Old Queens, N.Y., In Early Photographs

This rich pictorial treasury documents the early times and ambiance of Queens, one of Long Island's westernmost counties and the largest borough of New York City. Over 260 rare photographs, carefully selected from public and private archives, recall "the good old days" in such communities as Maspeth, Ridgewood, Jamaica, Astoria, Jackson Heights, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Flushing, College Point, Whitestone, Woodside, Elmhurst, Corona, Bayside, Howard Beach, Richmond Hill, Woodhaven, and many other areas. Included are vintage views of numerous landmarks and locales — among them DeWitt Clinton's mansion (Maspeth); the 1655 Robert Coe House (Corona); Arbitration Rock, the traditional border between Brooklyn and Queens from 1660 to 1769; Pettit's Hotel in Jamaica (Washington really did sleep there in 1790); St. James Episcopal Church (1735) in Elmhurst; and Woodside (in one of the oldest known photographs of the area — 1871-72). Also depicted are a cluster of more recent landmarks: Astoria Studios, the Whitestone Bridge under construction, the 1939 World's Fair, and much more. Each fascinating photograph is accompanied by a detailed, well-researched caption, while a general Introduction vividly outlines the colorful history of Queens — from its prehistoric glacial origins through a lengthy period of agricultural development that lasted from colonial times through much of the 1800s, to the twentieth century, when it acquired a largely residential character. Compiled by two noted experts on Long Island history, this pictorial grand tour will be a must for residents of Queens, Long Islanders, nostalgia buffs, historians, and lovers of vintage photography.