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1957 Map of Jamaica

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Jamaica
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

Jamaica and its surrounding Queens neighborhoods are shown here in a period of intense post-war density and transportation development. The sprawling footprint of the New York International Airport (Idlewild Field) dominates the southeastern quadrant, just as the aviation age was transforming the local landscape. To the west, the massive Aqueduct Race Track and nearby Jamaica Race Track underscore the area's mid-century role as a major regional entertainment destination.

Transit networks define the urban grid, from the multiple branches of the Long Island RR to the emerging parkway system, including the Van Wyck Expressway and Southern Parkway. Academic and religious institutions like Queens College, St Johns University, and the Mary Louis Academy are established landmarks amidst residential clusters like Fresh Meadows, Hollis, and Ozone Park. Along the southern shore, the marshlands of Jamaica Bay and Grassy Bay contrast with the industrial and residential developments of Howard Beach and Hamilton Beach.