Paddy, same island, they changed the name. Looking at the lighthouse from Carl Schulz Park, just to the left of it is what probably looks like an island from there, but it's part of Astoria that juts way out into the river. If you went to the North end of the park at about 89th st, just before where the FDR emerges from under the park, and looked up river, you would see a small island called Mill Rock, with Wards Island behind it from that angle.

Your welcome guys. I'm just passing along info. Blackwell Prison was news to me too.
My mother sent me that article yesterday, she knows I love reading about NYC history.

Paddy, this might help with the timeline of who was mayor at the time. The way I read this, it seems Robert Moses is the real culprit for destroying what you saw.
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From: http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/M209/history
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Mill Rock Island, originally two smaller islands, lies about 1,000 feet off the eastern edge of 96th Street, in the East River. In 1664, William Hallet bought the two islands, later named Great Mill Rock and Little Mill Rock, as well as a nearby point of land on the other side of the river (known as Hallet’s Point in present-day Astoria, Queens) from local Indians. He apparently never occupied the islands, and sometime between 1701 and 1707, John Marsh is believed to have built a tidal mill on one of them, which may explain how Mill Rock got its name.
At the start of the War of 1812, the War Department built a blockhouse with two cannons on Great Mill Rock. Along with fortifications at Hallet’s Point and at Horn’s Hook (site of Gracie Mansion), this chain of blockhouses was hoped to bolster the defenses of New York Harbor and guard the passage into Long Island Sound from the British Navy. In 1821, the blockhouse was destroyed by fire, and for the next 40 or so years squatters took over the island. One squatter, John Clark, is said to have conducted a lively business selling food and drink to the crews and passengers of passing ships.

Toward the end of the 19th century, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers set up facilities on Great and Little Mill Rock to experiment with explosives for the planned clearing of large obstructions in the East River. On October 10, 1885, the largest planned explosion prior to the atomic bomb annihilated Flood Rock, a nine acre obstacle that had long frustrated East River ship traffic. 300,000 pounds of explosives –prepared at the Army’s island facilities- were detonated, and shocks from the concussion were felt as far away as Princeton, New Jersey. In 1890, rock fill from the blast was used to close the gap between the two islands. Until 1949, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continued to use the now unified island of Mill Rock as a work and storage base for the surveying and removing of hazards in the East River and New York Harbor. With the closing of operations that year, the Superintendent of the base, John Smith, became the last person known to have lived on Mill Rock.

In 1953, the federal government sold the island to the Parks Department for $25,000. Commissioner Robert Moses was concerned that if it were sold at public auction, the island might be acquired by commercial interests and huge billboards would be erected there. He arranged for the demolition of the existing buildings and dilapidated docks, and a new dock was constructed. Large amounts of rock were placed along the shore to prevent erosion. Topsoil was brought in, and trees and shrubs were planted.

Mill Rock Island has been used for educational and arts events. In 1969, Commissioner August Heckscher issued a permit for an Avant Garde Festival on the island, which included a hot air balloon ascension, special light displays, and giant sculptures. At the conclusion of the festival, Mill Rock Island was allowed to return to its natural state. In 1978, Parks placed the island under the care of The Neighborhood Committee for Asphalt Green, and granted the Committee consent to use the island as an educational resource. Today, Mill Rock Island serves as a scenic resource. Visible from bustling Manhattan, this natural space stands as a historic landmark and a source of tranquility.

Learning alot here this is very cool stuff

Yes, he did.  O'Malley wanted a new stadium over the LIRR tracks in Atlantic Avenue.  Moses said no, Wanted the team to move to Queens, the site of Shea and now Citi Field.  So O'Malley left.  Moses' ego got worse after FDR died.  Al Smith and then FDR kept him in check. Once they were gone we wound up with the "new" Moses.  Robert Caro wrote "The Power Broker".  It's a great history of Moses in his time.  I highly recommend it. 
As for Roosevelt Island, from about 1995 to 2099, seating was provided for the 4th of July fireworks. That ended when it was decided to send the fireworks back to the Hudson,which is miserable. Roosevelt Island charged 15.00 per person.  The display was seen from the south end of the island.  That's now becoming a park after about 40 years or so.
The view from Roosevelt Island is stunning and that tram ride is not to be missed.
And Moses had nothing to do with it.  Roosevelt Island was started under Hugh Carey and Mario Cuomo.

