Welcome to the Newtown Historical Society
The Newtown Historical Society was founded to educate the public about the history of the villages that comprised Newtown Township in Queens County, NY. Newtown Township stretched from the East River to the Flushing River. Towns covered include: Maspeth, Elmhurst, East Elmhurst, Middle Village, Glendale, Ridgewood, Forest Hills, Rego Park, Woodside, Jackson Heights and Corona.
Save Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
Newtown Historical Society is a member of "Save Flushing Meadows-Corona Park," a coalition of groups opposed to the commercial encroachment of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. Current Bloomberg Administration plans call for development of two stadiums and a shopping mall within the confines of the park. Destruction of the 1964 World's Fair-era Fountain of the Planets and Pool of Industry is part of the master plan. Learn more by visiting savefmcp.org and watching the video below.
Flushing River slideshow March 7, 2013
Sergey Kadinsky will present a slideshow about the history of the Flushing River.
Date: March 7, 2013 at 7pm
Location: Queens Borough Hall [120-55 Queens Boulevard], Room 213
Price: $10/$5 members
Please RSVP by calling (718) 366-3715 or e-mailing newtownhistory@gmail.com
Date: March 7, 2013 at 7pm
Location: Queens Borough Hall [120-55 Queens Boulevard], Room 213
Price: $10/$5 members
Please RSVP by calling (718) 366-3715 or e-mailing newtownhistory@gmail.com
Coming Soon: Postcards from LaGuardia
We are working on a new exhibit entitled "Postcards from LaGuardia" which chronicles the history of LaGuardia Airport. Details coming soon.
Restoration of Ridgewood Plateau arches underway!
The Newtown Historical Society, COMET and NYPD, with funding provided by Maspeth Federal Savings, are working on restoring and graffiti-proofing the Ridgewood Plateau arches! For more information, call NHS at (718) 366-3715.
Newtown Historical Society calls on Queens elected officials to fund acquisition of Brinckerhoff Cemetery
NHS President Christina Wilkinson speaks at
Brinckerhoff Cemetery rally 5/6/12.
Brinckerhoff Cemetery rally 5/6/12.
The Newtown Historical Society stands with the Fresh Meadows Homeowners Civic Association and other civic and preservation organizations across the borough in opposition of the proposed de-calendaring of the Brinckerhoff Cemetery by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The cemetery holds the remains of some of the earliest settlers of Queens and, as an important historical reminder of our borough’s past, should be designated an official NYC landmark. However, designation is not enough to ensure preservation.
Therefore, NHS calls on the elected officials representing the Fresh Meadows area, the Queens Borough President and Queens delegation of the City Council, to allocate funding toward purchase of the property and return ownership to the City. The property cost $100,000 to purchase in 2000, but that opportunity was unfortunately not capitalized upon. Over the course of the following 10 years, no funding was allocated for this purpose, although elected officials went on record during that time to claim that they supported public ownership of the land as a park or historic site.
The property was sold in 2010 for $105,000 – an increase in price of only $5,000 after 10 years. Surely, most - if not all - of this funding can be raised during the City’s upcoming June budget cycle to purchase the property from the current owner and assure that this land is forever saved from the threat of development. The Queens delegation recently allocated a lump sum of $3M toward purchase of a schoolyard in Jackson Heights for part-time use as a park. It is time for Queens’ elected officials to step up to the plate and put their money where their mouths are so we will not need any more hearings or rallies to push for a solution which should have come to pass decades ago.
Brinckerhoff Cemetery was also once known as "Black Stump Cemetery" and is located at 69-65 182nd Street in Fresh Meadows, Queens.
Therefore, NHS calls on the elected officials representing the Fresh Meadows area, the Queens Borough President and Queens delegation of the City Council, to allocate funding toward purchase of the property and return ownership to the City. The property cost $100,000 to purchase in 2000, but that opportunity was unfortunately not capitalized upon. Over the course of the following 10 years, no funding was allocated for this purpose, although elected officials went on record during that time to claim that they supported public ownership of the land as a park or historic site.
The property was sold in 2010 for $105,000 – an increase in price of only $5,000 after 10 years. Surely, most - if not all - of this funding can be raised during the City’s upcoming June budget cycle to purchase the property from the current owner and assure that this land is forever saved from the threat of development. The Queens delegation recently allocated a lump sum of $3M toward purchase of a schoolyard in Jackson Heights for part-time use as a park. It is time for Queens’ elected officials to step up to the plate and put their money where their mouths are so we will not need any more hearings or rallies to push for a solution which should have come to pass decades ago.
Brinckerhoff Cemetery was also once known as "Black Stump Cemetery" and is located at 69-65 182nd Street in Fresh Meadows, Queens.
NHS replaces plaque dedicated to Astoria's Hallett family
Council Member Peter Vallone,
NHS President Christina Wilkinson, William Hallett
NHS President Christina Wilkinson, William Hallett
Photo, left to right: Council Member Peter Vallone, Jr., NHS President Christina Wilkinson and Dr. William C. Hallett display Hallett Family memorial plaque now in Mount Olivet Cemetery.
August 22, 2011: The Newtown Historical Society is proud to announce the replacement of an historic plaque dedicated to Astoria’s founding family, the Halletts, at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Maspeth.
