93-638: Baisley Pond Park is a public park located in the southeastern part of Queens , New York City , bordering the neighborhoods of South Jamaica , Rochdale , and St. Albans . It covers 109.61 acres (44.36 ha), including the 30-acre (12 ha) Baisley Pond in the center of the park. It is maintained by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation . The park is a popular place for sports and other forms of outdoor recreation. Facilities include barbecuing areas, baseball fields, basketball courts, bicycle paths, cricket fields, fitness equipment,
186-709: A 2001 Claritas study, Queens was the most diverse county in the United States among counties of 100,000+ population. A 2014 analysis by The Atlantic found Queens County to be the third most racially diverse county-equivalent in the United States—behind Aleutians West Census Area and Aleutians East Borough in Alaska—as well as the most diverse county in New York. Meanwhile, a 2017 study by Axios found that, although numerous smaller counties in
279-556: A backlash from local residents, environmentalists, and community organizations, who formed the Highland Park-Ridgewood Reservoir Alliance to oppose the plan. On June 26, 2008, Comptroller of New York City Bill Thompson Jr. rejected the contract for the new development, citing concerns about the environmental impact, increased truck traffic, and the vendor selection process. In 2010, the Highland Park-Ridgewood Reservoir Alliance submitted an application to
372-564: A capacity of 14 million gallons (53,000 m ) per day, forced the water up through a reinforced tube into the high reservoir whence it was distributed. By 1868 the Ridgewood Reservoir held an average of 154.4 million gallons (584,000 m ) daily, enough to supply the City of Brooklyn for ten days at that time. The Ridgewood Reservoir's innovative use of driven wells was notable for the time; an 1886 Scientific American article states that
465-592: A decline to 2,253,858. In 2018, there were 865,878 housing units, and 777,904 households, 2.97 persons per household, and a median value of $ 481,300. There was an owner-occupancy rate of 44.5. In the 2010 United States census , Queens recorded a population of 2,230,722. There were 780,117 households enumerated, with an average of 2.82 persons per household. The population density was 20,465.3 inhabitants per square mile (7,901.7 inhabitants/km ). There were 835,127 housing units at an average density of 7,661.7 units per square mile (2,958.2/km ). The racial makeup of
558-498: A double basin. The new double reservoir was built in Snediker's Cornfield on a hilltop near Evergreen Cemetery in what was once part of Ridgewood, Queens (this section of Queens is now part of Glendale) and was sealed by puddling with clay. The walls were faced with fieldstone and mortar. Ground was broken for the reservoir's construction on July 11, 1856, and the reservoir's water was initially raised on November 18, 1858. In 1862,
651-457: A football field, handball courts, five children's playgrounds, a running track, a soccer field, spray showers, and tennis courts. Several parts of the park have free Wi-Fi . The Sutphin Playground is notable for its sculpture of an American mastodon , an extinct elephant-like animal, recalling a time in the 1850s when workers dredging the pond found the bones of an individual mastodon that lived in
744-415: A high temperature of 90 °F (32 °C) or warmer. In an average year, there are 14 days on which the temperature does not go above 32 °F (0 °C) all day. Spring and autumn can vary from chilly to very warm. The highest temperature ever recorded at LaGuardia Airport was 107 °F (42 °C) on July 3, 1966. The highest temperature ever recorded at John F. Kennedy International Airport
837-488: A new building was erected about 1787 (and later completed) in an area near Mineola (now in Nassau County) known then as Clowesville. The 1850 United States census was the first in which the population of the three western towns exceeded that of the three eastern towns that are now part of Nassau County. Concerns were raised about the condition and distance of the old courthouse, and several sites were in contention for
930-527: A project that the City Parks Department claimed was necessary to eliminate the risk of flooding. The City argued that unless the culverts were built, the State of New York would issue fines since the reservoir would allegedly be a flooding hazard, according to its classification as a Class C "High Hazard" dam. However, local activists argued that because the reservoir no longer impounds water, it does not pose
1023-484: A risk of flooding and should instead be classified as a Class D "Negligible or No Hazard" dam, rendering the construction of culverts unnecessary. Environmentalists also argued that building the culverts would violate New York State Environmental Conservation Law by adversely impacting a freshwater wetland habitat. This work was scheduled to begin in August 2014 but was put on hold after pressure from activists. In March 2017,
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#17331056291251116-658: A sixth town, the Town of North Hempstead , was formed through secession by the northern portions of the Town of Hempstead. The seat of the county government was located first in Jamaica, but the courthouse was torn down by the British during the American Revolution to use the materials to build barracks. After the war, various buildings in Jamaica temporarily served as courthouse and jail until
