Woodhaven is a neighborhood in the southwestern part of the Queens borough in New York City. It is located north of Park Lane South and Forest Park, east of Richmond Hill, south of Ozone Park and Atlantic Avenue, and west of the Cypress Hills area in East New York, Brooklyn.

Woodhaven was once called Woodyville. It has one of the largest numbers of trees in the borough and is near the hiking trails of Forest Park. The area includes a mix of urban and suburban spaces, such as low-density homes and businesses. It has a small-town atmosphere and is home to people from many different backgrounds.

Woodhaven is in Queens Community District 9, and its ZIP Code is 11421. The area is patrolled by the New York City Police Department’s 102nd Precinct. Politically, it is represented by the New York City Council’s 28th, 30th, and 32nd Districts.

History

Jamaica Avenue, the neighborhood's main road, began as an ancient Native American trail called the Old Rockaway Trail. The northern edge of the Rockaway territory was marked by a natural ridge formed by the Wisconsin glacier, which created the hills of Forest Park. According to the New York City Parks Department, Forest Park was home to the Rockaway and Lenape Native Americans until the Dutch West India Company settled the area in 1635. Native Americans in the region used the stems of arrowwood plants, which grew in Forest Park, to make arrows.

European settlers began living in Woodhaven in the mid-1700s. The town focused on farming, with families such as the Ditmar, Lott, Wyckoff, Suydam, and Snediker. British soldiers surprised General George Washington’s army during the American Revolutionary War by quietly marching through the lightly guarded "Jamaica Pass" in Brooklyn. This move helped the British win the Battle of Long Island in Queens, the largest battle of the war and the first after the Declaration of Independence.

Later, Woodhaven became the location of two racetracks: the Union Course (1821) and the Centreville Course (1825). The Union Course, now bounded by 78th Street, 82nd Street, Jamaica Avenue, and Atlantic Avenue, was famous for being the first racetrack with a dirt racing surface, a new idea at the time. These tracks originally had no grandstands. Early races involved a single, four-mile (6 km) competition with as many heats as needed to decide a winner. Over time, programs included multiple races. Large crowds, sometimes as many as 70,000 people, gathered to watch match races between horses from the South and North. Several hotels, including the Snedeker Hotel and the Forschback Inn, were built in the area to serve visitors.

A man from Connecticut named John R. Pitkin developed the eastern part of the area as a workers’ village and named it Woodville in 1835. In 1853, he started a newspaper. That same year, residents asked for a local post office. To avoid confusion with another Woodville in upstate New York, the community changed its name to Woodhaven. The original area stretched as far south as Liberty Avenue.

In 1863, two Frenchmen named Charles Lalance and Florian Grosjean started the village as a place for making things by opening a tin factory and improving the process of tin stamping. As late as 1900, the surrounding area remained mostly farmland. From Atlantic Avenue, people could see as far south as Jamaica Bay, the site of today’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. Since 1894, Woodhaven’s local newspaper has been called the Leader-Observer.

Demographics

According to the 2010 United States census, Woodhaven had a population of 56,674 people. This was an increase of 2,525 (4.7%) compared to the 54,149 people counted in 2000. Woodhaven covers an area of 853.08 acres (345.23 hectares) and has a population density of 66.4 people per acre (42,500 per square mile; 16,400 per square kilometer).

The racial makeup of Woodhaven was as follows: 17.3% (9,798) White, 6.1% (3,458) African American, 0.4% (250) Native American, 17.4% (9,856) Asian, 0.0% (23) Pacific Islander, 2.4% (1,371) from other races, and 2.8% (1,612) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino individuals of any race made up 53.5% (30,306) of the population.

Community Board 9, which includes Kew Gardens, Richmond Hill, and Woodhaven, had 148,465 people as of NYC Health’s 2018 Community Health Profile. The average life expectancy in this area was 84.3 years, which is higher than the median life expectancy of 81.2 years for all New York City neighborhoods. Most residents are youth and middle-aged adults: 22% are aged 0–17, 30% are aged 25–44, and 27% are aged 45–64. Fewer residents are college-aged (17%) or elderly (7%).

As of 2017, the median household income in Community Board 9 was $69,916. In 2018, an estimated 22% of Woodhaven and Kew Gardens residents lived in poverty, compared to 19% in all of Queens and 20% in all of New York City. About 8% of residents were unemployed, the same as in Queens and slightly lower than the citywide rate of 9%. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying rent, was 55% in Woodhaven and Kew Gardens, higher than the boroughwide rate of 53% and citywide rate of 51%. Based on this, Woodhaven and Kew Gardens were considered high-income relative to the rest of the city and not undergoing gentrification as of 2018.

