Elmhurst, Queens

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Elmhurst
—  Neighborhoods of New York City  —
Queens Boulevard, Macy's and Queens Center
Country United States
State New York
County Queens
Settlement (Dutch) 1652
Population (2010)
 • Total 85,600
Ethnicity
 • Hispanic or Latino 43.1%
 • Asian 38.9%
 • White 13.6%
 • Two or more races 5.8%
 • African American 2.0%
ZIP code 11373
Area code(s) 718, 347, 917

Elmhurst is a lower middle class neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens in the United States, on Long Island. It is bounded by Roosevelt Avenue (Jackson Heights) on the north; Corona to the northeast; Junction Boulevard on the east; Rego Park to the southeast; the Long Island Expressway on the south; Middle Village to the south and southwest; and Maspeth and the New York Connecting Railroad on the west; and Woodside on the northwest. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 4.

Contents

History[edit]

The village was established in 1652 by the Dutch as Middenburgh (Middleburgh) and was a suburb of New Amsterdam (Nieuw Amsterdam) in New Netherland (Nieuw Nederland). The original settlers of Elmhurst were from the nearby colony of Maspat (now called Maspeth), following threats and attacks by local Indians.

When the British took over New Netherland in 1664, they renamed Middleburgh as New Town (Nieuwe Stad) to maintain the Dutch heritage. This was eventually simplified to Newtown. Among the English settlers in the present Elmhurst section of Newtown was Gershom Moore, in whose orchard a chance seedling produced the Newtown Pippin, Colonial America's most famous apple. Newtown was established as the Town Seat for the Township of the same name when it was established in 1683. The village was renamed Elmhurst in 1896 to identify the area with a new housing development, to avoid association with the larger Township and the Creek, and again to maintain the Dutch heritage. "Hurst" means "grove" or "woods" in Dutch.

Elmhurst Branch library.

Once Queens joined the City of Greater New York in 1898, Elmhurst developed into a fashionable district due to a housing development that was built by the Cord Meyer Development Company between 1896 and 1910, north of the Port Washington Branch railroad station. They expanded their holdings between 1905 and 1930, including Elmhurst Square, Elmhurst South, Elmhurst Heights, and New Elmhurst. Elmhurst also became home to the Grand Street LIRR station just west of the current Grand Avenue – Newtown (IND Queens Boulevard Line) station. The Grand Street LIRR station was served by the Main Line and the former Rockaway Beach Branch.

Prior to World War II, Elmhurst was an almost exclusively Jewish and Italian neighborhood. Following the war, Elmhurst evolved into what has been considered one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in New York City.[1] By the 1980s, there were persons from 112 nations in residence in the neighborhood, which has continued to further diversify since then.

The Elmhurst Chinatown (唐人街, 艾姆赫斯特) on Broadway, a satellite of the Flushing Chinatown.
The United Sherpa Association, formerly a church.

Crime rate in Elmhurst rose between the 1980s and 1990s, but slowed down in the 21st century with more presence of policing in the neighborhood. It is home to mainly immigrant working class families and has continued to soar in population.

Chinatown, Elmhurst (唐人街, 艾姆赫斯特)[edit]

Elmhurst's rapidly growing Chinatown (艾姆赫斯特 唐人街)[2] is the second in Queens, in addition to the Flushing Chinatown (法拉盛華埠). Previously a small area with Chinese shops on Broadway between 81st Street and Cornish Avenue, this newly evolved second Chinatown in Queens has now expanded to 45th Avenue and Whitney Avenue and is developing as a satellite of the Flushing Chinatown. In Chinese translation, Elmhurst is named 艾姆赫斯特 (Àimǔhèsītè in Standard Chinese). There are also many other Southeast Asian businesses and shops in the area, including Malaysian Chinese, Singaporean Chinese, Indonesian, Thai, and Vietnamese. Hong Kong Supermarket and New York Supermarket serve as the largest Chinese supermarkets selling different food varieties to this Elmhurst Chinatown.[3][4] So far, the Asia Bank serves as the only Chinese bank and the main financial resource business for this thriving Chinatown.[5]

A third and fledgling Chinatown is now emerging in Queens, geographically between Flushing and Elmhurst, in the neighborhood of Corona (唐人街, 電暈).[6]

Shopping[edit]

Elmhurst has two urban shopping malls: Queens Center and the smaller Queens Place Mall. Many furniture stores are located adjacent to Grand Avenue on Queens Boulevard.