1209-496: A substantial exodus of white residents, but have seen an increase of Asian population, mostly Chinese and Korean. Queens has experienced a real estate boom making most of its neighborhoods desirable for people who want to reside near Manhattan but in a less urban setting. According to the office of the New York State Comptroller in 2000, 138 languages are spoken in the borough. The 2021 American Community Survey by
1302-408: A weekly 3.10-mile Open Run. The pond is a natural waterway located in the center of the park's three discontinuous tracts. The northern part of the pond was fed by Beaver Brook and Jamaica Creek, which in turn were respectively derived from Beaver Pond and One-Mile Pond. The park's northernmost tract dips slightly, a remnant of the two streams that converged there. Additionally, Riders Creek entered
1395-520: Is "quickly becoming its hippest" but that "most travelers haven't clued in... yet," the Lonely Planet stated that "nowhere is the image of New York as the global melting pot truer than Queens." Ridgewood Reservoir Ridgewood Reservoir is a decommissioned 19th century reservoir and freshwater wetland on the border between the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens , within what
1488-714: Is crossed by the Long Island straddling terminal moraine created by the Wisconsin Glacier . The Rockaway Peninsula , the southernmost part of all of Queens, sits between Jamaica Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, featuring 7 miles (11 km) of beaches. Under the Köppen climate classification , Queens has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) with partial shielding from the Appalachian Mountains and moderating influences from
1581-456: Is home to a wide range of flora and fauna, including 156 species of birds, 175 plant species, and numerous species of insects. The evolving fresh-water site has become an important nearby oasis on the Atlantic Flyway and is a common destination for birdwatchers. The reservoir's distinct ecological setting has also made it a frequent destination for field trips and walking tours. Currently,
1674-494: Is known for its lily pads which shelter American Bullfrogs . The Parks Department lists three turtle species ( red-eared slider , snapping turtle , and musk turtle ). Fish species include several of interest to anglers, including largemouth bass , black crappie , bluegill , pumpkinseed , brown bullhead , and common carp . Many species of water birds favor the pond. Summer species include great egret , snowy egret , great blue heron , and double-crested cormorant . In winter
1767-591: Is now Highland Park . Although the reservoir was originally built to secure a reliable water supply for the City of Brooklyn , it is positioned on the Queens side of the border in the neighborhood of Glendale . The reservoir and park are bounded on the north by the Jackie Robinson Parkway , on the south by Highland Boulevard, on the west by Vermont Place and on the east by Cypress Hills National Cemetery . The reservoir
1860-637: Is the East River, across which is Manhattan to the west and The Bronx to the north. Nassau County is east of Queens on Long Island. Staten Island is southwest of Brooklyn, and shares only a three-mile-long water border (in the Outer Bay) with Queens. North of Queens are Flushing Bay and the Flushing River , connecting to the East River . The East River opens into Long Island Sound . The midsection of Queens
1953-600: Is the record in Queens. Tornadoes are generally rare; the most recent tornado, an EF0 , touched down in College Point on August 3, 2018, causing minor damage. Before that, there was a tornado in Breezy Point on September 8, 2012, which damaged the roofs of some homes, and an EF1 tornado in Flushing on September 26, 2010. Four United States Postal Service postal zones serve Queens, based roughly on those serving
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#17331056291252046-422: Is today the borough of Queens. Originally, Queens County included the adjacent area now comprising Nassau County . It was an original county of New York State, one of twelve created on November 1, 1683. The county is presumed to have been named after Catherine of Braganza , since she was queen of England at the time (she was Portugal's royal princess Catarina, daughter of King John IV of Portugal ). The county
2139-507: The 2020 census , 2,405,464 people lived in Queens. In 2018's American Community Survey , the population of Queens was estimated by the United States Census Bureau to have increased to 2,278,906, a rise of 2.2%. Queens' estimated population represented 27.1% of New York City's population of 8,398,748; 29.6% of Long Island's population of 7,701,172; and 11.7% of New York State's population of 19,542,209. The 2019 estimates reported
2232-889: The Aqueduct Racetrack . Flushing is undergoing rapid gentrification with investment by Chinese transnational entities, while Long Island City is undergoing gentrification secondary to its proximity across the East River from Manhattan. The first European settlement in the region was the Dutch , who established the colony of New Netherland . The first settlements were established in 1635 followed by further settlement at Maspeth in 1642 (ultimately unsuccessful), and Vlissingen (now Flushing ) in 1645. Other early settlements included Newtown (now Elmhurst ) in 1652 and Jamaica in 1655. However, these towns were mostly inhabited by English settlers from New England via eastern Long Island ( Suffolk County ) who were subject to Dutch law. After