Woodhaven is ethnically diverse but has a majority Hispanic/Latino population. It also includes a small number of African Americans and a growing number of Asian Americans.

Land use

Woodhaven is a neighborhood that is mostly made up of homes and is partly suburban. Stores and businesses are mainly found on Jamaica Avenue, a street that runs from west to east and divides Woodhaven in two. Stores are also located on Atlantic Avenue, which is along the southern edge of Woodhaven.

The southern part of Woodhaven is mostly flat, with the lowest point just below 30 feet (9.1 meters) above sea level. The northern part of Woodhaven rises slowly to about 105 feet (32 meters) near Forest Park, where there are many hills.

In the northern section, most homes are Victorian or Colonial-style and are more than 120 years old. In the southern section, many homes are also Victorian. This area is generally less expensive than other parts of the city.

Jamaica Avenue has many small, locally owned stores and restaurants. One of the oldest businesses was Lewis of Woodhaven, which had two locations but closed in 2004. Many other long-standing businesses still operate in the area.

Neir's Tavern opened in 1829 and is believed by some historians to be the oldest bar in the city. The Neir family owned the bar from 1898 to 1967, after which it declined and closed in 2009. New owners reopened it in 2010. Residents and preservation groups have tried but failed to convince the City of New York to officially recognize the tavern as a historic site protected by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Other long-standing businesses on Jamaica Avenue include Popp's Restaurant, which opened in 1907; Manor Delicatessen, which opened in 1914; and Schmidt's Candy, which opened in 1925 and is now run by the granddaughter of its founder.

Culture

An annual motorcycle parade on Woodhaven Boulevard honors the bravery of war veterans and raises money for the Salvation Army and holiday toys for children in need. A street fair on Jamaica Avenue includes live music and activities for children, allowing residents to learn about the diverse backgrounds of Woodhaven’s people.

Many writers, artists, musicians, actors, and filmmakers have lived in or come from this area. Woodhaven is known as one of the main areas for metal music in New York City, along with Greenpoint, because of a recording studio in the neighborhood. A tattoo and piercing shop run by women in the area was shown in the documentary Feminine Ink.

Points of interest

The former St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, now called All Saints Episcopal Church, is located at 85-45 96th Street. Its parish hall was built in 1907. The church itself was constructed between 1926 and 1927 in the Late Gothic Revival style, designed by architect Robert F. Schirmer. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. Behind the church is the Wyckoff-Snediker Family Cemetery, which is separately listed on the register.

The St. Anthony's Mansion, which later became St. Anthony's Hospital, was located on a seven-acre site on Woodhaven Boulevard between 89th and 91st Avenues. The hospital contributed to important advances in the study of heart and lung diseases. It was demolished in the late 1990s. A historical marker now marks the site, which is now part of a residential neighborhood called Woodhaven Park Estates.

The Beaux-Arts Fire Command Telegraph Station is located at the intersection of Woodhaven Boulevard and Park Lane South, within Forest Park. It has an octagon-shaped roof with a central cupola. The fire department began operating there in 1928.

One of the oldest homes in Woodhaven is on 87-20 88th Street. It was originally built on Jamaica Avenue. In 1920, the house had to be moved to its current location on 88th Street because of the construction of the BMT Jamaica Line. The house was built around or before 1910. The first house number assigned in Queens under the Philadelphia Plan was also in Woodhaven. The home was owned by a German immigrant named Albert Voigt.

Neir's Tavern, established in Woodhaven in 1829, has been open almost continuously since then, except during Prohibition. It is one of the oldest bars in the United States. Some people say the bar is haunted.

The Crystal Manor Hotel building, once a luxurious place for business travelers, still stands at the intersection of Woodhaven Boulevard and Jamaica Avenue. Its brick exterior has remained largely unchanged for more than 100 years.

Betty Smith, the author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, wrote most of the book in Woodhaven, near Forest Parkway and 85th Drive. The story is set in nearby Cypress Hills. The Woodhaven Post Office features a New Deal mural painted by Ben Shahn. The Brooklyn Royal Giants, a professional baseball team from the Negro Leagues, played at Dexter Park. The park was demolished in 1955 and now has a plaque marking its location. The Lalance & Grosjean Tin Manufacturing Factory in Woodhaven produced many kitchen and household items, some of which were displayed in MOMA exhibitions about 20th-century design.

