Jamaica Avenue is a major avenue in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens in New York City, New York, in the United States. Jamaica Avenue starts at Broadway and Fulton Street (replacing East New York Avenue) in the East New York neighborhood in Brooklyn, and goes to the city line in Bellerose, Queens, where it becomes Jericho Turnpike to service the rest of Long Island.
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Jamaica Avenue was part of a pre-columbian trail for tribes from as far away as the Ohio River and the Great Lakes, coming to trade skins and furs for wampum. It was in 1655 that the first settlers paid the Native Americans with two guns, a coat, and some powder and lead, for the land lying between the old trail and "Beaver Pond," later, Baisley Pond. Dutch Director-General Peter Stuyvesant dubbed the area "Rustdorp" in granting the 1656 patent. The English, who took control of the colony 1664, renamed the little settlement "Jameco," for the Jameco (or Yamecah) Native Americans.
In the early 19th century the old road through Jamaica Pass was the Brooklyn Ferry Road, and at mid-century became the Brooklyn and Jamaica Plank Road with toll booths. Late in the century the portion west of Jamaica Pass became Fulton Street, and the eastern portion Jamaica Avenue.
The part of Jamaica Avenue that runs through Jamaica Center is an important shopping street, the heart of Jamaica, Queens. Prices are said to be low, in an exciting market place atmosphere. It is also the historic center of the former village with several city landmarks including the King Manor.
Jamaica Avenue is also the main shopping street for many other neighborhoods it runs through as well, including Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, and Queens Village. Many Guyanese, Jamaican, and West Indian food and clothing items are sold in shops.
Jamaica Avenue is the starting point of many newer streets in Queens, such as Myrtle Avenue, Metropolitan Avenue, Hempstead Avenue, Guy R. Brewer Boulevard, Farmers Boulevard, and Queens Boulevard. Many bus lines run down Jamaica Avenue, including the Q56, Q110, and Q36. The BMT Jamaica Line (J Z trains) runs above Jamaica Avenue through Woodhaven and Richmond Hill. Bus depots are located near the avenue in Jamaica and in East New York.
Jamaica intersects with other former country roads in Queens as well, now become important urban streets including Woodhaven Boulevard, Lefferts Boulevard, Sutphin Boulevard, Parsons Boulevard, Francis Lewis Boulevard, and Springfield Boulevard.
The Jamaica Center subway terminal (E J Z trains) with its associated bus station is a major transport hub, a rival to the nearby Jamaica – 179th Street station (E F trains) on Hillside Avenue. Jamaica Avenue in downtown Jamaica is a shopping street on a par with Brooklyn's Fulton Street.
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