2325-687: The Battle of Long Island was largely fought. Queens, like the rest of what became New York City and Long Island, remained under British occupation after the Battle of Long Island in 1776 and was occupied throughout most of the rest of the Revolutionary War . Under the Quartering Act , British soldiers used, as barracks , the public inns and uninhabited buildings belonging to Queens residents. Even though many residents opposed unannounced quartering, they supported
2418-469: The City of Greater New York , thus gaining access to the superior New York City water supply system . Ridgewood Reservoir was expensive to operate because of the need for pumping and was slowly made obsolete by expansion of New York City's Catskill and Delaware water systems. Ridgewood Reservoir became a backup reservoir in 1959 with the third basin being filled with water from the Catskill system. The reservoir
2511-596: The Colony of New York were redefined. Queens gained North and South Brother Islands as well as Huletts Island (today known as Rikers Island ). On December 3, 1768, Queens gained other islands in Long Island Sound that were not already assigned to a county but that did not abut on Westchester County (today's Bronx County ). Queens played a minor role in the American Revolution , as compared to Brooklyn, where
2604-588: The East River in 1910. From 1915 onward, much of Queens was connected to the New York City Subway system. With the 1915 construction of the Steinway Tunnel carrying the IRT Flushing Line between Queens and Manhattan, and the robust expansion of the use of the automobile , the population of Queens more than doubled in the 1920s, from 469,042 in 1920 to 1,079,129 in 1930. In later years, Queens
2697-657: The European American population, Queens has the third largest Bosnian population in the United States behind only St. Louis and Chicago , numbering more than 15,000. Queens is home to some 50,000 Armenian Americans . The Jewish Community Study of New York 2011 , sponsored by the UJA-Federation of New York , found that about 9% of Queens residents were Jews. In 2011, there were about 198,000 Jews in Queens , making it home to about 13% of all people in Jewish households in
2790-524: The New York State DEC requesting that the Ridgewood Reservoir be classified as a wetland. In 2014, community members learned that the NYC Parks Department was planning to construct culverts to breach the three basins. This would have destroyed the reservoir's natural ecosystem. The plans illustrated the design and construction of culverts large enough to accommodate trucks and were part of
2883-633: The Short-eared Owl and Pied-billed Grebe . The bicycling trail around the reservoir perimeter became part of the 40-mile (64 km) Brooklyn-Queens Greenway . Between 2004 and 2017, the Ridgewood Reservoir's future was in question, as the New York City Parks Department and New York State DEC each proposed plans that would have breached the reservoir's basins and disrupted the wetland ecosystem. These plans were dropped after opposition from local community groups who sought to preserve
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2976-417: The United States Census Bureau , Queens County has a total area of 178 square miles (460 km ), of which 109 square miles (280 km ) is land and 70 square miles (180 km ) (39%) is water. Brooklyn , the only other New York City borough on Long Island, lies just south and west of Queens. Newtown Creek , an estuary that flows into the East River , forms part of the border. To the west and north
3069-995: The United States Census Bureau , found that – of those over the age of five residing in Queens – 54.53% spoke a language other than English in the home. The following tables shows the 15 most common non-English languages in Queens, with the most prominent being Spanish , Chinese , and Bengali . In 2010 statistics, the largest religious group in Queens was the Diocese of Brooklyn , with 677,520 Roman Catholics worshiping at 100 parishes, followed by an estimated 81,456 Muslims with 57 congregations, 80,000 Orthodox Jews with 110 congregations, 33,325 non-denominational Christian adherents with 129 congregations, 28,085 AME Methodists with 14 congregations, 24,250 Greek Orthodox with 6 congregations, 16,775 Hindus with 18 congregations, 13,989 AoG Pentecostals with 64 congregations, 13,507 Seventh-day Adventists with 45 congregations, and 12,957 Mahayana Buddhists with 26 congregations. Altogether, 49.4% of
3162-530: The fourth most-populous in the U.S. after the rest of New York City , Los Angeles , and Chicago . Queens is the fourth-most densely populated borough in New York City and the fourth-most densely populated U.S. county . As approximately 47% of its residents are foreign-born , Queens is highly diverse. Queens was established in 1683 as one of the original 12 counties of the Province of New York . The settlement
