Queens Sites

The Queens Branch of New York City's Independent Subway was extended during the 1930s with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The first extension was completed in 1936.   On April 21, 1937, four more subway stations opened in Jamaica, including the Parsons Boulevard station that presently serves F train. Completion of this subway branch, The New York Times reported, "will add four new stations to the line and mark the beginning of express service on a rush-hour basis. ... The new link of the Queens line from Kew Gardens to 169th Street cost about $14,400,000 this figure including the...

The Queens Branch of New York City's Independent Subway was extended during the 1930s with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The first extension was completed in 1936.  On April 21, 1937, four new subway stations opened in Jamaica, including the Sutphin Boulevard station that presently serves the F train. Completion of this subway branch, The New York Times reported, "will add four new stations to the line and mark the beginning of express service on a rush-hour basis. ... The new link of the Queens line from Kew Gardens to 169th Street cost about $14,400,000 this figure including the...

The Queens Branch of New York City's Independent Subway (IND) was extended during the 1930s with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. On December 31, 1936, eight new IND subway stations opened in Queens, extending the subway from its 1933 Roosevelt Avenue terminus in Jackson Heights to Kew Gardens. The Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike station was one of the eight to open at this time.

The Queens Branch of New York City's Independent Subway was extended during the 1930s with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The first extension opened in 1936. On April 21, 1937, four more subway stations opened in Jamaica, including the Briarwood / Van Wyck Boulevard station that presently serves the E and F trains. Completion of this subway branch, The New York Times reported, "will add four new stations to the line and mark the beginning of express service on a rush-hour basis. ... The new link of the Queens line from Kew Gardens to 169th Street cost about $14,400,000...

The Queens Branch of New York City's Independent Subway (IND) was extended during the 1930s with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. On December 31, 1936, eight new IND subway stations opened in Queens, extending the subway from its 1933 Roosevelt Avenue terminus in Jackson Heights to Kew Gardens. The Woodhaven Boulevard / Slattery Plaza station was one of the eight to open at this time.

The Jackson Heights Station post office of Flushing in Queens, New York "is a historic post office building located at Jackson Heights ... The original section was built in 1936-1937, and was designed by architect Benjamin C. Flournoy (1876-ca. 1939) as a consultant to the Office of the Supervising Architect. The original section is a symmetrically massed one story brick building with a nine bay wide principal facade in the Colonial Revival style. It features a three bay entrance pavilion with four simple brick Doric order pilasters which support a limestone triangular pediment. The building was extended four bays to...

The historic Jackson Heights Station post office houses an example of New Deal artwork: "Development of Jackson Heights," a Section of Fine Arts-commissioned mural by Peppino Mangravite.

The New York City Parks Department website provides a brief history of Jacob Riis Park: "260-acre Riis Park, stretching over a mile on the western section of the Rockaway Peninsula, was acquired by the city in 1913. In 1914, the beach was named for Danish-born photo journalist and social reformer Jacob August Riis, once a Queens resident. The original bathing pavilion was built in 1932 and could handle up to 8,000 users. In 1934, Commissioner Moses announced plans to upgrade Riis Park with a $1.7 million investment, including a new bathing pavilion, parking field, pitch-'n-put golf course, and a 40–foot wide...

The WPA provided assistance in repairing and otherwise improving the One Hundred and Fourth Field Artillery / 172nd Street-Jamaica Armory in Jamaica, Queens. The building is no longer extant.

The paving of the 3.5-mile stretch of Jamaica Avenue between 168th St. and 225th St. in Jamaica, Queens was first undertaken as a nearly-half-million-dollar WPA project during the 1930s. WPA Official Project No. 65-97-11.

The federal Works Progress Administration worked to conduct repairs and alterations to several civic buildings in Queens as part of a $300,464 project begun in 1935. The project included the construction of an addition to what was the Registers Building in Jamaica, NY. From Wikipedia: "Office of the Register, also known as Queens Register of Titles and Deeds Building, is a historic government building located in the Jamaica section of the New York City borough of Queens. It was built between 1895 and 1913 and is an imposing, three-story building with a limestone facade in the Neo-Italian Renaissance style. A rear five-story...

In early 1942, the WPA began work on a new park and playground to be operated jointly by the adjacent P.S. 40 (Samuel Huntington School) and the Department of Parks. A press release announcing the start of construction described the work to be accomplished: "Twenty-three one to two and a half story frame buildings are being demolished in preparation for the new development which will provide the following facilities: eight concrete surfaced handball courts, wading pool, brick comfort station, irrigated sand Pit and sitting area, seesaws, slides and swings for pre-school and older children, a pipe frame exercise unit, two large open...

