Commemorating the 191st Anniversary of the neighborhood of Woodhaven to be celebrated on July 1, 2026

Assembly Resolution No. 1349

BY: M. of A. Rajkumar

            commemorating  the  191st  Anniversary  of the
        neighborhood of Woodhaven to be celebrated  on  July
        1, 2026

  WHEREAS,  It  is  the  intent  of this Legislative Body to honor and
commemorate the proud and distinguished  histories  of  the  communities
which comprise the noble body of this great Empire State; and

  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this  Legislative  Body  is  justly  proud  to
commemorate  the  191st  Anniversary of the neighborhood of Woodhaven in
Queens, New York; and

  WHEREAS, The area now known as  Woodhaven  has  been  inhabited  for
centuries,  having  been  the home of the Rockaway, Lenape, and Delaware
Native American tribes, followed by the Suydam, Wyckoff,  Ditmar,  Lott,
and Snediker families settling in the eighteenth century; and

  WHEREAS,  Woodhaven  traces its inception to July 1, 1835, when John
R. Pitkin purchased land to found a community he named Woodville,  which
in  1853  became Woodhaven in order to avoid confusion with another town
of the same name; and

  WHEREAS, One of the pivotal  developers  of  Woodhaven  was  Florian
Grosjean,  who  in 1863 established the Lalance & Grosjean Manufacturing
Co. factory with his partner Charles Lalance, and then built  a  company
town with homes, churches, a park, and a library; and

  WHEREAS,  Today,  Woodhaven  is  a  charming  neighborhood in Queens
boasting many stores and restaurants that  are  individually  or  family
owned,  beautiful  homes  in  the  Victorian  and  Colonial  styles, and
residents filled with love for their community; and

  WHEREAS, The neighborhood is a suburban  oasis  in  New  York  City,
replete with low density housing, low-rise commercial buildings, and one
of the largest tree populations in Queens; and

  WHEREAS,  Historic small businesses, some of which have operated for
over a century, abound in  Woodhaven,  including  Neir's  Tavern,  Pop's
Restaurant, Manor Delicatessen, and Schmidt's Candy; and

  WHEREAS,  Woodhaven  is home to numerous historic residences, houses
of worship, and  other  landmarks,  including  St.  Matthew's  Episcopal
Church, the Emanuel United Church of Christ, the Wyckoff-Snediker Family
Cemetery,  the  Crystal  Manor Hotel building, the Queens Public Library
Woodhaven Branch, the Queens Fire Alarm Telegraph Station, the Woodhaven
Post Office, the Spear and Company Factory, and homes that  are  over  a
century old; and

  WHEREAS,  The crown jewel of Woodhaven is the beautiful Forest Park,
founded in 1895, and known for its  hiking  and  biking  trails,  Strack
Pond,  the  George Seuffert, Sr. Bandshell, and the historic Forest Park
Carousel; and


  WHEREAS,  The  neighborhood  is  a  center of the arts, home to many
artists, the Woodhaven Art  Circle,  and  frequent  cultural  events  in
Forest Park; and

  WHEREAS,  Woodhaven  is  known  for  its  diverse  community of over
55,000, and was the home of notable people including Adrien Brody, Betty
Smith, Mae West, Barry Sullivan, and George Gershwin; and

  WHEREAS, Remaining fruitful over the ebb  and  flow  of  decades  of
growth   and   change,  the  neighborhood  of  Woodhaven  continues  its
commitment to enhancing the quality of life of its residents, ensuring a
positive business and social climate; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
commemorate  the 191st Anniversary of Woodhaven to be celebrated on July
1, 2026, recognizing the significance of the role it continues  to  play
in  the  life of the community of Queens, and the State of New York as a
whole; and be it further

  RESOLVED, That copies of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted to various Woodhaven organizations.