A Brief History (Mimi Fuchs)
Located in Queens and teeming with multiple cultures and different types of people, Jackson Heights has not been “Jackson Heights” for very long. Before any serious development began, Jackson Heights was an area that was primarily farm land and dirt roads. It was when the Queensboro Bridge was built that Queens became a popular area to live– houses were built, farmland was no longer everywhere, and massive amounts of people began to move the borough.
Named after John Jackson, who was the president of The Hunters Point and Flushing Turnpike Company, Jackson Heights began to have buildings built in 1911, bringing in more people. Laurel Court, the first apartment building was erected in 1914. Shortly afterwards, 3 other apartment buildings were built, all advertising that they were similar and on the same level of the apartment complexes offered in Manhattan. Many of the buildings did not remain the same for long, as they were all rebuilt and modeled in 1930. The most influential figure in constructing Jackson Heights was Edward Archibald MacDougall. He is the man who began to build the majority of the apartment complexes, working with others to create Jackson Heights into a desirable neighborhood, offering many amenities to the inhabitants, such as golf courses, movie theaters, extensive buildings, and more.
In 1917, the Roosevelt Avenue subway was built, once more bringing a larger influx of inhabitants into Jackson Heights. The advertising to bring people in the homes mentioned the development of the neighborhood, the gardens that surrounded the buildings, the good sunlight and ventilation, and more. Churches, movie theaters, and parks were built, providing entertainment to those who lived and visited the area- also drawing more attraction.
Jackson Heights was booming by 1920, newspapers marveled about Linden Court, which was the first building under the Cooperative Ownership Plan (the first housing plan in the US). Linden Court had beautiful gardens, lighting, space, and more. As more people began to rush to Jackson Heights to experience the luxury apartments, space, and community it offered, even more apartment complexes were built. Well-off families inhabited the buildings, meaning that it was a predominantly white neighborhood. Rent went up, causing apartments to become surprisingly expensive, cutting out a large portion of New Yorkers who were incapable of affording the area.
During the Great Depression, Jackson Heights was affected just like many other places were. Many apartments were renovated into smaller ones. Soon after this, Jackson Heights no longer was selling apartments and attracting the upper class crowd it once was. Instead, people were opting to rent apartments within the complexes. Young families began to move into the neighborhood, no longer giving it the “city within a city” feel it had before, but more of a small town feel. As immigration levels were rising in the 1960’s, immigrants came to Jackson Heights.
Today, Jackson Heights attracts mostly immigrant groups. The streets are bustling with all languages, food aromas, and people from around the world. Its attractions remain quite similar to what they were when the area was first constructed. It is easily accessible to get to Manhattan by subway, fairly affordable, and offers all sorts of entertainment. It is an excellent place to go to experience the different parts of New York City and to enjoy the culture.
