Elmhurst, Queens

Elmhurst is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It is bounded by Roosevelt Avenue (Jackson Heights) on the north; Corona to the northeast; Junction Boulevard on the east; Rego Park to the southeast; the Long Island Expressway on the south; Middle Village to the south and southwest; and Maspeth and the New York Connecting Railroad on the west; and Woodside on the northwest. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 4. The zip code of Elmhurst is 11373.

History
The village was established in 1652 by the Dutch as Middenburgh (Middleburgh), and was a suburb of New Amsterdam (Nieuw Amsterdam) in New Netherland (Nieuw Nederland). The original settlers of Elmhurst were from the nearby colony of Maspat (now called Maspeth), following threats and attacks by local Indians.

When the British took over New Netherland in 1664, they renamed Middleburgh as New Town (Nieuwe Stad) to maintain the Dutch heritage. This was eventually simplified to Newtown. Among the English settlers in the present Elmhurst section of Newtown was Gershom Moore, in whose orchard a chance seedling produced the Newtown Pippin, Colonial America's most famous apple. Newtown was established as the Town Seat for the Township of the same name when it was established in 1683. The village was renamed Elmhurst in 1896 to identify the area with a new housing development, avoid association with the larger Township, and the Creek, and again to maintain the Dutch heritage. "Hurst" means "grove" or "woods" in Dutch.

Once Queens joined the City of Greater New York in 1898, it developed into a fashionable district due to a housing development that was built in Elmhurst by the Cord Meyer Development Company between 1896 and 1910, north of the Port Washington Branch railroad station. Cord Meyer was key to the development of Elmhurst, purchasing a farm in Newtown from Samuel Lord, co-founder of Lord & Taylor, and renaming the area Elmhurst. He laid out subdivisions and streets, installed sewers, and established trolley connections. The area prospered and inspired similar growth in the adjoining areas. They expanded their holdings between 1905 and 1930, including developments named Elmhurst Square, Elmhurst South, Elmhurst Heights, and New Elmhurst.

Prior to World War II, Elmhurst was an almost exclusively Jewish and Italian neighborhood. Following the war, Elmhurst evolved into what is today one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in New York City. By the 1980s, there were persons from 112 nations in residence. Some local schools have low test scores and high truancy rates.

Historic churches
Five churches of historic vintage are still extant and in use, two of which have historical graveyards.
 * First Presbyterian Church of Newtown (Queens Boulevard and 54th Avenue) built in 1893, congregation was established in 1652
 * St. James Church, Elmhurst (Originally St. James Episcopal Church, at Broadway and 51st Avenue), built in 1734
 * St. Adalbert Roman Catholic Church (52-29 83rd St.), founded in 1832
 * The Reformed Church of Newtown (85-15 Broadway at Corona Avenue), founded 1731, present structure built in 1834
 * Elmhurst Baptist Church (87-37 Whitney Avenue at the corner of Judge Street and Whitney Avenue), founded in 1900, built in 1902

Shopping
Elmhurst is home to two urban shopping malls. The recently expanded Queens Center, the most profitable mall per square foot in the United States, and the recently renovated and expanded Queens Place Mall, a smaller round shopping center originally built as a Macy's branch. It also has many furniture stores adjacent to Grand Avenue on Queens Boulevard.

Education
Elmhurst is part of New York City's Department of Education Region 4. . Schools in Elmhurst include:
 * P.S. 007 - Louis F. Simeone
 * P.S. 013 - Clement C Moore
 * P.S. 089 - Elmhurst
 * P.S. 102 - Bayview
 * P.S. 127 - Aerospace Science Magnet School
 * P.S. 228 - ECC
 * P.S. 877 - 51 Avenue Academy
 * St. Adalbert School
 * Ascension School (closed)
 * - St. Bartholomew School
 * I.S. 005 - The Walter Crowley Intermediate School
 * Newtown High School
 * Cathedral Preparatory Seminary
 * Civic Leadership Academy High School (New Century High School) Open 2008

Transportation
Accessible subway stations are Woodhaven Boulevard, Grand Avenue – Newtown and Elmhurst Avenue, all served by the trains of the IND Queens Boulevard Line. In addition, the IRT Flushing Line, served by the train, runs along Roosevelt Avenue, the north border of Elmhurst, with stations at 74th Street – Broadway, 82nd Street – Jackson Heights and 90th Street – Elmhurst Avenue. Buses include the Q53, Q58, Q59, Q29, and Q60.

Chinatown
There is a growing Chinatown in Elmhurst ; this new Chinatown is the second in Queens, in addition to the Flushing Chinatown. Previously a small area with Chinese shops on Broadway between 81st Street and Cornish Avenue, this newly evolved second Chinatown in Queens has now expanded to 45th Avenue and Whitney Avenue.

Popular culture
McDowell's, the fictional restaurant depicted in the 1988 film Coming to America, is located in Elmhurst. The filmmakers cosmetically altered an existing Wendy's restaurant for the week-long location shoot.

For many years Elmhurst was a familiar name due to the Elmhurst Gas Tanks (officially the Newtown Holder Station), a pair of large natural gas storage structures built in 1910 and 1921. Because the Long Island Expressway (LIE) frequently became congested in that area, "backup at the Elmhurst Gas Tanks" became a familiar phrase in radio traffic reporting. Being literal rather than legal landmarks, the gas holders were removed in 2001.

Wrestling groups including USA Pro Wrestling, The Long Island Wrestling Federation, Ultimate Championship Wrestling/Impact Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling ran shows at the Elks Lodge on Queens Boulevard in Elmhurst from 1997-2003. The Elks Lodge is now the ethnically diverse New Life Fellowship Church, and New Life Community Development Corporation, a non-profit organization that oversees services including and an ESL (English as a Second Language) program for immigrants. Recently the Elks Lodge has begun running wrestling events again, in particular by Impact Championship Wrestling.

Elmhurst has produced an NBA basketball player, Smush Parker, (Guard for L.A. Clippers).

Notable residents

 * Omar Minaya, General Manager of the New York Mets, was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Elmhurst, and is a Newtown High School Alumnus. He remains active in the community today.
 * Carroll O'Connor, actor, best known for his role as Archie Bunker on All in the Family.
 * Antonin Scalia, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
 * Julissa Bermudez, Dominican American actress who was raised in the community best known for her work as co-host for BET's highest rated countdown show 106 & Park.
 * Charlie Villanueva, Dominican American NBA Power Forward for the Detroit Pistons.