The federal Works Progress Administration worked to conduct repairs and alterations to several civic facilities in Queens as part of a $300,464 project begun in 1935. Facilities improved included the "Jamaica Storage Sheds" at 132nd St. and 150th Ave. The original structures don't appear to be standing, but a municipal sanitation department storage lot is still located at the intersection.

The sign on this park says Josephine Caminiti Playground. The NYC Parks website also refers to it as Alstyne Playground and notes that it was formerly known as Corona Playground. The land for this park was purchased by the City in 1930. The press release announcing its opening in October 1934 described the new facilities: "A new playground for small children will be opened at Corona Avenue and 102nd Street in the Borough of Queens. The area includes a recreational building outdoor play apparatus. A unique feature of this playground is its oval, concrete surfaced roller skating rink around the...

On January 4, 1938, the Department of Parks announced the opening of a new playground: "In Queens, at 34th Avenue between 96th Street and Junction Boulevard, the new playground has slides, swings, see-saws, sand table, shuffleboard and handball courts. A rectangular wading pool which can be used for basketball and volleyball in spring and fall is also provided. Shade trees and permanent concrete benches are included in the landscape treatment. In this playground there is also a new building of brick construction, with comfort facilities for boys and girls." There is still a playground located at this site today. Although the 1938 press...

This large park in the Middle Village neighborhood of Queens provides a wealth of leisure and recreational attractions to local residents. Before it became a park, "it was used variously as a farm, a cemetery, a source for peat moss, the property of a racketeer, and a garbage dump...In the early 1930s the City of New York acquired the bog to settle a $225,000 claim in back taxes against the estate of the infamous Arnold Rothstein (1882-1928), who had been accused of fixing the 1919 World Series" (nycgovparks). The WPA greatly transformed the park, first in 1936 and again in...

In 2002 New York City's Parks Department wrote: "March’s Capital Project of the Month is the restoration of Kissena Lake. It will be undergoing a $1.77 million restoration project, funded by Council Member Julia Harrison, beginning this spring. It is said that the lake and park are named after the Chippewa word "kissina," meaning "it is cold." This capital project is necessary because of construction done to the lake sixty years ago. The WPA drained the lake in 1943 and filled it with a concrete liner, giving it the nickname of a "bathtub lake." While originally this project was meant to improve...

The extensive Kissena Park was first established in the early 1900s and now forms part of the "Queens Corridor" park system. In addition to building a golf course at the east end of the park in the mid 1930s, in 1941, the WPA completed extensive work on the main section of the park surrounding Kissena Lake in 1941: "Included in the new improvement is a new modern one story brick boat house and boat landing constructed on the east shore of the lake replacing the old outmoded frame boat house and dock formerly located on the south bank adjacent to the...

This golf course at Kissena Park in outer Queens was one of several golf courses created with federal funding under Robert Moses' tenure as Parks Commissioner. The Department of Parks first announced the opening of the course in August 1935. Another Department press release in May 1936 announced the opening of the Kissena Park golf course again, suggesting that there was likely further work done in the meantime. The 1936 release further noted that the work was completed "with relief funds provided by the C.W.A., T.E.R.A. and W.P.A."

Construction of New York's LaGuardia Airport was among the largest undertakings of the New Deal's Works Progress Administration (WPA) and included both today's main airport (then the "landplane field") and what is now the Marine Air Terminal (then the "seaplane division"). The airport was constructed on the site of the former North Beach Airport between 1937 and 1939. Under Mayor LaGuardia the city began expanding the site with landfill from Rikers Island. At the time of its completion, LaGuardia was among the most advanced airports in the world. The 1939 WPA Guide to New York City (p.567) describes the new...

The NYC Parks website explains that: "In May 1934, after closing P.S. 38, the Board of Education transferred the property to Parks. Parks opened Laurelton Playground on August 23, 1935 in service of the local community. Parks acquired two small parcels that were added to this playground during 1936." A Parks press release announcing the opening explained that it was then "developed as a small children's play area." As researcher Frank da Cruz explains here, almost all New York City Parks Department projects between 1934 and 1943 were accomplished with New Deal funds and/or labor. Given the date of this project,...