The Hallett family, led by patriarch William Hallett, emigrated from England and settled in Greenwich, Connecticut in 1648, but moved in 1652 to 160 acres in the Hallett’s Cove area of Astoria. In 1664, William Hallett expanded his holding to 2,200 acres, which included all of modern-day Astoria. Several generations of Halletts lived on the property and as was customary at the time, family members that died were buried near their home. The Hallett cemetery was located between Astoria Blvd and Main Avenue. Over time, the family’s land was divided into parcels and sold.
As explained by Vincent Seyfried in his book, 300 Years of Long Island City: 1630-1930, “All the 50 bodies in the burial plot, 35 of them Halletts dating from 1724 to 1861, were transferred to Mount Olivet Cemetery in April 1905 and the stones were re-cut and re-erected over the new graves.”
The original historical plaque that recorded this event had been weathered to the point where some of the writing on it was no longer readable.
“We don’t want barriers such as illegible writing to prevent Queens residents from understanding their history, so our board decided that replacing the plaque was the right thing to do,” explained Newtown Historical Society President Christina Wilkinson. “We thank Council Member Peter Vallone, Jr. for his assistance in making this happen.”
Council Member Peter F. Vallone, Jr. was instrumental in locating and obtaining permission from the descendants of William Hallett.
Vallone made contact with Dr. William C. Hallett, a Nassau County-based pharmacy consultant and direct descendant of the original William Hallett. Dr. Hallett is proud of his family’s history and is in possession of many documents dating back 300 years or more. The Hallett family history stretches across the borough to Flushing and Jamaica, but they are best known as being among the first settlers of Astoria.
"Astoria has a rich and storied history, and the Hallett family is proud to be a part of it,” said Dr. William C. Hallett. “We are deeply appreciative of the efforts of the Newtown Historical Society and Council Member Vallone to replace the plaque, and helping to preserve the history and heritage of our area."
“I commend Newtown Historical Society for being proactive and restoring this important link to Queens history. I thought my family had deep Queens roots, but the Halletts definitely have us all beat,” said Council Member Vallone. “Queens is a great place to call home, whether it’s your first year in the borough or your family’s 350th.”
The inscription on the new plaque, which is identical to the one on the old plaque, reads:
“In this plot rest the remains of many of the descendants of William Hallett who came to this country from England A.D. 1648. They were removed from the family grave yard at Hallett’s Cove A.D. 1905.”
August 22, 2011: The Newtown Historical Society is proud to announce the replacement of an historic plaque dedicated to Astoria’s founding family, the Halletts, at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Maspeth.
The Hallett family, led by patriarch William Hallett, emigrated from England and settled in Greenwich, Connecticut in 1648, but moved in 1652 to 160 acres in the Hallett’s Cove area of Astoria. In 1664, William Hallett expanded his holding to 2,200 acres, which included all of modern-day Astoria. Several generations of Halletts lived on the property and as was customary at the time, family members that died were buried near their home. The Hallett cemetery was located between Astoria Blvd and Main Avenue. Over time, the family’s land was divided into parcels and sold.
As explained by Vincent Seyfried in his book, 300 Years of Long Island City: 1630-1930, “All the 50 bodies in the burial plot, 35 of them Halletts dating from 1724 to 1861, were transferred to Mount Olivet Cemetery in April 1905 and the stones were re-cut and re-erected over the new graves.”
The original historical plaque that recorded this event had been weathered to the point where some of the writing on it was no longer readable.
“We don’t want barriers such as illegible writing to prevent Queens residents from understanding their history, so our board decided that replacing the plaque was the right thing to do,” explained Newtown Historical Society President Christina Wilkinson. “We thank Council Member Peter Vallone, Jr. for his assistance in making this happen.”
Council Member Peter F. Vallone, Jr. was instrumental in locating and obtaining permission from the descendants of William Hallett.
Vallone made contact with Dr. William C. Hallett, a Nassau County-based pharmacy consultant and direct descendant of the original William Hallett. Dr. Hallett is proud of his family’s history and is in possession of many documents dating back 300 years or more. The Hallett family history stretches across the borough to Flushing and Jamaica, but they are best known as being among the first settlers of Astoria.
"Astoria has a rich and storied history, and the Hallett family is proud to be a part of it,” said Dr. William C. Hallett. “We are deeply appreciative of the efforts of the Newtown Historical Society and Council Member Vallone to replace the plaque, and helping to preserve the history and heritage of our area."
“I commend Newtown Historical Society for being proactive and restoring this important link to Queens history. I thought my family had deep Queens roots, but the Halletts definitely have us all beat,” said Council Member Vallone. “Queens is a great place to call home, whether it’s your first year in the borough or your family’s 350th.”
The inscription on the new plaque, which is identical to the one on the old plaque, reads:
“In this plot rest the remains of many of the descendants of William Hallett who came to this country from England A.D. 1648. They were removed from the family grave yard at Hallett’s Cove A.D. 1905.”
Seeking locations for planting of historic Newtown Pippin trees
Newtown Pippins were again planted in April 2013. If you know of a group interested in sponsoring or hosting a Pippin tree, please call us at 718-366-3715. To learn more about the program, click here.
