the Tobin building, the cornerstone having been laid on November 9, 1940. It was named after Maurice J. Tobin, then Mayor of Boston.
  In 1941, Boston's almshouse was located there, as well as the Chronic Disease Hospital. 1,400 patients and inmates were on the island, cared for by several hundred doctors, nurses, and employees. At that time, Dr. James V. Sacchetti was the medical director in charge.
  Until the 1950s, when a bridge was built from the adjacent Moon Island, the only transportation access to the island was by boat or a regularly scheduled ferry from Boston. The dedication plaque at the outbound entry to this bridge at Squantum, says it was built in 1950-51 by the Institutions Department of the City of Boston, and calls it the "Long Island Viaduct". Moon Island is connected to the mainland Squantum peninsula of North Quincy by a causeway.
caption: Boston Public Health Commission facilities on Long Island. The old water tower is used by airplane pilots as an FAA visual clue and has checkered markings at the top. From Left to right: Our Lady of Hope Chapel (vacant), the old Administration Building, the Nichols Building, The (Mary) Morris Building behind, the newer McGillivray Building with dining room, the Tobin Building, and the Curley Auditorium (vacant) on the far right (2007 photo)
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