Blues, haints and bayous: snippets from the Deep South: Village of gold and gardens

While pockets of farms pushed settlement north on Manhattan Island others wishing the same space went, by boat, across East River to an area that, today, is known as Queens, to set their farms up among the duck ponds there.

Their lives were made a little easier when a connecting bridge between Manhattan and Queens was built in 1909. But soon, even their farm lands were needed by developers catering to the demands for housing that were stretching the island’s resources.

Edward A McDonald, heading up a big corporation of developers, bought up some 350 acres of farming country in the area of Jackson Heights, in Queens, with the intent of building a planned community, which his group called ’garden apartments’. They were attempting to attract young middle class professional families from Manhattan and their needs were the model as they planned how to build the living spaces. White families. Again, Jews, Blacks and other minorities were given short shrift in these early days. And developers got away with it.

They carved up the mass of farmland into blocks. They built roads, put in sidewalks for the children, utilities for the residents, then rather elegant apartments in long blocks facing the streets: some with mansard roofs, some with dormer windows, all with a lot more space than they would have had over on Manhattan. Blocks of them.

Some apartments, like this block at the Hampton Gardens were built around their own private garden in the middle of the block. As with private parks in Manhattan only owners of the surrounding coop apartments could access these gardens. A bonus. Or, an added expense into the cost price, some might say. Others, like those Greystones, a few streets over, were built without private gardens but were able to share the green spaces at the back. Others had parks specially built.

Once the elevated train line joined Manhattan to Jackson Heights success of the development was pretty much ensured although the Great Depression hit not long after, and for many a long year many of the Coops were rented quite cheaply. Though, no longer. They are in high demand, now, because of their space and style, and look great even a hundred years on.

Today, these huge blocks of garden apartments around Roosevelt Avenue are still the largest such community, under the control of one developer, in New York city. And they now make up much of the Jackson Heights historic district.

Though the area has changed. It is so much more multicultural now. You are just as likely to see a Muslim hijab as an Indian sari on the streets. And there are Mexican Taco restaurants beside Caribbean cafes. One section, around 74th Street is a colourful Little India with a great Indian emporium, along with a very popular old Diner building now being used as a tasty Indian lunch Buffet.

We had a lovely day, chatting to folk and checking out all the different food options available in different shops. The area has a lovely neighbourhood feel. It actually feels like a small village that could be tucked away anywhere, even in the country. It is not until you have to get back onto the busy subway that you remember you are part of a much bigger city. A pleasant place to live, I would think. Especially on a sunny day when everyone is smiling. And, only 30 minutes from the heart of downtown Manhattan. What is not to love.