Flushing is a section of the borough of Queens in New York City, New York.

Before the consolidation of New York City in 1898, Flushing was a town in Queens County. Today, it is a thriving business and residential area, with large Chinese and Korean communities (see Chinatown and Koreatown). The Chinese community in Flushing is in fact now the largest in the New York metropolitan area, having surpassed Manhattan's Chinatown several years ago.

Flushing is one of the most prominent neighborhoods of Queens, along with Jamaica, The Rockaways, Bayside and Long Island City.

Flushing now has many new residential and commerical buildings and is an area that is experiencing rapid development, including many innovative architectural designs. Primary streets in Flushing include Main Street, Roosevelt Avenue, Northern Boulevard, Prince Street, and Bowne Street.

History

Flushing is named after the city of Vlissingen (anglisized as Flushing), found in the southwestern Netherlands, first named when New Netherland was settled by the Dutch in the 1620's. Traces of Dutch history can still be found in Flushing today, such as the John Bowne House on Bowne Street, The Bowne Street Community Church (of the Reformed Church in America), and the Flushing Quaker Meeting House . The Flushing Remonstrance was signed here on December 27, 1657.

The Flushing Cemetery is the final resting place for renowned musician and singer Louis Armstrong and for Bohemian writer Hermann Grab.

Transportation

Flushing is a major transportation hub with major air, rail, and bus links located within a half-mile radius of downtown. The New York City Subway IRT Flushing Line's terminal is at Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue, with the Port Washington branch of the LIRR located one block away. Over a dozen local buses serve Flushing with destinations in Long Island, the Bronx, Jamaica, and other parts of Queens. La Guardia Airport is located 10 minutes away by car or bus.

Tourism

Attractions located in and around Flushing include Flushing Town Hall, home to a variety of music, and cultural events; Shea Stadium, home of the New York Mets baseball team; the grounds of Flushing Meadow-Corona Park (site of the 1939 and 1964 World's Fairs) and home to the Queens Botanical Garden , Queens Museum of Art, and the Arthur Ashe USTA National Tennis Center. Historic buildings in Flushing include Bowne House, built 1661; and the Quaker Meeting House, established 1694.

External links

• A Journey Through Chinatown - Downtown Flushing map