Maspeth, Queens

Maspeth is a small middle class residential and commercial community in the New York City borough of Queens. It was founded in the early 17th century by Dutch and English settlers. Neighborhoods sharing borders with Maspeth are Woodside to the north; Sunnyside to the northwest; Greenpoint, Brooklyn to the west; East Williamsburg, Brooklyn to the southwest; Fresh Pond and Ridgewood to the south; and Middle Village and Elmhurst to the east.

History

The name "Maspeth" is derived from the name of Mespeatches Indians, one of the 13 main Indian tribes that inhabited Long Island. It is translated to mean "at the bad waterplace" relating to the many stagnant swamps that existed in the area.

The area known today as Maspeth was chartered by New Netherlanders and English settlers in the early 17th century. The Dutch had purchased land in the area known today as Queens in 1635, and within a few years began chartering towns. In 1642, they settled Maspat, under a charter granted to Rev. Francis Doughty, making Maspeth the first English settlement in Queens; the deed that was signed between the Native Americans and the settlers was the first one signed on Long Island. As part of the deed's signature, the "Newtown Patent" granted 13,000 acres (5,300 ha) to settlers. Conflicts with the Maspat tribe forced many settlers to move to what is now Elmhurst in 1643. The settlement was leveled the following year in an attack by Native Indians, and the surviving settlers returned to Manhattan.

Maspeth (LIRR station)

Maspeth was a station stop along the Lower Montauk Branch of the Long Island Rail Road. The station was opened in February 1895 at 58th Avenue and Rust Street. The station closed in October 1903. It was reopened and closed again afterwards, dates between these years is unconfirmed, around 1924 the building was removed and around 1925 the station stop itself was discontinued. Currently the area is the site of freight activity by the New York and Atlantic Railway.

References

Maspeth (Flushing Railroad station)

Maspeth was a station stop along the original New York & Flushing Railroad that opened on January 15, 1855.Maspeth was located at Covert Avenue, now 58th Street, at Joy Street, now 54th Drive. So far as is known, there was no depot building. Station discontinued very early, probably 1858. The segment between what was to become the former Laurel Hill Station and Winfield Station, was abandoned for passenger service in 1875, including the location of the Maspeth station, and completely abandoned in 1880. Part of the right-of-way ran through what is today the Mount Zion Jewish Cemetery in Maspeth. The Flushing and Woodside was merged into the Flushing and North Side in 1871, and its line was abandoned in favor of the ex-New York and Flushing line.

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