LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 130th Anniversary of Ozone
Park, Queens, New York

WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to honor and commem-
orate the distinguished histories of the communities which comprise the
noble body of this great Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commem-
orate the 130th Anniversary of Ozone Park; and
WHEREAS, A great community, Ozone Park consists of hard working people
and small businesses that serve the area and residents who truly care
about the neighborhood; early history records indicate that the western
part of Long Island was settled around 1660 by Dutch and English sett-
lers due to a land grant by the Dutch West India Company; settlers
established themselves alongside the Rockaway and Jameco Native American
tribes who were already in the area; and
WHEREAS, The land around Ozone Park was dotted with farms until 1882,
when developers Benjamin Hitchcock and Charles C. Denton converted farm-
land into tracts of land with homes that were sold to people looking to
enjoy the "ozone" or the clean, fresh air of the ocean and bay that
washed over the area, namely "Ozone Park"; and
WHEREAS, In 1907, developer David Leahy began buying up farms in the
area to build small, single-family homes; he envisioned that the idea of
refreshing breezes blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean to a park-like
community would lure buyers; a planned expansion of the Long Island
Railroad through the community made it accessible to the city; and
WHEREAS, Early residents were the first to experience the thrill of
riding the elevated train over the water to spend the day at Rockaway
Beach; Benjamin Hitchcock and Charles Denton expanded the community
south, east and north, doubling its size; also, in 1889, Ozone Park was
given its own post office; and
WHEREAS, The year 1896 saw the first library service at the Ozone Park
Free Circulating Library, founded by the local Women's Club; on January
1, 1901, the library united with the new Queens Borough Public Library,
and it relocated many times, but every location was near its current
spot on Rockaway Boulevard, near Crossbay Boulevard; and
WHEREAS, The neighborhood has traditionally been known for its afford-
able, middle- and working-class housing; it is very popular because of
the easy and inexpensive train commute into Manhattan; and
WHEREAS, Through much of the 20th century, Ozone Park had been known
as a tight-knit, Italian-American enclave, but has since become home to
immigrants from South America, South Asia and the West Indies, turning
it into a multicultural melting pot; and
WHEREAS, Ozone Park is known as the home of Aqueduct Racetrack, the
largest thoroughbred racing track in the country, built with a seating
capacity of 80,000; it now shares its vast acreage with the city's
newest tourist attraction and first casino, Resorts World New York; and
WHEREAS, JFK Airport has a runway where the northern end is reputed to
be the ancient burial ground of the Rockaway Tribe and the repository of
many of their arrowheads and spearheads; and
WHEREAS, Wilbur E. Colyer Square, at Rockaway Blvd., 120th Ave. and
133rd St., is named for a 17-year-old volunteer in World War I; he was
killed and posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for
Valor at Verdun, the first and youngest Queens resident so honored; and
WHEREAS, Byrne Place, at North Conduit Avenue between 130th Place and
134th Street, was named to honor NYPD Officer Edward R. Byrne, killed on
February 26, 1988, while in the line of duty; and

WHEREAS, Many other notable individuals of Ozone Park, include: Beat
Generation writer of ON THE ROAD Jack Kerouac; Space Shuttle astronaut
Charles Camarda; Broadway star Bernadette Peters; pop star Cyndi Lauper;
1950s Doo Wop group The Capris; The Sopranos actor Ray Abruzzo; Major
League Baseball player John Frascatore; pitcher Neal Heaton; New York
Mets relief pitcher Pedro Beato; 1960 Olympic figure-skating champion
Carol Heiss; middleweight boxer Jimmy Herring; professional wrestler
Peter Polaco; actors Joe Lo Truglio and Jack Lord; and 1972 Nobel Prize
winner Gerald Edelman; and
WHEREAS, Remaining fruitful over the ebb and flow of decades of growth
and change, Ozone Park continues its commitment to enhancing the quality
of life of its citizens, ensuring a positive business, institutional and
educational climate, and providing all essential services; now, there-
fore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 130th Anniversary of Ozone Park, Queens, New York.