Police and crime

Kew Gardens, Richmond Hill, and Woodhaven are protected by the 102nd Precinct of the NYPD, which is located at 87-34 118th Street. In 2010, the 102nd Precinct was the 22nd safest out of 69 patrol areas in New York City based on crime rates per person. By 2018, the rate of non-fatal assaults in Woodhaven and Kew Gardens was 43 per 100,000 people, which was lower than the city's overall rate of violent crimes per person. The incarceration rate in the area was 345 per 100,000 people, which was also lower than the city's overall rate.

Crime rates in the 102nd Precinct have decreased significantly since the 1990s. Between 1990 and 2018, crimes in all categories dropped by 90.2%. In 2018, the precinct reported 2 murders, 24 rapes, 101 robberies, 184 felony assaults, 104 burglaries, 285 grand larcenies, and 99 auto thefts.

Fire safety

Woodhaven has three fire stations operated by the New York City Fire Department (FDNY):

• Engine Co. 285/Ladder Co. 142 – 103-17 98th Street (Ozone Park)
• Engine Co. 294/Ladder Co. 143 – 101-02 Jamaica Avenue (Richmond Hill)
• Engine Co. 293 – 89-40 87th Street

Health

As of 2018, preterm births are more common in Woodhaven and Kew Gardens than in other areas citywide. However, births to teenage mothers are less common there. In Woodhaven and Kew Gardens, there were 92 preterm births for every 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 15.7 births to teenage mothers for every 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide). Woodhaven and Kew Gardens have a higher than average population of residents who are uninsured. In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 14%, slightly higher than the citywide rate of 12%.

The amount of fine particulate matter, the deadliest type of air pollutant, in Woodhaven and Kew Gardens is 0.0073 milligrams per cubic metre (7.3 × 10 oz/ft³), less than the city average. Eleven percent of Woodhaven and Kew Gardens residents are smokers, which is lower than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers. In Woodhaven and Kew Gardens, 23% of residents are obese, 14% are diabetic, and 22% have high blood pressure—compared to the citywide averages of 22%, 8%, and 23% respectively. In addition, 22% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%.

Eighty-six percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which is about the same as the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 78% of residents described their health as "good," "very good," or "excellent," equal to the city's average of 78%. For every supermarket in Woodhaven and Kew Gardens, there are 11 bodegas.

The nearest major hospitals are Long Island Jewish Forest Hills and Jamaica Hospital.

Post office and ZIP Codes

Woodhaven is located in ZIP Code 11421. The United States Post Office operates the Woodhaven Station at 86-42 Forest Parkway.

Parks

Forest Park is the third largest park in Queens. About 20,000 years ago, the Wisconsin Glacier moved away from Long Island, leaving hills in the area now known as Woodhaven. These hills are now part of Forest Park. Before European settlers arrived, the Rockaway, Delaware, and Lenape Native American tribes lived in the area. In 1634, Dutch West India Company settlers came to the region and started building towns, which forced the tribes to leave. The park includes the largest unbroken oak forest in Queens. Inside the park, the Forest Park Carousel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. The park also has playgrounds, Strack Pond, a barbecue area, a bandshell, a nature center, a dog run, and hiking trails. Therapeutic horseback riding for people with special needs is also offered in the park.

Dexter Park, a baseball field that once covered 10 acres in Woodhaven just east of Franklin K. Lane High School, had the first engineered lighting system for night games. This system was installed in 1930.

Education

As of 2018, Woodhaven and Kew Gardens had a lower percentage of college-educated residents compared to the rest of the city. Among residents aged 25 and older, 34% had a college education or higher, 22% had less than a high school education, and 43% were high school graduates or had some college education. In contrast, 39% of Queens residents and 43% of city residents had a college education or higher. Between 2000 and 2011, the percentage of Woodhaven and Kew Gardens students excelling in math increased from 34% to 61%, and reading achievement improved from 39% to 48% during the same period.

The rate of elementary school student absenteeism in Woodhaven and Kew Gardens was lower than the citywide average. In 2018, 17% of elementary school students missed 20 or more days per school year, compared to a citywide average of 20%. Additionally, 79% of high school students in Woodhaven and Kew Gardens graduated on time, which is higher than the citywide average of 75%.

Public schools in the area include:
• PS 60 Woodhaven
• PS 97 Forest Park
• PS 254 Rosa Parks
• New York City Academy for Discovery

Private schools in the area include:
• St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Academy

The Queens Public Library operates the Woodhaven branch at 85-41 Forest Parkway.