As long as we've been in the East River all day, one more.
U Thant , or Belmont Island.
From: http://newyorkdailyphoto.blogspot.com/2010/09/u-thant-island.html
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I love islands. No matter how small or how close to another land mass, an island always has a feeling of being its own intimate world. When inhabited, there is typically a focused energy, the opposite of suburban sprawl. There is a precious quality to a place where resources and space are very limited and boundaries are well defined. If desirable, this precious quality can reach a fever pitch, where every inch is taken. Like Manhattan.

On the flip side, the uninhabited island is virtually synonymous with remoteness and isolation. And in New York City, you can find both extremes just a stones throw apart.
U Thant Island is New York City's smallest island (100 x 200 feet) and sits only about 1000 feet from Manhattan in the East River, opposite the United Nations and just south of Roosevelt Island. It is diminutive in size but not small in history or fascinating lore.

Belmont Island, as it was known at one time, was built on the granite outcrop, Man of War reef in the East River, from landfill during the construction of the Steinway Tunnels. The landfill was removed from a shaft dug down the reef to the tunnels.

On February 25, 1885, a group of prominent Long Island businessmen incorporated the East River Tunnel Railroad Co. to construct a tunnel railroad from Ravenswood, north of Long Island City, Queens, to Manhattan as a direct connection between the Long Island Rail Road and the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad. At one point, new money was needed to invest in the project and one of the men who became interested was Mr. William Steinway, founder of the Steinway & Sons Piano Co. He owned a sizable part of Long Island City real estate & owned the Steinway and Hunter's Point Railroad which was a local horse car line. By obtaining control of the tunnel company, it would increase the value of his properties. He died in 1896 before the project was completed.

In 1902, August Belmont, Jr. began to take an interest in the project. Belmont was German-born, a banker who had had inherited his fathers vast fortune in 1890 and also a friend of Steinway. The trolley tunnels were finished in 1907 and sold to the city in 1913. The tunnels are still in use today for the number 7 subway Flushing line.

Forgotten for over 70 years, in 1976, a group of employees of the United Nations and followers of Buddhist guru Sri Chinmoy, began to lease the land from New York State for $20 a year. They renamed it U Thant Island, after U Thant, a Burmese diplomat, 3rd UN Secretary General from 1961 to 1971 and friend of Sri Chinmoy. Flowers, bushes and trees were planted and a 30 foot high steel peace arch constructed. Reportedly, there is also a time capsule including pictures and speeches of U Thant.

In 1999, though, the group erected a sign for U Thant, which reads: “Compassion: Home. Dedicated to world peace. Simplicity was U Thant’s life. Sincerity was U Thant’s mind. Purity was U Thant’s heart. His was the approach of serene and illumined dignity."
The island was used occasionally used for meetings and meditation.

In 2004, NYC artist Duke Riley, under the influence of rum, rowed a boat in darkness with a friend, landed on U Thant Island, proclaimed it a sovereign nation and hoisted a 21 foot long pennant flag up the island's navigation tower. On their return to land, they were apprehended by the coast guard but were not arrested. The adventure was videotaped and entitled Belmont Island (SMEACC) - it can be seen here.

Currently, the island is not accessible to the public and is a sanctuary for migrating birds, including a colony of Double-crested Cormorant. I'd like to tell them how lucky they are to have access to U Thant Island :)

Photo Note: I have been obsessed with this small island for ages and it has been in my cross hairs for this website since its inception. Only recently however, on a the pier at Gantry Plaza State Park in Queens, was I able to get a reasonably good vantage point from which to take a photo (upper photo mine, lower photo public archives). I hope to get closer to one day by boat.

Robert Moses has done more to ruin wonderful, old "true neighborhoods" than anyone else w/power in NY. It kills me that here in Suffolk he is remembered more like a hero than an environmental destroyer.

Mike- Great stuff, reads like the TV show 'Secrets of NY', with Kelly Choi (on NYC Media Channel 25 and cable outlets).

Love that show:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/media/html/tv/nyctv_life_secretsofnewyork.shtml

Whenever I've come across that show when channel surfing, I always stop and watch. Great show. Thanks for the heads up, that I can view an episode online. I really enjoyed the one about the changes that Manhattan Island has gone through since the Dutch.

Thanks Paddy. I looked yesterday and could not find that info. After reading that, it sounds very familiar even though I never saw the dolphin except maybe on the TV news.
I looked for the tug sinking you described too, but did not find anything that fit that description.

Thanks Herb. Now I have something to watch tonight.

Paddy, Mike, glad to pass along 'Secrets of NY'.

I just watched #8.