History of the Rockaways

Retired Salesman Busy Saving Queens Past

November 6, 2011 / Flushing Neighborhood / Queens History / Queens Buzz. Marty Nislick is a former Rockaways native and a retired salesman. But he's only retired from his job, not his life; especially his life as a youth growing up in the Rockaways.

Over the past few years Marty's interest in the history of the Rockaways neighborhoods of his youth has grown from a hobby to a passion. And from the day I met Marty Nislick at the Queens Historical Society in Flushing, I began to understand why. The photo to your right was taken on July 4th 1954 and featured on the front page of Life Magazine in the 1950's.

Click here to read more about the history of the Rockaways in Queens.

King Manor Brings Dead Back To Life

Spirits Of Dutch & Colonial Queens Reawakened

October 15, 2011 / Jamaica Neighborhood / Queens History / Queens Buzz.  It’s easy to forget Queens colonial past some 200 - 400 years ago, as so much has happened since then.  But October is the time to reawaken long lost spirits and I’m happy to report I witnessed just such a reawakening at King Manor in King Park in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens this past weekend.

New York Open House and the Historic House Trust got together this year and held their annual weekend extravaganza this past weekend, with food as the historic theme.  So King Manor put together a program celebrating Dutch cuisine and its influence on American fare, and in the process gave us a tour and an education about one of the signers of the U.S. Constitution and a strong, outspoken advocate against slavery.

Click here to read our report about King Manor and Rufus King in Jamaica Queens.

Who Was Benjamin Pike?

Steinway Mansion Builder Made A Mint

April 17, 2011 / Astoria / History Of Queens / Queens Buzz. I had a rare opportunity to meet someone who was well acquainted with the story of Benjamin Pike Jr. Benjamin Pike Jr. was the man who built the mansion that was lived in for over fifty years by the Steinways of Steinway & Sons Piano in Astoria. During my efforts to report this story, I had here-to-fore found it very difficult to find much published about Benjamin Pike. Hence you can imagine my delight when I met Deborah Jean Warner, who had once curated an exhibit dedicated to the Steinway Mansion founder, at the Smithsonian Institution.

Deborah has curated many exhibits about the history of physical sciences and is the author of several books. Deborah's work in 19th century scientific instruments lead her to curate the Pike exhibit. When it comes to selling scientific instruments in America in the 19th century, Benjamin Pike Jr. was an innovator who loomed large.

Click here next week to read our full report about Benjamin Pike Jr., the founder and owner of the Pike Mansion, which later came to be known as the Steinway Mansion in Astoria.

The Steinway Diaries

Smithsonian Brings 19th Century Queens Alive

Time Is Running Out - Steinway Mansion Contents Being Auctioned

February 19, 2011 / Astoria LIC / History of Astoria & Queens / Queens Buzz. On Monday, March 7th at 7 pm the Greater Astoria Historical Society will be hosting the Smithsonian Institution’s presentation of the William Steinway Diaries.

These diaries are a first person account written by one of the most influential people in the emerging American metropolis of New York City in the latter half of the 19th century. The diaries begin in 1861 around the time of William Steinway’s first wedding [and the beginning of the American Civil War] and continue throughout the rest of his life, terminating only weeks before he died in 1896.

I had the opportunity to talk with Bob Singleton, Executive Director of the Greater Astoria Historical Society in anticipation of the Smithsonian Institution’s presentation of the Steinway Diaries on March 7th. He took me through some of the interesting things to investigate using the online project that was the Smithsonian’s “largest and longest-running volunteer research efforts”. A copy of one of the transcribed pages from the Smithsonian's Steinway Diaries website is shown inset in a photo of the Steinway Mansion in Astoria.

The general public is welcome to the March 7th presentation, and it is highly recommended that you purchase / rsvp tickets in advance. Click here to read our look into the William Steinway Diaries.

Bowne House - Queens NY

The History Of Religious Freedom In America

The Bowne House in Flushing is one of the oldest houses in New York. The Bowne House was used as a Quaker Meeting House prior to the erection of The Friends Meeting House nearby. John Bowne fought hard for religious freedom in this nation, first having a role in getting the Flushing Remonstrance drafted, signed and delivered and then by traveling to Holland in the early 1860's to plead his case before the Dutch West Indies Company, in defiance of then Governor of New Amersterdam, Peter Stuyvesant. Read on to learn more about this incredible man and this historic house which is undergoing significant maintenance upgrades.