3255-417: The 18th century, when local farmers dammed three streams to power a grain mill. It was named for David Baisley, a farmer who owned the mill in the early 19th century. In 1852, the burgeoning City of Brooklyn acquired the pond from Baisley for its new water system. On April 6, 1858, while draining the lake for use as a reservoir, the remains of an American mastodon (similar to a mammoth ) were discovered at
3348-410: The Atlantic Ocean. Queens receives precipitation throughout the year, with an average of 44.8 inches (114 cm) per year. In an average year, there will be 44 days with either moderate or heavy rain. An average winter will have 22 days with some snowfall, of which nine days have at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of snowfall. Summer is typically hot, humid, and wet. An average year will have 17 days with
3441-579: The British crown. The quartering of soldiers in private homes, except in times of war, was banned by the Third Amendment to the United States Constitution . Nathan Hale was captured by the British on the shore of Flushing Bay and hanged in Manhattan . From 1683 until 1784, Queens County consisted of five towns: Flushing, Hempstead , Jamaica , Newtown, and Oyster Bay . On April 6, 1784,
3534-516: The NYS DEC reclassified the Ridgewood Reservoir as a Class A "Low Hazard" dam, such that the reservoir's basins would no longer be required to be breached to address flooding risk. In February 2018, the Ridgewood Reservoir was officially designated as a Class I freshwater wetland by the New York State DEC. The wetland designation ensures that the Ridgewood Reservoir will be permanently preserved in
3627-579: The Nassau County border, such as Laurelton and Cambria Heights , which have large Black populations whose family income is higher than average. The migration of European Americans from parts of Queens has been long ongoing with departures from Ozone Park, Woodhaven, Bellerose, Floral Park, and Flushing (most of the outgoing population has been replaced with Asian Americans). Neighborhoods such as Whitestone, College Point, North Flushing, Auburndale, Bayside, Middle Village, and Douglaston–Little Neck have not had
3720-426: The Ridgewood Reservoir as a Critical Environmental Area, citing the reservoir's status as a "naturalized area that is unique within New York City and serves as an important ecological, historic, and public recreation resource." In October 2007, New York City Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe unveiled a plan to breach one of the reservoir basins and clear 20 acres (81,000 m ) for new ball fields. This resulted in
3813-776: The United States had higher rates of diversity, Queens was the United States' most diverse populous county. In Queens, approximately 48.5% of the population was foreign born as of 2010. Within the foreign born population, 49.5% were born in Latin America , 33.5% in Asia, 14.8% in Europe, 1.8% in Africa, and 0.4% in North America. Roughly 2.1% of the population was born in Puerto Rico , a U.S. territory, or abroad to American parents. In addition, 51.2% of
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3906-526: The airport on July 17, 1996, and exploded in midair off the coast of Long Island, killing all 230 on board the Boeing 747 . American Airlines Flight 587 took off from the latter airport on November 12, 2001, but ended up crashing in Belle Harbor , killing all 260 on board and five people on the ground. In late October 2012, much of Breezy Point was damaged by a massive six-alarm fire caused by Hurricane Sandy ,
3999-480: The area almost 10,000 years ago, just after the end of the last ice age . The Mother Carter Garden, which is surrounded by an ornamental fence and has seating with views of the pond, memorializes Laura “Mother” Carter (1914-1999), a beloved community leader. Several events take place in the park, most notably the annual Southern Queens Gospel Festival, the eighth of which took place in July 2013. New York Road Runners hosts
4092-505: The borough were Hispanic and Latin Americans (28.2%), and Asians (26.0%). In Queens, residents consisted of 6.2% under 5, 13.9% 6–18, 64.2% 19–64, and 15.7% over 65. Females made up 51.5% of the population. An estimated 47.5% of residents are foreign-born in 2018. The per capita income was $ 28,814, and the median household income was $ 62,008. In 2018, 12.2% of residents lived below the poverty line. The New York City Department of City Planning
4185-501: The boroughs of Manhattan , the Bronx , and Staten Island , as well as with New Jersey . Queens is the most linguistically and ethnically diverse place in the world. With a population of 2,405,464 as of the 2020 census , Queens is the second-most populous county in New York state, behind Kings County (Brooklyn), and is therefore also the second-most populous of the five New York City boroughs. If Queens were its own city, it would be
4278-577: The bottom of the pond. The remains included bones and teeth. By that year, water from the pond was being transported through the Ridgewood Aqueduct (or "conduit") and then pumped uphill to the Ridgewood Reservoir , from which it was distributed to Brooklyn neighborhoods. As the city grew this water system was expanded to include additional bodies of water in what are today Queens and Nassau counties. Eventually farmers in this area complained that
