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History
Before European settlement, northeastern Queens was inhabited by the Matinecoc Native Americans, a tribe of Algonquian-speaking people.
It is said that the name Vlissingen means "salt meadow" and that the name was given as a nod to the tidal waters of Flushing Meadows. "Flushing" is the common English name of Vlissingen.[1] The town was inhabited mostly by British settlers, including John Bowne, who would later become a leader in the movement to stop the harassment of local Quakers, prohibited by Governor Peter Stuyvesant from worshiping openly. Remnants of the Dutch period include the John Bowne House on Bowne Street, and the Flushing Quaker Meeting House on Northern Boulevard. Flushing was occupied by British troops for most of the revolution. The 1785 Kingsland Homestead, originally the residence of a wealthy Quaker merchant, now serves as the home of the Queens Historical Society. Image:Vlissingen 30-08-06.JPG Vlissingen (Flushing) from sea, 1662. Collection: Zeeuws Maritiem muZEEum Flushing has more than its share of "claims to fame."
There has been some street violence in the area recently, including several gang-related stabbings, as well as shootings in the Downtown Flushing area. This violence mostly occurs in the public housing projects (Bland Houses) or in section 8 housing[citation needed] throughout the neighborhood as well as areas near by. In 2000, five workers were shot to death after closing in a Wendy's restaurant on Main Street. The crime rate in Flushing has dropped significantly since the 1990's, mirroring the city-wide decrease in crime. Immigrants from El Salvador have found homes and apartments along Northern Boulevard from 147st on the east to 153rd st on the west. They have found work mostly in Construction. The gang known as Ms13 is also a big problem in the community, rivaling with other gangs such as the Zulu Nation, Bloods, Crips and other street gangs in the area. TransportationFlushing is a major transportation hub with major air, rail, and bus links located within a half-mile (800 m) radius of downtown. The New York City Subway IRT Flushing Line's (7) terminal is at Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue, with the Flushing Main Street of the Long Island Rail Road's Port Washington Branch located one block away. Over a dozen local bus routes serve Flushing with destinations in Nassau County by MTA Long Island Bus, the Bronx by MTA Bus, and Jamaica and other Queens neighborhoods by MTA New York City Transit buses. La Guardia Airport is located 10 minutes away by car or bus. The Van Wyck Expressway, Whitestone Expressway, Grand Central Parkway and Long Island Expressway service Flushing. Until the IRT Flushing Line made its way to the intersection of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue in 1928, downtown Flushing's center was at the intersection of Northern Boulevard and Main Street, the site of a number of trolley lines. EducationQueens College, a senior college of the City University of New York, is located in Flushing. CUNY School of Law is next door; it contains a public-interest law firm, Main Street Legal Services, that serves Flushing's predominantly immigrant and working-class communities. There are many public high schools in Flushing, such as John Bowne High School, Robert F. Kennedy High School, Flushing High School, and Townsend Harris High School as well as private schools Holy Cross High School which has a strong history in both basketball and football. Flushing High School is housed in a distinctive building in the Neo-Gothic style, constructed from 1912 to 1915. It has been designated as a landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1991[2]. AttractionsImage:Roosevelt Ave in Flushing 3.JPG Roosevelt Avenue is one of the main commercial streets in Flushing. The intersection of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue has become a center for Korean and Chinese culture and small business. Large department stores, such as Old Navy and Macy's, are located on or near the intersection as well. Flushing is known for its selection of authentic, reasonably priced ethnic restaurants. A popular Asian restaurant district is centered at the intersection of Prince Street and Roosevelt Avenue. Latin cuisine can be found on College Point Boulevard near Sanford Avenue. The Queens Borough Public Library, located at the intersection of Kissena Boulevard and Main Street, is the largest branch library in New York City. The library has developed into a valuable community resource and houses an auditorium for public events. The current building, designed by Polshek Partnership Architects, is the third to be built on the site--the first was a gift of Andrew Carnegie. Flushing is host to world-class sporting events. Shea Stadium is home to the New York Mets, and the United States Tennis Association USTA National Tennis Center is home to the U.S. Open tennis tournament. Flushing's historic Town Hall is located at Northern Boulevard near Main Street and is used as a concert hall and cultural center. Other registered New York City Landmarks in Flushing include the Bowne House, Kingsland Homestead, Flushing Friends Meeting House (1694), Flushing High School, St. George's Church (1854), the Latimer House, the RKO Keith's Movie Palace, and the Unisphere, a 12-story high globe that served as the symbol of the 1964 New York World's Fair. A weeping beech tree, planted in 1847 just north of the Bowne House, was a registered New York City Landmark until it died in 1998 (at 151 years old). New trees that have sprouted on the site have been nicknamed "sons of the beech." Other attractions and remnants from the World's Fairs in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park worth visiting include the Queens Museum of Art (housed in the New York City Building from the 1939 New York World's Fair), featuring a scale model of New York City (the largest architectural model ever built); The New York Hall of Science, and the Queens Zoo. In addition to the Unisphere, the park contains a variety of sculpture and markers from the fairs. There are markers for the two 5,000-year time capsules buried in the park, chronicling 20th Century life (dedicated 1938 and 1965). An exedra commemorates the site of the Vatican pavilion, which was visited by Pope Paul VI on the site where the Pieta was exhibited. The Queens Botanical Garden is located on Main Street and has been in operation continuously since its opening as an exhibit at the 1939 World's Fair. The Botanical Garden carries on Flushing's long horticultural tradition begun by its once famous tree nurseries and seed farms. Flushing's tradition as a place of religious tolerance continues as well. It is fitting that Bowne Street, named for John Bowne, is known for its diverse array of houses of worship, including one of the largest Hindu temples in North America. Interesting facts
Notable residentsSome noted current and former residents:
Rest in Peace: Flushing Cemetery is the final resting place for
Also buried in Flushing
Famous Visitors:
References
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