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Despite the rich culture and history that is embedded into Jackson Heights, it’s hard to believe that Jackson Heights is only less than a century old. In fact, before it was even called Jackson Heights, the area was simply fields and farmland. Queens just wasn’t able to garner as much attention as its neighbor, Manhattan, did. It was not until the construction of the Queensboro Bridge was announced that led to a greater interest in Queens (more specifically, the real estate). Because of the vast success of the Brooklyn Bridge opening, people quickly learned from the past; they decided to invest in the area that was soon-to-be the Queensboro Bridge, which ultimately led to the erection of the “Empire of Queens”.
The “Original” Jackson Heights
Garden Apartment in Jackson Heights
A major figure that was responsible for the creation of Jackson Heights was Edward Archibald MacDougall, who was the president of the Queensboro Corporation. He managed to purchase large areas of (farm)land in Queens, which would later be renovated to Jackson Heights. Buildings would soon be erected in Jackson Heights; MacDougall had the view of the garden city movement (which originated in Europe) in mind for Jackson Heights. Basically, this is about the opposite of the congested atmosphere and lifestyle of Manhattan; parks, gardens, and “green land” were abundant, and sunlight would be able to reach every corner of the neighborhood. Because of this, the Queensboro Corporation named their apartments in Jackson Heights “Garden Apartments”.
Jackson Heights was originally envisioned as a suburban community exclusive to white, non-immigrant Protestants. Jackson Heights was developed as an easy getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city for many and at the same time, a relatively easy commute to their jobs in Manhattan. These houses were marked at a relatively high price to prevent “foreigners” from settling. However, in the 1930’s after an ambush from the Great Depression, these houses were marked for a much lower price tag, leading to a large influx of previously-unwanted immigrants in the area including Jews, and Irish Catholics.
Eventually in the 50’s large waves of Latin American Immigrants including Cubans refugees (who were escaping Castro) and Columbian entrepreneurs began settling in these apartments. The 1952 Immigration reform act lifted a previously existing immigration quota that limited Europeans entering the United States and caused a large influx of Eastern European population within the area. The 1965 Immigration reform act opened the doors for East-Asians including Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, etc. Waves of ethnics from India subcontinent also began to emerge in the late 60’s and 70’s as a result of Jackson Heights’ attractive and spacious apartments with relatively cheap price tags.
With such an influx of immigrants to the Jackson Heights, new cultures emerged leading to an inevitable introduction of exotic foods. Today, many popular restaurants include Himilayan Yak (a fusion of Tibetan, Nepali, Indian, Bhutanese cuisine), Jackson Diner (an Indian restaurant), Hae Woon Dae (a Korean restaurant), La Pequena (A Columbian restaurant), etc. These few restaurants are located within minutes from each other by foot. With such heterogeneity in the neighborhood, it is no wonder people come to Jackson Heights to experience New York’s reputation for diversity.
– Chapter Two –
The Story Untold
– Chapter Three –
The Cultural Mélange
