[nygirl1]

Now were going to take a jump back into the north western neighborhoods

Woodside is a residential neighborhood in western Queens. Settled by farmers since the early 1700’s this area, Woodside didn’t start seeing large scale development until the civil war era in the 1860’s. Built up on speculation the community became the ideal suburb in the second half of the 19th century due to its proximity to Long Island City and it’s factories. By the 1870’s trains began running through the neighborhood that at the time had become very popular with the working class Irish who could afford to live there. Woodside remained heavily Irish until the 1990’s when several Asian groups made their way to the community in particular, Filipinos. In fact under the Elevated on Roosevelt Avenue is Queens’ very own, Little Manila. Tens of thousands of Filipinos call Woodside home but the neighborhood also has large amounts of Thai, Korean, Chinese, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Indians. There is still a significant Irish community in Woodside, they hold one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day Parades in the city.






















Moving east a bit


Jackson Heights is a thriving north western Queens residential community. The neighborhood is fairly young beginning major development in the early 20th century. Initially the community was built up for New York’s upper-middle class families. The neighborhood is said to be the first place garden apartments were constructed in. The grandiose buildings sprouted like wild fire in the 1920’s and still exist today. As a garden city, Jackson Heights attracted many middle class families during the 20’s, 30’s and 1940’s. Jackson Heights saw spikes in crime during the 1970’s and 80’s as most neighborhoods in the outer boroughs declined during this era. Crime has been reduced drastically and Jackson Heights is today, a sought after neighborhood. Jackson Heights is one of the most—if not the most diverse community in the nation in what is the undisputed most diverse county. From Asia there are the Chinese, Pakistani, Thai, Korean, Vietnamese, Bangladeshi, Indian and Filipinos. There is also a growing Arab community. From Latin America there are the Ecuadorians, Colombians and Argentineans as well as pockets of Dominicans and Mexicans. There’s the long time Jewish community, the Irish, Italians and newly arrived into the area are immigrants from the former Yugoslavia( Croatians, Bosnians, Serbians) and while it is likely their numbers will grow given the trend New York neighborhoods historically have seen, their community is among the smallest in the neighborhood. Jackson Height’s diversity is reflected in local businesses. The neighborhood enjoys a year-round green market every Sunday. They boast of their historic core and have some of the best and most authentic ethnic restaurants in the city.