4371-637: The capture of the colony by the English and its subsequent renaming as New York in 1664, the area (and all of Long Island) became known as Yorkshire . The Flushing Remonstrance signed by colonists in 1657 is considered a precursor to the United States Constitution 's provision on freedom of religion in the Bill of Rights . The signers protested the Dutch colonial authorities' persecution of Quakers in what
4464-597: The channel had been when the consolidation law was written in 1894. The surveyors did so in part by speaking with local fishermen and oystermen who knew the area well. From 1905 to 1908, the Long Island Rail Road in Queens became electrified. Transportation to and from Manhattan , previously by ferry or via bridges in Brooklyn, opened up with the Queensboro Bridge finished in 1909, and with railway tunnels under
4557-410: The city's total Ecuadorian population, for a total of 101,339. Queens has the largest Peruvian population in the city, accounting for 69.9% of the city's total Peruvian population, for a total of 30,825. Queens has the largest Salvadoran population in the city, accounting for 50.7% of the city for a total population of 25,235. The Mexican population in Queens has increased 45.7% since 2011 to 71,283,
4650-570: The conduit farther east, and adding pumps. The Ridgewood Reservoir's third basin was completed in 1891. Farmers in southern Queens County complained that Brooklyn's thirst was lowering the water table . Late in the century, the conduit was extended to a large pumping station in Massapequa , some 30 miles (48 km) away. Efforts to extend it farther were thwarted by legislation protecting the water of Suffolk County . Force Tube Avenue, Conduit Boulevard , and Sunrise Highway were built, in part, atop
4743-430: The construction of a new one. In 1870, Long Island City split from the Town of Newtown, incorporating itself as a city, consisting of what had been the village of Astoria and some unincorporated areas within the town of Newtown. Around 1874, the seat of county government was moved to Long Island City from Mineola. On March 1, 1860, the eastern border between Queens County (later Nassau County) and Suffolk County
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#17331056291254836-530: The county in 2010 was 39.7% White , 19.1% Black or African American , 0.7% Native American , 22.9% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 12.9% from other races , and 4.5% from two or more races. A total of 27.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latin American of any race. The non-Hispanic white population was 27.6%. In 2019, non-Hispanic whites made up an estimated 24.4% of the population, and Blacks or African Americans were 17.3%. The largest minority groups for
4929-505: The county seat, though county offices now extend to nearby Kew Gardens also. In 1899, New York City conducted a land survey to determine the exact border of Queens between the Rockaways and Lawrence . This proved difficult because the border was defined as "middle of the channel between Rockaway Beach and Shelter Island" (now called Long Beach Island), and that particular channel had closed up by 1899. The surveyors had to determine where
5022-527: The eight-county area consisting of the Five Boroughs and Westchester , Nassau , and Suffolk counties. Russian-speaking Jews make up 28% of the Jewish population in Queens, the largest in any of the eight counties. In Queens, the Black and African American population earns more than non-Hispanic whites on average. Many of these Blacks and African Americans live in quiet, middle-class suburban neighborhoods near
5115-617: The historical (such as the John Bowne House ) to the scientific (such as the New York Hall of Science ), from conventional art galleries (such as the Noguchi Museum ) to unique graffiti exhibits (such as 5 Pointz ). Queens's cultural institutions include, but are not limited to: The travel magazine Lonely Planet also named Queens the top destination in the country for 2015 for its cultural and culinary diversity. Stating that Queens
5208-476: The home of such notable artists as Tony Bennett , Francis Ford Coppola , Paul Simon , and Robert Mapplethorpe . Queens Poet Laureates (generally, 3-year appointments): Queens has notably fostered African American culture , with establishments such as The Afrikan Poetry Theatre and the Black Spectrum Theater Company catering specifically to African Americans in Queens. In the 1940s, Queens
5301-513: The largest Asian ethnicity (10.9%) followed by Asian Indians (5.7%). Asian Indians had estimated population of 144,896 in 2014 (6.24% of the 2014 borough population), as well as Pakistani Americans , who numbered at 15,604. Queens has the second largest Sikh population in the nation after California . Among the Hispanic or Latin American population, Puerto Ricans made up the largest ethnic group at 4.6%, next to Mexicans , who made up 4.2% of
5394-481: The largest ethnic group at 10.2% of Queens' population, with about 237,484 people; the other East and Southeast Asian groups are: Koreans (2.9%), Filipinos (1.7%), Japanese (0.3%), Thais (0.2%), Vietnamese (0.2%), and Indonesians and Burmese both make up 0.1% of the population. People of South Asian descent made up 7.8% of Queens' population: Indians (5.3%), Bangladeshi (1.5%), Pakistanis (0.7%), and Nepali (0.2%). In 2019, Chinese Americans remained
