Jamaica (Queens)

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Jamaica, a neighborhood in Queens, New York City, was settled as a town by the English under Dutch rule in 1656 in New Netherland. It is one of the major predominantly black neighborhoods in the Borough of Queens. It has a substantial concentration of West Indian immigrants, as well as many long-established African American families. Jamaica in Queens is completely unrelated to Jamaica the Caribbean country, and the name similarity is a coincidence.


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History and description

Jamaica Avenue was an ancient trail for tribes from as far away as the Ohio River and the Great Lakes, coming to trade skins and furs for wampum. It was in 1655 that the first settlers paid the Native Americans with two guns, a coat, and some powder and lead, for the land lying between the old trail and "Beaver Pond," later, Baisley Pond. Dutch Gov. Peter Stuyvesant dubbed the area Rustdorp in granting the 1656 patent. The English, who took it over in 1664, renamed it "jamecos," the Carnarsie word for beaver. And so, Jamaica was born.

Colonial Jamaica had a band of 56 Minute Men that played an active part in the Battle of Long Island, whose unfortunate outcome led to occupation by British troops during most of the Revolution. In Jamaica, "George Washington slept here" is indeed true – in 1790, in William Warner's tavern. Rufus King, a signer of the Constitution came to live here in 1805. He added to a modest 18th century farmhouse, creating the manor which stands on the site today. King Manor has been restored to its former glory, and now houses King Manor Museum.

By 1776, Jamaica had become a trading post for farmers and their produce. For more than a century, their horse- drawn carts plodded along Jamaica Avenue, then called King's Highway. The public school system started in 1813, funded for $125 and a year later, Jamaica Village was incorporated. By 1834, the Brooklyn and Jamaica Railroad company had completed a line to Jamaica.

In 1850, Jamaica Avenue (Fulton Street), became a plank road, complete with toll gate. In 1866, tracks were laid for a horsecar line, and 20 years later it was electrified, the first in the state. In 1898 Queens, of which Jamaica was the county seat, became part of the City of New York.

The Long Island Rail Road Station was completed in 1913, and the El arrived in 1918. Business boomed as never before, and as parkways were constructed thousands more people came by car. The ‘20s and ‘30s saw the building of the elegant Valencia Theatre (now restored by the Tabernacle of Prayer), the "futuristic" Kurtz furniture Store and the Roxanne Building.

Under English rule it became part of the county of Yorkshire, and, in 1683, when the province was divided into counties it became part of Queens County, one of the original counties of New York. It was incorporated in the borough of Queens in New York City on January 1 1898. Jamaica is the county seat of Queens County, and as such is the location of courthouses and other administrative buildings for the County of Queens, but it is not the location of Queens Borough Hall, which is located in the neighborhood of Kew Gardens. Jamaica Center, the area around Jamaica Avenue and 165th Street, is home to shopping, movie theatres, restaurants, and the Central Library of the Queens Borough Public Library is located nearby.

Much of the history above from [Greater Jamaica Developement Corporation Web site] .

Transportation

Jamaica is a major station and the central transfer point on the Long Island Rail Road. Jamaica also contains JFK International Airport. The New York City Subway's "E" (8th Avenue), "J" (Nassau St. Local), "Z" (Nassau St. Express) and "F" trains terminate in Jamaica. Many of the bus routes in Queens terminate or pass through the Jamaica Center transit hub.

The Port Authority of New York has constructed the AirTrain JFK which connects Jamaica at the Long Island Rail Road Station with JFK International Airport and Howard Beach.

Education

Several colleges and universities make their home in Jamaica, most notably

Jamaica has several public high schools:

Maps


Links

Notable Residents

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