Transportation

In 1836, Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) train cars were pulled by horses along Atlantic Avenue. These cars shared the road with other vehicles and stopped at major intersections, similar to how a bus operates today. People often got on and off the moving cars. The 1848 LIRR schedule listed an intersection called Union Course, which was near a racetrack, and another called Woodville, farther east. Later, when the LIRR used electricity for power, permanent tracks were built. The Union Course station opened on April 28, 1905. In 1911, the station’s platform was expanded to four tracks, and most of Atlantic Avenue was closed to other traffic. These four tracks divided the community and became the border between Woodhaven and Ozone Park.

In 1918, elevated railway service to Williamsburg and Lower Manhattan began with the BMT Jamaica Line, which ran above Jamaica Avenue. At the same time, train service on Atlantic Avenue’s surface tracks and seven stations between Jamaica and Brooklyn ended on November 1, 1939. This was replaced in 1942 with underground tracks and a single underground station between Jamaica and Brooklyn. After the surface tracks were removed, Atlantic Avenue became a continuous road again. The single station in this tunnel was called Woodhaven Junction, located at 100th Street on the LIRR’s Atlantic Avenue Branch. This station provided rail service to Jamaica and Brooklyn (Atlantic Terminal) until it closed in 1977. Woodhaven Junction was also used by beachgoers and commuters who transferred to aboveground LIRR stations for trains to Rockaway Beach and Far Rockaway. The station was closed in 1962 when the Rockaway Beach Branch was abandoned.

Today, MTA Regional Bus Operations provides bus service in Woodhaven on routes Q7, Q11, Q24, Q52 SBS, Q53 SBS, Q56, and QM15. Other routes (BM5, QM16, and QM17) pass through the area without stopping. The New York City Subway’s J and Z trains serve the Jamaica Line, with stops at Woodhaven Boulevard, 85th Street, and 75th Street.

Some transportation supporters in Queens are proposing to reopen the Rockaway Beach Branch of the LIRR, including the Brooklyn Manor station in Woodhaven, located at Jamaica Avenue and 100th Street. Another idea is to leave the naturally regrown tracks as they are or turn them into a rail trail, like Manhattan’s High Line.

In popular culture

In the 1990 Martin Scorsese film Goodfellas, a scene showing Mafia members arriving after robbing an airport, wearing mink coats and driving pink Cadillacs, was filmed at Neir's Tavern on 78th Street. A historical marker is located outside the restaurant. In 2017, Justin Timberlake and Juno Temple filmed a scene for the Woody Allen movie Wonder Wheel at Jamaica Avenue and 80th Street. The opening scenes of the 1984 film The Flamingo Kid were shot at 96th Street and Jamaica Avenue. Tom Holland filmed a school scene for Spider-Man: Homecoming at Franklin K. Lane High School in Woodhaven.

Television shows that have filmed in Woodhaven include The Americans (at Forest Park Bandshell) and Person of Interest (at Forest Park Carousel). Mae West is believed to have performed at Neir's Tavern in an upstairs entertainment hall.

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Woodhaven include:

• Adrien Brody (born 1973), an actor who has won two Academy Awards, grew up in Woodhaven.
• William F. Brunner (1887–1965), a member of the United States Congress from New York.
• Jason Cipolla (born 1974), a former basketball player for the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team.
• George Gershwin (1898–1937), a composer, was born at 242 Snedeker Avenue (now 78th Street).
• Charles V. Glasco, a New York City police sergeant, who helped rescue John William Warde in 1938.
• Brian Hyland (born 1943), known for recording the song Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini.
• Eddie Money (1949–2019), a singer and songwriter of the song Take Me Home Tonight, lived on 88th Street during his teenage years.
• Danny Kaye (1911–1987), an actor, singer, and comedian who grew up on Bradford Street.
• Dick Van Patten (1928–2015), an actor who lived in Woodhaven during his childhood.
• Qi Shu Fang (born 1943), a performer in Beijing opera.
• Lynn Pressman Raymond (around 1912–2009), an inventor of toys and games who led the Pressman Toy Corporation.
• Betty Smith (1896–1972), an author. A historical marker is outside the house on Forest Parkway (across from the Woodhaven Library), where she wrote A Tree Grows in Brooklyn in 1943. In this popular novel, a widow named Nolan marries a policeman with a government job and moves to Cypress Hills, where it is quiet and there are trees.
• Barry Sullivan (1912–1994), a film and television actor.
• Fred Trump (1905–1999), a businessman who developed real estate.
• Mae West (1893–1980), who lived on 88th Street in Woodhaven. Some sources say she made her first professional performance in a local bar. A historical marker is outside the venue.