Flushing Remonstrance

Forerunner To Religious Freedom In U.S. Constitution

This is a brief story about the return of the Vlishing [that's Dutch for Flushing] Remonstrance which is an historic document that argues for the right and freedom of citizens to worship their own god. The event took place at the Queens Library in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens NY.

Flushing Town Hall

Home Of Jazz & Asian Culture

This is a report on the Flushing Town Hall located in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens NY. The Flushing Town Hall is run by the Flushing Council On The Arts.

Friends Meeting House

Oldest Continuously Used Quaker Meeting House In America

The Friends Meeting House in Flushing is one of the oldest and longest continuously used Quaker meeting houses in the U.S. The Friends Meeting House has in its origins, a deep association with the freedom to practice your own religious beliefs - a cultural and institutional hallmark of this nation. Read on to learn more about The Friends Meeting House which continues to operate to this day.

Kingsland Homestead - History Of Queens NY

The Kingsland Homestead is a part of early American history. Today it is the home of the Queens Historical Society which sponsors a number of programs designed to continuously educate the public about Queens and the nation's past. Click here to learn a bit more about the Kingsland Homestead.

Louis Latimer House In Flushing - A Bit Of Queens History

The Lewis Latimer House was once the home of an African American inventor who worked with Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison. While he has several patents to his name, his parents were instrumental in helping move the nation away from the institution of slavery. Hence, over time his home has grown to become a lens through which all Americans can look back into their past and see the influence of an African American family on the evolution of the national culture. Click here to learn a bit more about Lewis Latimer and the Lewis Latimer House.

Louis Armstrong House

Kicking Back @ Satchmo's In Corona

Corona / Queens Buzz. I recently had the opportunity to visit the Louis Armstrong House in Corona as the guest of Deslyn Dyer the House Director. She put me on a house tour with Mackerrow Talcott who was well versed in the lives of the Armstrongs. The visit turned out to be much more than I had expected, as I came away feeling like I had kind taken the afternoon off to go hang out with Satchmo in his home. Visiting this house is not only a cultural journey into the King of Jazz's life, but a visit into the personal lives of Lucille and Louis Armstrong. Click here for more about the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Corona Queens NY.

Last Baseball Games Played At Shea

Mets Lose To Marlins 4 - 2

Flushing Meadows / September 2008 / Queens Buzz. The New York Mets played the Florida Marlins in the last three games played at Shea Stadium in the Flushing Corona neighborhood of Queens NY. Shea Stadium will be demolished in the winter of 2009.

Victorian Houses In Queens - The Voelker Orth Museum

The Voelker Orth House and Gardens were the contribution of Elisabeth Voelker Orth, whose grandfather was a German American publisher. The Victorian home is a well preserved home from the late 1800's Victorian America. The gardens are also home to a number of flora and birds. Click here to learn a bit more about Voelker Orth House and Gardens.

Bulova Corporate Center

Queens Was Once On Bulova Time

The Bulova Watch Company & Building

Jackson Heights / Queens Buzz. We had occasion to visit the Bulova Corporate Center recently. The art deco Bulova Corporate Center building caught our interest because of its interesting architecture. And the history of the Bulova Watch Company, which has been a Queens mainstay since the 1950's, is as interesting as the building that was once home to an American icon.

Currently the building is occupied by the offices of a number of organizations including the Queens Chamber Of Commerce and American Airlines. The following piece is a history of the J. Bulova Watch Company and the building they once occupied: the Bulova Corporate Center. Click here to view our report on the Bulova Corporate Center in Jackson Heights. The photo at right was from one of the original murals of the Bulova Watch Company.

Jackson Heights Garden Apartments

Jackson Heights is the home to the garden apartment building, where it first originated in the nineteen twenties.  The Jackson Heights neighborhood has evolved into one of the most integrated communities in the world, comprised of residents whose families originated in Asia, Latin American, Europe and Africa.  This is a brief introduction into the neighborhood housing stock. Click here to view the full story on the Jackson Heights Garden Apartments.

Jackson Heights Beautification Tour

Lent Riker Homestead In Jackson Heights

The Lent Riker Homestead is located in the Jackson Heights neighborhood of Queens NY.  The home is believed to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited private dwellings in New York City.   It was built in 1654 as a one room house by a Dutch settler named Abraham Riker. Click here to view the rest of the story on the Lent Riker Homestead in Jackson Heights.

