Ravenswood, Queens
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ravenswood is the name for the strip of land bordering the East River in Long Island City, in the New York City borough of Queens. The area is part of Queens Community Board 1.
[edit] History
The land was acquired in 1814 by Col. George Gibbs, a businessman from New York City who developed it. Gibbs died in 1833, and the land was divided into nine parcels by three developers. From 1848, there were several mansions built on this land, but the high class housing did not survive. In 1875, the first commercial buildings were erected, and the mansions were converted into offices and boarding houses. Ravenswood was heavily commercial by 1900, and remains so to this day. However, the name has retained its residential character through the public housing project that was built with this name between 34th and 36th Avenues, and between 12th and 24th Streets. The name also identifies the large electric power station established along that shore.