Astoria Heights, Queens
Encyclopedia
Astoria Heights more commonly referred to as "Upper Ditmars" is a district in the New York City
borough
of Queens
. It is bounded by Hazen Street and Astoria
to the West, La Guardia Airport to the East, Bowery Bay
to the North, and Astoria Boulevard
and the Grand Central Parkway
to the South. It is mostly a quiet neighborhood of 1 and 2 family private homes.
The Riker-Lent Homestead is near the north end at 78-03 19th Road. Built around 1655 by Abraham Riker under a patent from Nieuw Nederland's last governor, Peter Stuyvesant
, it is believed to be the oldest remaining dwelling in New York City still used as a residence. There is an adjacent family cemetery. The Smiths, who bought the house in 1975, have been restoring it for many years. The annual public tour is given usually in mid-September by the owners for the benefit of a local historical society.
Before Prohibition
, there were dance halls, picnic areas and amusement park rides at North Beach, near what is now the airport.
Ragtime composer Scott Joplin
is buried across the Grand Central Parkway
at St. Michael's Cemetery which occasionally holds ragtime concerts.
The Rikers Island Bridge to New York City's main prison, Rikers Island
, runs from the north end of Hazen Street. Technically, Rikers Island is in the Bronx
since New York City took it over from Long Island City
in 1884, after it had annexed the South Bronx but before it consolidated Queens. However, like Astoria Heights, Rikers Island gets its mail from the East Elmhurst
(Zip code
11370) station of the Flushing Post Office.
If you walk or drive from Astoria along Ditmars Boulevard
, you will notice that the street numbers suddenly jump 25 or so blocks. This is because the streets in Astoria within the former city of Long Island City lean east of north whereas Astoria Heights streets, in the former town of Newtown, lean west of north.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
. It is bounded by Hazen Street and Astoria
Astoria, Queens
Astoria is a neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. Located in Community Board 1, Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City, Sunnyside , and Woodside...
to the West, La Guardia Airport to the East, Bowery Bay
Bowery Bay
Bowery Bay is a bay off the East River in the New York City. It is located near the Steinway neighborhood of Queens and is bordered on the west by the Bowery Bay Water Pollution Control Plant and on the south and east by LaGuardia Airport....
to the North, and Astoria Boulevard
Astoria Boulevard
Astoria Boulevard is an important east-west commercial street in northwestern Queens, New York City. It runs from 21st Street and Main Avenue near the East River to the World's Fair Marina on Flushing Bay, where it merges with Northern Boulevard....
and the Grand Central Parkway
Grand Central Parkway
The Grand Central Parkway is a parkway that stretches from the RFK-Triborough Bridge in New York City to Nassau County on Long Island. At the Queens-Nassau border, it becomes the Northern State Parkway, which runs across the northern part of Long Island through Nassau County and into Suffolk...
to the South. It is mostly a quiet neighborhood of 1 and 2 family private homes.
The Riker-Lent Homestead is near the north end at 78-03 19th Road. Built around 1655 by Abraham Riker under a patent from Nieuw Nederland's last governor, Peter Stuyvesant
Peter Stuyvesant
Peter Stuyvesant , served as the last Dutch Director-General of the colony of New Netherland from 1647 until it was ceded provisionally to the English in 1664, after which it was renamed New York...
, it is believed to be the oldest remaining dwelling in New York City still used as a residence. There is an adjacent family cemetery. The Smiths, who bought the house in 1975, have been restoring it for many years. The annual public tour is given usually in mid-September by the owners for the benefit of a local historical society.
Before Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
, there were dance halls, picnic areas and amusement park rides at North Beach, near what is now the airport.
Ragtime composer Scott Joplin
Scott Joplin
Scott Joplin was an American composer and pianist. Joplin achieved fame for his ragtime compositions, and was later dubbed "The King of Ragtime". During his brief career, Joplin wrote 44 original ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet, and two operas...
is buried across the Grand Central Parkway
Grand Central Parkway
The Grand Central Parkway is a parkway that stretches from the RFK-Triborough Bridge in New York City to Nassau County on Long Island. At the Queens-Nassau border, it becomes the Northern State Parkway, which runs across the northern part of Long Island through Nassau County and into Suffolk...
at St. Michael's Cemetery which occasionally holds ragtime concerts.
The Rikers Island Bridge to New York City's main prison, Rikers Island
Rikers Island
Rikers Island is New York City's main jail complex, as well as the name of the island on which it sits, in the East River between Queens and the mainland Bronx, adjacent to the runways of LaGuardia Airport. The island itself is part of the borough of the Bronx, though it is included as part of...
, runs from the north end of Hazen Street. Technically, Rikers Island is in the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
since New York City took it over from Long Island City
Long Island City, Queens
Long Island City is the westernmost neighborhood of the borough of Queens in New York City. L.I.C. is notable for its rapid and ongoing gentrification, its waterfront parks, and its thriving arts community. L.I.C. has among the highest concentration of art galleries, art institutions, and studio...
in 1884, after it had annexed the South Bronx but before it consolidated Queens. However, like Astoria Heights, Rikers Island gets its mail from the East Elmhurst
East Elmhurst, Queens
East Elmhurst is a culturally diverse area in New York City, in the northwest of the borough of Queens. It is located north of Jackson Heights and Corona and is bounded on the east and north by Flushing Bay. Residents are mostly moderate-income families, but there are also low-income areas. It...
(Zip code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
11370) station of the Flushing Post Office.
If you walk or drive from Astoria along Ditmars Boulevard
Ditmars Boulevard
Ditmars Boulevard is a street located in Astoria, which is a neighborhood located in the North-West corner of Queens, NY. It runs from its intersection with the East River , just to the North of Astoria Park. The road continues to the East until it reaches the Western edge of LaGuardia Airport...
, you will notice that the street numbers suddenly jump 25 or so blocks. This is because the streets in Astoria within the former city of Long Island City lean east of north whereas Astoria Heights streets, in the former town of Newtown, lean west of north.