5487-678: The largest fire of residential homes in FDNY history, destroying 126 homes in an area where every building was damaged by either water, wind or the resulting fires. Queens is located on the far western portion of geographic Long Island and includes a few smaller islands, most of which are in Jamaica Bay , forming part of the Gateway National Recreation Area , which in turn is one of the National Parks of New York Harbor. According to
5580-421: The local water table was being depleted. In 1898, after Brooklyn became a borough of the City of New York , the pond was connected to New York's larger and more reliable upstate water system , and the old Brooklyn system, including Baisley Pond, was no longer used as a water source. New York City transferred the northern section of the park, including the pond, to the Parks Department in 1914 and opened it to
5673-411: The most diversified economy of the five boroughs of New York City. It is home to both of New York City's airports: John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia . Among its landmarks are Flushing Meadows–Corona Park ; Citi Field , home to the New York Mets baseball team; the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center , site of the U.S. Open tennis tournament; Kaufman Astoria Studios ; Silvercup Studios ; and
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#17331056291255766-436: The nation's most important industrial centers at the time—had both followed Brooklyn's example by installing their own municipal water systems that used driven wells. At this time, Brooklyn obtained over 45 million gallons of water per day from driven wells at the Ridgewood Reservoir and other sites. In subsequent decades the Brooklyn Water Works system was repeatedly expanded by adding wells and collection reservoirs, extending
5859-458: The new borough. The areas of Queens County that were not part of the consolidation plan, consisting of the towns of North Hempstead and Oyster Bay, and the major remaining portion of the Town of Hempstead, remained part of Queens County until they seceded to form the new Nassau County on January 1, 1899. At this point, the boundaries of Queens County and the Borough of Queens became coterminous . With consolidation, Jamaica once again became
5952-489: The park, located south of Rockaway Boulevard , remained undeveloped and neglected until 1984, when new sports facilities were built. Queens Queens is a borough of New York City , coextensive with Queens County , in the U.S. state of New York . Located near the western end of Long Island , it is the largest of the five New York City boroughs by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn and by Nassau County to its east, and shares maritime borders with
6045-399: The pond from the eastern side. To the south, the pond enters Cornell Creek , which flows into Jamaica Bay . The construction of John F. Kennedy International Airport and the JFK Expressway made the creek subterranean , depressed underground and diverted southeast. A bridge and a boathouse were both proposed for the pond, but never built. The pond itself hosts diverse fauna and flora. It
6138-418: The pond in the middle basin of the reservoir is being overgrown by invasive weeds that belong to the genus Phragmites . Left unchecked, the Phragmites would outcompete the reservoir's natural plant species and fill in the pond. Community efforts to control the reservoir's Phragmites population, via underwater weed-cutting and root removal, are ongoing. In January 2019, the NYC Parks Department designated
6231-410: The population was born in the United States. Approximately 44.2% of the population over 5 years of age speak English at home; 23.8% speak Spanish at home. Also, 16.8% of the populace speak other Indo-European languages at home. Another 13.5% speak a non-Indo-European Asian language or language of the Pacific Islands at home. Among the Asian population in 2010, people of Chinese ethnicity made up
6324-421: The population was claimed as members by religious congregations, although members of historically African American denominations were underrepresented due to incomplete information. In 2014, Queens had 738 religious organizations, the thirteenth most out of all U.S. counties. Queens has been the center of the punk rock movement, particularly in New York; Ramones originated out of Forest Hills, it has also been
6417-466: The population, and Dominicans at 3.9%. Central Americans made up 2.4% and are mostly Salvadorans . South Americans constitute 9.6% of Queens's population, mainly of Ecuadorian (4.4%) and Colombian descent (4.2%). The 2019 American Community Survey estimated Mexicans and Puerto Ricans were equally the largest groups (4.5% each) in Queens, and Cuban Americans were the third largest single group. Other Hispanic and Latinos collectively made up 18.9% of
6510-408: The population. The Hispanic or Latino population increased by 61% to 597,773 between 1990 and 2006 and now accounts for over 26.5% of the borough's population. Queens has the largest Colombian population in the city, accounting for over 35.6% of the city's total Colombian population, for a total of 145,956 in 2019; it also has the largest Ecuadorian population in the city, accounting for 62.2% of
