College Point

A world away from the bustle of Manhattan, College Point, Queens, boasts one of the most interesting histories of any New York City neighborhood. College Point began as a sleepy rural hamlet, but by the mid-nineteenth century, immigration and the industrial revolution had transformed it into a booming suburb. By 1900, the community had a distinct identity as home to several thousand residents and host to hordes of weekend visitors drawn by its spectacular East River setting and beer garden resorts. College Point recounts this neighborhood’s colorful story through photographs and other illustrations from the magnificent collection of the Poppenhusen Institute, the community center founded in 1868 by a local industrialist and benefactor. The institute maintains an important place in College Point life, offering a wide range of classes, concerts, and other activities to this quirky but quintessential New York neighborhood.