Maspeth, Queens

Maspeth, Queens
Maspeth
—  Neighborhoods of New York City  —
Maspeth Savings Bank
Country United States
State New York
County Queens
Population (2000)
 - Total 34,053
Ethnicity
 - White 81.9%
 - Black 0.7%
 - Hispanic 19.1%
 - Asian 6.1%
 - Other 8.0%
Economics
 - Median income $83,107
ZIP code 11378
Area code(s) 718, 347, 917
Flushing Avenue and Grand Avenue in Maspeth, Queens NY
Maspeth Creek, looking west towards Newtown Creek

Maspeth is a small community in the borough of Queens in New York City. Neighborhoods sharing borders with Maspeth are Woodside and Sunnyside to the north, Long Island City to the northwest, Greenpoint to the west, East Williamsburg to the southwest, Fresh Pond and Ridgewood to the south, and Middle Village and Elmhurst to the east.

Contents

History

The area known today as Maspeth was chartered by Dutch and English settlers in the mid-17th century. The Dutch had purchased land in the area known today as Queens in 1635, and within a few years began chartering towns. In 1642 they settled Maspat, under a charter granted to Rev. Francis Doughty.[1] Maspat became the first European settlement in Queens.[2] The settlement was leveled the following year in an attack by Native Indians, and the surviving settlers returned to Manhattan. It wasn't until nine years later, in 1652, that settlers ventured back to the area, settling an area slightly inland from the previous Maspat location. This new area was called Middleburg, and eventually developed into what is now the town of Elmhurst, bordering Maspeth. Following the immigration waves of the 19th century, Maspeth was home to a shanty town of Boyash (Ludar) Gypsies between 1925 and 1939, though this was eventually bulldozed.[3]

The name "Maspeth" is derived from the name of Mespeatches Indians, one of the 13 main Indian tribes that inhabited Long Island. It is translated to mean "at the bad waterplace" relating to the many stagnant swamps that existed in the area.[4]

Columbusville

Columbusville was the name formerly applied to a section of Maspeth. It was a development of Edward Dunn that took place on 69th Place (Originally known as Firth Avenue) between Grand Avenue and Caldwell Avenue during 1854-55, and was subsequently absorbed into Maspeth. The name fell into disuse in the 1890s.[5]

Community

The Metropolitan Avenue Bridge carries Grand Street (Brooklyn) eastward across English Kills from Williamsburg where it becomes Grand Avenue, Maspeth's main street for dining and business. Grand Avenue continues eastward to end in Elmhurst. Cemeteries take up a large part of this small neighborhood although they are separated from residential areas for the most part. Single home houses and multiple dwelling homes make up most of Maspeth and there are hardly any apartment buildings, except for the co-ops on 65th Place, also known as The Plateau.

Forty-Third Street through 58th Street, including the former Furman Island, is industrial lowlands, and from 60th Street to 72nd Street is residential. The Phelps Dodge Corporation was present from 1920–1983. The Phelps Dodge mining company heavily contaminated Newtown Creek, which separates northern Brooklyn from western Queens and serves barge traffic. Other freight moves on the Long Island Railroad Montauk Branch and the lightly used Bushwick Branch. A new West Maspeth rail freight station has been proposed in connection with a Cross-Harbor Rail Tunnel to diminish truck traffic across New York City. It is opposed by residents who don't want more trucks in Maspeth.

Maspeth Industrial Center and Bushwick Branch

There is access to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and the Long Island Expressway. The former road crosses Newtown Creek on the Kosciuszko Bridge. These expressways are accessible at 69th and Grand Street, and also at 48th Street, where the two expressways cross.

For many years a well known landmark in Maspeth was a pair of cylindrical natural gas tanks. These tanks were considered "sister tanks" to similar (but differently operating) gas holders at the Newtown Holder Station in Elmhurst (Queens) NY. There were many similarities: both were visible from major roadways, both were painted in an FAA-required red/white checkered color scheme, and both pairs of tanks have since been demolished. However, The Maspeth holders were fixed above-ground structures, whereas the Elmhurst ones were rising/falling gasometers.

Maspeth was the first English settlement in Queens County. However, conflicts with the Mespet tribe forced many settlers to move to what is now Elmhurst in 1643.

Most people who live in Maspeth are of Polish, Slavic, Italian, Irish, German, Hispanic or Chinese descent. Holy Cross R.C. Church, is the focal point of the three parishes in Maspeth. It has weekly masses, in English and Polish. It also conducts the yearly Stations of the Cross, which the procession on the streets every Good Friday, starts from Holy Cross, go to St. Stans., and than finally ends at Transfiguration. These three parishes are only 2 blocks apart from each other. The Polish go to Holy Cross, the Irish & Spanish go to St. Stans., and Lithuanians go to Transfiguration. Only the parish of St. Stans is currently running a Catholic school for the city of Maspeth. The Catholic school for Holy Cross, has closed its doors in June of 2005, as to a lack of funding. But, Holy Cross still runs its weekend Polish School along with CCD classes.

Maspeth is also home to the Metropolitan Oval.

The "unofficial" mayor of Maspeth is Queens resident and local Stop and Shop manager Joe Kilcoyne, a favorite amongst the residents in the area.

Education

PS 58
PS 153

Schools in the area include:

Transport

Although there is no subway station in Maspeth, several bus routes make subway connections, including:

References

External links

Coordinates: 40°43′23″N 73°54′45″W / 40.72306°N 73.9125°W / 40.72306; -73.9125


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Queens — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Condado de Queens dentro del Estado de Nueva York, en rojo …   Wikipedia Español

  • Queens (New York City borough) — Infobox Settlement name =Queens official name =Queens County other name = native name = nickname = settlement type =Borough of New York City total type = motto = imagesize = image caption = The Unisphere, unofficial symbol of Queens. flag size =… …   Wikipedia

  • Queens — 40° 42′ 15″ N 73° 55′ 04″ W / 40.70416667, 73.91777778 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Queens Library — La Queens Library ( Bibliothèque de Queens ) est un ensemble de bibliothèques publiques de Queens, à New York. Son siège est dans le quartier de Jamaica[1] et elle a 63 annexes[2]. Bibliothèques …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Queens Community Board 5 — The Queens Community Board 5 is a local government in the New York City borough of Queens, encompassing the neighborhoods of Ridgewood, Glendale, Middle Village, Maspeth and Liberty Park. [ [http://www.nyc.gov/html/cau/html/cb/cb queens.shtml… …   Wikipedia

  • Demographics of Queens — Queens County Historical Population Figures[1][2][3] Census Year Queens (old) Nassau portion Queens (new) % increase 1698 3,565 1771 …   Wikipedia

  • Elmhurst, Queens — Elmhurst   Neighborhoods of New York City   Queens Boulevard, Macy s and Queens Center …   Wikipedia

  • List of Queens neighborhoods — This is a list of neighborhoods in Queens, one of five boroughs of New York City. Unlike neighborhoods in the other four boroughs, some Queens neighborhood names are used as the town name in postal addresses. For example, whereas the town, state… …   Wikipedia

  • Ridgewood, Queens — Ridgewood is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens, that borders the neighborhoods of Maspeth, Middle Village and Glendale, as well as the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bushwick. Historically, the neighborhood straddled the Queens… …   Wikipedia

  • Middle Village, Queens — Middle Village   Neighborhoods of New York City   Juniper Valley Park Country …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”