6603-443: The public in 1919. At this time the surrounding area was still rural. However, it developed rapidly in the 1920s with the building of new houses and streets. In the 1930s, during the Great Depression , the Parks Department under Robert Moses built additional recreational facilities with the help of the Works Progress Administration , including a boat landing, playgrounds, tennis courts, and baseball fields. The "Southern Extension" of
6696-490: The reservoir was officially turned over to the Department of Parks for more extensive integration into Highland Park. Since the Ridgewood Reservoir was decommissioned, it has naturally become reforested and has developed into a thriving wetland ecosystem. It currently contains a wide range of natural environments, including woodlands, swamp, standing water wetlands, coastal swamp forest, bog, and open grassy area. The reservoir
6789-463: The reservoir's natural setting. In 2018, the reservoir was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was officially designated by the New York State DEC as a Class I freshwater wetland, ensuring its preservation as a natural space. Ridgewood Reservoir was built by the City of Brooklyn , New York , which was rapidly outgrowing its local water supplies. In 1851 the City thought it
6882-476: The reservoir's system of driven wells “has attracted widespread attention because of the originality and boldness of the plans and the perfect success attained.” In the late nineteenth century, Brooklyn was the largest American city whose water supply system relied on driven wells. Other large American cities chose to adopt this technology after the success of the Ridgewood Reservoir's driven well system. By 1900, Lowell, Massachusetts and Newark, New Jersey —two of
6975-900: The second-highest in the city, after Brooklyn. Queens is also home to 49.6% of the city's Asian population. Among the five boroughs, Queens has the largest population of Chinese , Indian , Korean , Filipino , Bangladeshi and Pakistani Americans . Queens has the largest Asian American population by county outside the Western United States ; according to the 2006 American Community Survey, Queens ranks fifth among US counties with 477,772 (21.18%) Asian Americans, behind Los Angeles County, California , Honolulu County, Hawaii , Santa Clara County, California , and Orange County, California . Some main European ancestries in Queens as of 2000 include: Italian (8.4%), Irish (5.5%), German (3.5%), Polish (2.7%), Russian (2.3%), and Greek (2.0%). Of
7068-646: The towns in existence at the consolidation of the five boroughs into New York City: Long Island City ( ZIP codes starting with 111), Jamaica (114), Flushing (113), and Far Rockaway (116). Also, the Floral Park post office (110), based in Nassau County, serves a small part of northeastern Queens. Each of these main post offices has neighborhood stations with individual ZIP codes, and unlike the other boroughs, these station names are often used in addressing letters. These ZIP codes do not always reflect traditional neighborhood names and boundaries; " East Elmhurst ", for example,
7161-443: The towns of Newtown , Flushing and Jamaica , and that part of the town of Hempstead , in the county of Queens, which is westerly of a straight line drawn through the middle of the channel between Rockaway Beach and Shelter Island , in the county of Queens, to the Atlantic Ocean" was annexed to New York City, dissolving all former municipal governments ( Long Island City , the county government, all towns, and all villages) within
7254-469: The water conduit or within its right of way , early in the 20th century. Highland Park was created on land immediately surrounding Ridgewood Reservoir that was purchased by the City of Brooklyn in 1891 under the jurisdiction of the Highland Park Society. The park was constructed between 1901 and 1906 and included additional parcels purchased to the south and west. In 1898, Brooklyn merged with
7347-444: The water supply for the reservoir consisted of six dammed streams in what is now Queens and Nassau Counties: Jamaica Stream ( Baisley Pond ), Simonson's Stream, Clear Stream, Valley Stream, Pine's Stream, and Hempstead Stream ( Hempstead Lake ). This water was carried in a 12-mile-long masonry conduit , called the Ridgewood Aqueduct, to a pumping station at Atlantic Avenue and Chestnut Street. There, steam-powered pumps, each with
7440-402: The waterfowl population is especially large and diverse, with several species that are less common in the area, such as American wigeon , redhead duck , and grebes , mixing with more common species like mallard and Canada goose . Baisley Pond is located in the Jamaica Bay watershed of western Long Island , where the intersection of 130th Avenue and 150th Street would be. It was formed in
7533-433: Was 104 °F (40 °C), also on July 3, 1966. LaGuardia Airport's record-low temperature was −7 °F (−22 °C) on February 15, 1943, the effect of which was exacerbated by a shortage of heating oil and coal . John F. Kennedy International Airport's record-low temperature was −2 °F (−19 °C), on February 8, 1963, and January 21, 1985. On January 24, 2016, 30.5 inches (77 cm) of snow fell, which
7626-563: Was alarmed by the negligible reported increase in population between 2000 and 2010. Areas with high proportions of immigrants and undocumented aliens are traditionally undercounted for a variety of reasons, often based on a mistrust of government officials or an unwillingness to be identified. In many cases, counts of vacant apartment units did not match data from local surveys and reports from property owners. As of 2023 , illegal Chinese immigration to New York City, especially to Queens and its Flushing Chinatown , has accelerated. According to
