Pomonok, Queens

Pomonok is a working-class neighborhood in the Queens borough of New York City. It is bounded by Kissena Park to the north, the Long Island Expressway to the south, Parsons Boulevard to the west, and 164th Street to the east. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 8.

History

The name "Pomonok" derives from a Native American word for eastern Long Island, and means either "land of tribute" or "land where there is travelling by water". The area was originally inhabited by the Matinecock tribe, part of the larger Algonquin people, who lived in the area for hundreds of years before the arrival of Dutch settlers in the 17th century.

In the 20th century, the area was developed as a public housing project, the Pomonok Houses, which were completed in 1952. The project was built on the former site of the Pomonok Country Club.

Demographics

Pomonok is a diverse neighborhood, with a significant number of African American, Hispanic, and Asian residents. The neighborhood also has a large Jewish community, with several synagogues and Jewish schools in the area.

Education

Pomonok is served by the New York City Department of Education. Public schools in the area include P.S. 201 (The Discovery School for Inquiry and Research), P.S. 164 (The Queens Valley School of the Arts), and I.S. 250 (The Robert F. Kennedy Middle School).

Transportation

Public transportation in Pomonok is provided by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates bus routes through the neighborhood. The nearest subway station is the Kissena Boulevard station on the IRT Flushing Line.

Notable people

Several notable people have lived in or been associated with Pomonok, including rapper Action Bronson, who grew up in the neighborhood, and former New York City Mayor John Lindsay, who lived in the Pomonok Houses as a child.

See also

• List of Queens neighborhoods
• Public housing in the United States