The New York City Parks Department website details the history of Lawrence Triangle, a 0.14-acre park in Flushing, New York. "In July , the Flushing Garden Club presented the land to the Flushing Hospital to be used by hospital patients as an outdoor retreat during their stay. The hospital then granted the park to the City of New York in July 1939. The WPA (Works Progress Administration) worked to improve the park for general use by planting trees, grass and flowers, paving the paths, and removing an old gate. A local law named the park in honor of Lawrence in 1951."

On July 28, 1937, the Department of Parks announced the opening of "five playgrounds, constructed by the Department of Parks with relief labor and funds," noting that "These playgrounds are five of the twenty-four sites in neglected areas selected by the Commissioner of Parks and acquired by condemnation after authorization by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment on July 15, 1936." One of these five playgrounds was what is now known as the Lawrence Virgilio Playground in Windmuller Park. Today's NYC Parks website confirms that "The land comprising Windmuller Park was acquired from the Windmuller family in 1936 and the park...

The Department of Parks announced the opening of this WPA playground in Queens on August 9, 1939: “The land was acquired at the time the Board of Estimate approved the modified plan for the Atlantic Avenue Improvement, the playground was designed by the Department of Parks, and built for the Park Department by the Works Progress Administration. The small children's area in the southerly part of the playground contains various types of play equipment, a wading pool, and a sand pit. The balance of the area is taken up with basketball, volleyball, and handball courts, a softball diamond and a roller skating...

Located in College Point, this green space on the East River is built on the grounds of an old mansion. It was originally known as Chisolm Park: "In 1930 the City of New York acquired the mansion and its grounds for a public park. The Parks Department improved the property with a new playground, football field, roller skating rink, baseball diamond, and picnic grounds. Popular with picnickers, the waterfront property was known alternatively as Chisholm Park (a variant spelling of the Chisolm family’s name) and College Point Shore Front Park. Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia made the Chisolm mansion his summer City Hall...

The post office contains a massive set of murals by Vincent Aderente that wrap around the interior of the lobby. The murals depicts scenes from the early history of the twelve communities served by the Flushing Post Office. Some sources suggest that the murals were funded by the Civil Works Administration through the Public Works of Art Project, administered by the Treasury Department, in 1933-34, though further confirmation of this is needed.

Parks acquired what is now Marconi Park "on February 15, 1938, for the benefit of the adjacent P.S. 40 (William Wordsworth School) and the South Jamaica community. The playground opened on June 26, 1939, under the administration of Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia" (NYC Parks). On June 30, 1939, the Department of Parks held official opening ceremonies for the park, attended by Mayor LaGuardia and Robert Moses among others. The press release announcing the opening described the work done on the site: "South of the school, the one block square area developed to care for older children and adults has been provided...

Construction of New York's LaGuardia Airport was among the largest undertakings of the New Deal's Works Progress Administration (WPA) and included both today's main airport (then the "landplane field") and what is now the Marine Air Terminal (then the "seaplane division"). The airport was constructed between 1937 and 1939 and dedicated in March 1940. At the time it was among the most advanced airports in the world. The 1939 WPA Guide to New York City (p.567) describes the new project: "The seaplane division is designed to accommodate regular transaltlantic airplane travel and will be used by Pan American Airways, Air France Transatlantique,...

The Marine Air Terminal contains the largest WPA mural ever painted. "Flight" measures 12 feet (3.7 m) in height and 237 feet (72 m) in length. Artist James Brooks completed this mural depicting the history of flight in 1940. "It was completely painted over by the Port Authority of NY and NJ in the 1950s during the Red Scare, but was restored in 1980 and in 1995 the building was declared a historic landmark."   (kermitproject.org) Flynn and Polese report that the mural was completed in 1942.

Maurice Park, also known as the Frank Principe Park, was constructed by the Department of Parks and the WPA in 1940. The November 1940 press release announcing the opening of the new Park described the WPA's work in detail: "Every square foot has been well utilized in this intensively developed tract which was formerly the property of a privately owned Water Company. Acquired by the City in 1937 for unpaid taxes and assessments totaling $358,817.00, the property was placed under the jurisdiction of the Department of Water Supply. Because the pumping station was inactive the Park Department, in February 1939, succeeded...