Education[edit]

Elmhurst is part of New York City's Department of Education Region 4.[7] Schools in Elmhurst include:

Transportation[edit]

Accessible subway stations include Woodhaven Boulevard, Grand Avenue – Newtown, and Elmhurst Avenue, all served by the E M R trains of the IND Queens Boulevard Line. In addition, the IRT Flushing Line, served by the 7 <7> train, runs along Roosevelt Avenue, the north border of Elmhurst, with stations at 74th Street – Broadway, 82nd Street – Jackson Heights and 90th Street – Elmhurst Avenue. Buses include the Q52, Q53, Q88, Q72, Q11, Q21, Q38, Q58, Q59, Q29, and Q60. Elmhurst is bounded by the Long Island Expressway (Interstate 495) to the south with exits on Grand Ave., Woodhaven Blvd., and Queens Blvd. The neighborhood is also bounded by the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway to the west with exits on Queens Blvd. Queens Blvd., Woodhaven Blvd., Junction Blvd., Roosevelt Ave., and Broadway are major roads in the community. Elmhurst is connected to Manhattan and Jamaica by Queens Blvd. and is connected to J.F.K. International Airport by Woodhaven Blvd. and to LaGuardia Airport by Junction Blvd.

Religious buildings[edit]

Religious sites include numerous Christian churches, a Buddhist temple and pagoda on 45th Ave and a large Jain temple (Jain Center of America) on Ithaca St. Hindu temples include the Bangladeshi Hindu Mandir on 44th Ave., the Satya Narayan Mandir on Woodside Ave., and the Geeta Temple on Corona Ave. Five churches of historic vintage are still extant and in use, two of which have historical graveyards.

  • First Presbyterian Church of Newtown (Queens Boulevard and 54th Avenue) built in 1893, congregation was established in 1652
  • St. James Church (Originally St. James Episcopal Church, at Broadway and 51st Avenue), built in 1734
  • St. Adalbert Roman Catholic Church (52-29 83rd St.), founded in 1832
  • The Reformed Church of Newtown (85-15 Broadway at Corona Avenue), founded 1731, present structure built in 1834
  • Elmhurst Baptist Church (87-37 Whitney Avenue at the corner of Judge Street and Whitney Avenue), founded in 1900, built in 1902

Popular culture[edit]

McDowell's, the fictional restaurant depicted in the 1988 film Coming to America, is located in Elmhurst. The filmmakers cosmetically altered an existing Wendy's restaurant for the week-long location shoot.

The CBS show, "Blue Bloods" also started filming for its third season on the residential streets of Ketcham St., Pettit Ave., Layton St., and Baxter Ave. in Elmhurst on September 24th, 2012.

For many years, Elmhurst was a familiar name due to the Elmhurst Gas Tanks (officially the Newtown Holder Station), a pair of large natural gas storage structures built in 1910 and 1921. Because the Long Island Expressway (LIE) frequently became congested in that area, "backup at the Elmhurst Gas Tanks" became a familiar phrase in radio traffic reporting. Being literal rather than legal landmarks, the gas holders were removed in 2001.[8][9]

The Elmwood Theatre, one of the largest in the city, was built in 1928 and seats 2200 people. It closed in 2002 and was purchased by the Rock Church.[10]

The Elks Lodge, a New York City Designated Landmark, is now a church.

Wrestling Groups including Usa Pro Wrestling,The Long Island Wrestling Federation,Ultimate Championship Wrestling/Impact Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling ran shows at the Elks Lodge on Queens Boulevard from 1997-2003. The Elks Lodge is now the ethnically diverse New Life Fellowship Church, and New Life Community Development Corporation, a non-profit organization that oversees services including and an ESL (English as a Second Language) program for immigrants. Elmhurst has produced a number of NBA basketball players, including Smush Parker.

Rapper Nas filmed the video for his single "Nasty" on Denman Street, on the dead-end block right off of Elmhurst Avenue in the Summer of 2011.[11][12]

Notable residents[edit]

Evelyn Wilkinson, noted cook and winner of Newsday's chili cook off Ralph Norman Wilkinson, arranger for Glenn Miller, composer-conductor for radio and TV's Golden Age

  • Mose Allison, jazz player, one time Elmhurst resident.
  • Harry Belafonte, calypso singer and Grammy winner, rose to fame while living in Elmhurst.
  • William Casey, Director of CIA, born in Elmhurst.
  • Don Rickles, popular stand up comedian, grew up in Elmhurst and Jackson Heights.
  • Rise Stevens, noted opera star, attended Newtown High School.
  • Tommy Rettig, who played "Jeff" on the Lassie TV series, attended PS 89.
  • Eric B, DJ from the hip-hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, was born and raised in Elmhurst.