Vaughn College - Queens NY

A Step Back In Time & A Vision Of The Future

Jackson Heights / March 14, 2010.  I spent the better part of  a fascinating day visiting Vaughn College, which used to be the Casey School of Aeronautics near LaGuardia Airport. Vaughn College is one of the nation’s leading educational institutions dedicated to the arts related to flying. The arts include aviation [flight simulation and classroom training], engineering and technology [airframe, power management and mechatronics] and general management. I suppose these days it might be more appropriate to call it the arts of air transportation.

Click here to read about Vaughn College of Queens NY.

Victor Moore Terminal In Jackson Heights

Public Transit To LGA

The Victor Moore MTA Terminal is located in Jackson Heights neighborhood of Queens NY and is the connection point for public transportation to LaGuardia Airport. The Victor Moore Terminal is the second busiest MTA public transit terminal in Queens with fast express train connection to Manhattan / NYC in twenty minutes. Click here to find the public transit to LaGuardia Airport.

Jamaica Savings Banks Landmarked

Jamaica / Queens Buzz. The Jamaica Savings Bank Joined Kings Manor as a landmark. The landmark commission has been busy in the borough of Queens NY.

King Manor Museum - Jamaica

Located In King Park

Jamaica / Queens Buzz. This is a brief article about King Manor Museum which is located in King Park in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens NY. King Manor is the former home of Rufus King who was, among other things, a signer of the U.S. Constitution.

Queens Bridge Events - Centennial Celebration

Queens History

Queens NY / Queens Buzz. This is a summary of some of Queens History, particularly focused on some of the sites and attractions still in existence today in Queens NY.

This report about Queens history includes LIC Long Island City, Astoria, Sunnyside, Woodside, Flushing, Jamaica, Forest Hills, Corona, Elmhurst. The report includes photos of some of the historic sites in Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside, Flushing, Jackson Heights and Jamaica as well. Click here for a report on some of Queens history.

Doughboy Park In Woodside Queens

About an inch and a half of snow blanketed Doughboy Park in the Woodside neighborhood of Queens NY.

FDNY Memorial Service Woodside

Engine 325 & Ladder 163 Remember Fallen

April 17, 2010 / Woodside / Queens Buzz. Today I attended a memorial service dedicated to the men of the Woodside Fire Station who lost their lives in the line of duty. The service was held at St Sebastian’s Roman Catholic Church in Woodside.

There were about one hundred people in attendance, most of whom appeared to have some connection with the firemen. The service was given by FDNY chaplin, Father John Delendick in collaboration with Father Gerard Sauer from St Sebastian’s. Two firemen did readings prior to the chaplin’s sermon. Click here to read the rest of the story about FDNY Memorial Service at St Sebastian's in Woodside.

St Sebastian's Catholic Grade School - Woodside

One Of The Leading Grade Schools In Queens

Woodside / June 14, 2010 / Queens Buzz. I just returned from a tour of St Sebastian’s grade school in the Woodside neighborhood of Queens. The school is one of about 55 Catholic grade schools in Queens. St Sebastian’s has an enrollment of between 400 and 450 students from nursery through the eighth grade. And the school’s student body scores highly compared with the nation on standardized education tests covering math, reading comprehension and writing.

In this report we provide a brief history of St Sebastian’s, an overview of it’s academic, athletic and other programs, and include related information pertaining to Catholic grade schools in the Queens area. Included in this report is information about St Sebastian’s tuition, enrollment fees and a summary time line of the enrollment application process [scroll down / scan the headlines to find the information you’re seeking].

Click this link to read the rest of the story and view the photos of St Sebastian's Catholic Grade School in Woodside.

Sunnyside Gardens

Section Of Neighborhood Now A Landmark

The City Council approved a landmark designation for Sunnyside Gardens in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Queens NY.

Sunnyside Gardens Park

Private Park Continues Tradition Of Community Service

Sunnyside / January 25, 2010. Over the course of this past year I had occasion to meet and converse with various members of Sunnyside Gardens Park. The park is privately owned - one of only two such parks in the city, with the other being Gramercy Park in Manhattan. While membership in Gramercy is closed, membership in Sunnyside Gardens Park is open to local residents. Membership in the park fluctuates, and there are currently about 300 members, most of which are family memberships.

Click here to read the rest of our report about Sunnyside Gardens Park.