The Memorial Field of Flushing opened in November, 1934 in a ceremony attended by Mayor LaGuardia. The press release announcing the event described the extensive work carried out with New Deal support: "The land for the Flushing Memorial Playfield was given to the City by the Memorial Field of Flushing, Inc., for the development of a playground. Labor and material were supplied from Work Relief funds. A one-story field house of Colonial design is located in a corner of the playground. Eight tennis courts, eight handball courts and two basketball courts are provided in addition to swings, seesaws, sand tables and other...

The NYC Parks website explains the provenance of this modest playground in Queens: "Between 1935 and 1938, Parks leased this property from the Gorbess Realty Corporation. In April 1938, the City of New York purchased one parcel of the property for $10,450. A month later, the city acquired the second parcel through condemnation, and Parks assumed jurisdiction over both areas." During the same period, the land was developed by Parks with New Deal support. First, in September 1935, Parks announced the opening of a playground with "two handball courts and the usual children's play facilities." In 1942, after the park had...

The building housing FDNY Engine 274/Battalion 52 in Murray Hill, Flushing, was constructed in 1939 by the Work Projects Administration.

In Sept. 1941 the New York Times described a playground being constructed by the WPA in Queens at "Forty-Fifth Avenue and Twenty-first Street." This site, Murray Playground, is still in use today. New York City's Parks Department writes: "The City of New York acquired the land that constitutes Murray Playground in four parts by purchase and condemnation between 1941 and 1945. The park stretches from 11th to 21st Street, and is bounded by 45th Avenue and 45th Road." A 1942 Department of Parks press release announcing the park's opening describes the work done by the WPA: "A wide mall, lined with benches and...

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed additions to the drill hall at the Naval Militia Armory in Whitestone, New York. "The only active, federally-recognized Naval Militia with continuous, unbroken service to the Country and State for more than a century and a history stretching back to the Revolution, housed in the former club house of the Whitestone Yacht Club." "The New York Naval Militia's heritage spans over two centuries, dating back to the American Revolution. The first naval battle of the Revolutionary War was fought on Lake Champlain in 1776 by New York Militiamen manning the ships of a small American squadron."

"While a supervisor, Louis Schanker did several murals for the WPA. A series of 11 murals was done for the TB wards’ dining room at the Neponsit Beach Children’s Hospital in Rockaway Queens. The official pictures, taken for the WPA, are available on line from the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C. Some show him working on the murals while others must have been taken at the dedication ceremonies because he is shown wearing uncharacteristically formal attire. In the late 1970’s Schanker checked with the Hospital to see if the murals were still there. The Hospital had been converted into...

NYC Parks describes the origins of this playground in Queens: "This public space was acquired by the City of New York by consolidation on January 1, 1898, and transferred to the Department of Parks in 1917. It was not developed as a playground until 1934-35. The playground opened on August 9, 1935 with slides, swings, sandbox, seesaws, benches, comfort station, tool house, and cherry and hawthorn trees." On April 3, 1937, the Department of Parks announced the further completion at this site of "a new recreation building of brick construction," containing "a boys and girls' comfort station, a mother's room and...

This WPA relief map of the NYC Water Supply System is now on display in the Queens Museum of Art. The information plaque displayed with the map reads: "For the 1939 World's Fair, city agencies were invited to produce exhibits for the New York City Pavilion (now the Queens Museum of Art). The Department of Water Supply, Gas and Electricity (a New York City Department of Environmental Protection predecessor agency) commissioned the Cartographic Survey Force of the Works Progress Administration to create the magnificent relief map of the New York City water supply system and watershed that you see in this...

Originally formed as the result of glacial action during the Ice Age 15,000 years ago, Oakland Lake is a kettle lake, part of the Alley Pond Park system in northeast Queens. It is surrounded by glacial boulders and is fed by underground springs and a ravine that flows into the lake from the south. The lake served several purposes until it was transferred to New York City's Parks Department in 1934. The Parks Department notes: "In the 1930s, Works Project Administration (WPA) workers lined the brook feeding Oakland Lake with blocks, and later, the brook and a small pond leading into the...

The NYC Parks website explains that the park's name comes from the fact that "Queens’ last one-room schoolhouse occupied this site from the time of its construction in 1879 until its demolition to make room for a public park in 1934." The press release announcing the opening of the playground within the park in December 1935 explained that it, and the other 12 playgrounds opened on the same day, collectively contained: "88 small swings; 72 large swings; 36 seesaws; 14 playhouses; 15 large slides; 11 sand tables; 10 garden swings; 7 small slides; 7 small tables; 6 handball courts; 6 jungle...