See also[edit]

Portal icon New York City portal

References[edit]

  1. ^ Kleinman, Dena. " A HOSPITAL WHERE ETHNIC CHANGE IS CONSTANT", The New York Times, October 6, 1982. Accessed September 18, 2012. "Dr. Stanley Bleich had been an intern less than a month at the municipal hospital in Elmhurst, Queens, when he examined a Korean man who had obvious indications of tuberculosis.... The hospital, one of the city's 16 municipal hospitals, is in what immigration officials have described as the city's most ethnically diverse neighborhood."
  2. ^ "A Growing Chinatown in Elmhurst". Retrieved 2010-10-01. 
  3. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=YjJSI1L5QCQC&pg=PA79&dq=Hong+Kong+Supermarket+Flushing&hl=en&ei=UXrSTs3NMobh0QGx3rUn&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CEMQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Hong%20Kong%20Supermarket%20Flushing&f=false
  4. ^ Greenhouse, Steven (December 9, 2008). "Supermarket to Pay Back Wages and Overtime". The New York Times. 
  5. ^ http://www.asiabank-na.com/elmhurstx.htm
  6. ^ Lawrence A. McGlinn, Department of Geography SUNY-New Paltz. "BEYOND CHINATOWN: DUAL IMMIGRATION AND THE CHINESE POPULATION OF METROPOLITAN NEW YORK CITY, 2000, Page 4". Middle States Geographer, 2002, 35: 110–119, Journal of the Middle States Division of the Association of American Geographers. Retrieved 2013-03-19. 
  7. ^ Our Schools, New York City Department of Education
  8. ^ Hevesi, Dennis. " Memory-Filled Tanks; Queens Loses 2 Roadside Landmarks", The New York Times, September 20, 1993. Accessed March 24, 2008. "The Elmhurst tanks -- those 200-foot monoliths that stood sentinel to the changing landscape of Queens and as harbingers of hair-tearing delay on the highway to Manhattan -- are down, deflated forever, their skeletal remains waiting to be dismantled."
  9. ^ Elmhurst gas tanks, Queens Tribune. Accessed June 4, 2007. "But when the beloved landmarks weren’t really doing the business anymore they came down in 1996 and by 2001 there was almost no trace of the tanks that once supplied business and homes across the city."
  10. ^ Cinema Treasures Elmwood Theatre
  11. ^ [1]
  12. ^ [2]
  13. ^ Berkow, Ira. "BASEBALL; Amid Some Uncertainty, The Expos Play to Win", The New York Times, June 18, 2002. Accessed October 22, 2007. "Minaya, born in the Dominican Republic but raised since age 8 in Elmhurst, Queens, was the assistant general manager with the Mets when Selig called last winter and offered him the job with the Expos."
  14. ^ Tony Pastor, father of vaudeville By Armond Fields -2007
  15. ^ The New York Times - August 27, 1908
  16. ^ Severo, Richard. "Carroll O'Connor, Embodiment of Social Tumult as Archie Bunker, Dies at 76", The New York Times, June 22, 2001. Accessed November 18, 2007. "The O'Connors lived well, at first in the Bronx, later in a larger apartment in Elmhurst, Queens, and finally in a nice single-family home in Forest Hills, Queens, then an enclave for people of means."
  17. ^ Talbot, Margaret. "Profiles, Supreme Confidence", The New Yorker, March 28, 2005, p. 40. Accessed October 22, 2007. "Tells about Scalia’s childhood in Trenton, New Jersey and Elmhurst Queens. His father, Eugene, was a professor at Brooklyn College and a believer in the principles of the New Criticism."
  18. ^ Century, Douglas (2006-08-20). "A Night Out with Julissa Bermudez". nytimes.com. Retrieved 2008-01-06. 

Sources[edit]

External links[edit]

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Coordinates: 40°44′34″N 73°52′48″W / 40.74291°N 73.87998°W / 40.74291; -73.87998

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