7719-640: Was an important center of jazz ; such jazz luminaries as Louis Armstrong , Charlie Parker , and Ella Fitzgerald took up residence in Queens, seeking refuge from the segregation they found elsewhere in New York. Additionally, many notable hip-hop acts hail from Queens, including Nas , Run-D.M.C. , Kool G Rap , A Tribe Called Quest , LL Cool J , MC Shan , Mobb Deep , 50 Cent , Nicki Minaj , Tony Yayo , Tragedy Khadafi , N.O.R.E. , Lloyd Banks, Capone , Ja Rule , Heems of Das Racist and Action Bronson . Queens hosts various museums and cultural institutions that serve its diverse communities. They range from
7812-557: Was failing to attract business firms that would have moved to Brooklyn if it had as reliable a water source as New York City's Croton Aqueduct . Various sources were proposed. The Croton River was already being used as the City of New York's water supply, and it did not have the capacity to serve the City of Brooklyn as well. The Bronx River was both inadequate and difficult to access. Wells in and near Brooklyn were inadequate both in quantity and quality. Natural lakes on Long Island were few and could not provide enough water. The only solution
7905-399: Was founded alongside Kings County ( Brooklyn , which was named after her husband, King Charles II), and Richmond County ( Staten Island , named after his illegitimate son, the 1st Duke of Richmond ). However, the namesake is disputed. While Catherine's title seems the most likely namesake, no historical evidence of official declaration has been found. On October 7, 1691, all counties in
7998-446: Was largely coined by the USPS and is not an official community. Most neighborhoods have no solid boundaries. The Forest Hills and Rego Park neighborhoods, for instance, overlap. Residents of Queens often closely identify with their neighborhood rather than with the borough or city. The borough is a patchwork of dozens of unique neighborhoods, each with its own distinct identity: At
8091-485: Was last used in a drought in the 1960s. During the 1970s the reservoir was the site of illegal swimming and a number of drownings. The reservoir was finally decommissioned and drained in 1989. Some of the Nassau County pumping stations including the one at Milburn (now Baldwin ) survived into the 21st century as ruins. Valley Stream State Park , Hempstead Lake State Park , and other South Shore lakes and parks were originally Brooklyn Water Works reservoirs. In 2004,
8184-542: Was named after the English Queen and Portuguese royal princess Catherine of Braganza (1638–1705). From 1683 to 1899, the County of Queens included what is now Nassau County. Queens became a borough during the consolidation of New York City in 1898, combining the towns of Long Island City , Newtown , Flushing , Jamaica , and western Hempstead . All except Hempstead are today considered neighborhoods of Queens. Queens has
8277-577: Was named after the Ridgewood Ponds in Nassau County , which provided the reservoir's eastern water source. Consequently, the neighborhood north of the Reservoir became known as Ridgewood . Following decommissioning and abandonment, the reservoir naturally became a lush freshwater wetland. This ecosystem attracted a wide variety of fauna and flora, including some threatened and endangered species such as
8370-510: Was redefined with no discernible change. On June 8, 1881, North Brother Island was transferred to New York County . On May 8, 1884, Rikers Island was transferred to New York County. In 1886, Lloyd's Neck, which was then part of the town of Oyster Bay and had earlier been known as Queens Village, was set off and separated from Queens County and annexed to the town of Huntington in Suffolk County. On April 16, 1964, South Brother Island
8463-528: Was the site of the 1939 New York World's Fair and the 1964 New York World's Fair . LaGuardia Airport , established on a site in northern Queens that had been a seaplane base, opened in 1939, named for mayor Fiorello La Guardia , who pushed for the development of a modern airport in New York City. Idlewild Airport, in southern Queens, opened in 1948 on the site of a former golf course and was renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport in 1963. In one of several notable incidents, TWA Flight 800 took off from
8556-489: Was to tap the many small streams on Long Island and conduct their water to Brooklyn to be lifted into an elevated reservoir. The original design of the Ridgewood Reservoir as well as the final specifications for the Brooklyn Water Works system were designed by Brooklyn civil engineer Samuel McElroy. This original design called for three basins, but engineer James P. Kirkwood later altered the designs and instead built
8649-468: Was transferred to Bronx County. The New York City borough of Queens was authorized on May 4, 1897, by a vote of the New York State Legislature after an 1894 referendum on consolidation. The eastern 280 square miles (730 km ) of Queens that became Nassau County was partitioned on January 1, 1899. Queens Borough was established on January 1, 1898. "The city of Long Island City ,
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