Geographic History of Queens County


Today's Queens County is one-quarter its original size, with the eastern three-quarters of Queens County seceding and forming Nassau County on January 1, 1899.

Queens County was one of the original 12 counties created in 1683 when the General Assembly of Freeholders reorganized the governmental structure in all of the province of New York into 12 counties, each of which was sub-divided into towns. (The other original counties were Albany, Cornwall, Dukes, Dutchess, Kings, New York, Orange, Richmond, Suffolk, Ulster and Westchester.)

1683
Queens County created and includes 5 towns: Newtown, Flushing, Jamaica, Hempstead and Oyster Bay.

1784
The Town of North Hempstead secedes from the Town of Hempstead and Queens then has 6 towns (Newtown, Flushing, Jamaica, North Hempstead, Hempstead and Oyster Bay).

1813
The Village of Flushing incorporated with the Town of Flushing.

1814
The Village of Jamaica incorporated within the Town of Jamaica.

1839
The Village of Astoria incorporated within the Town of Newtown.

1853
The Village of Hempstead incorporated within the Town of Hempstead.

1867
The Village of College Point incorporated within the Town of Flushing.

1868
The Village of Whitestone incorporated within the Town of Flushing.

1870
The City of Long Island City (includes the Village of Astoria and parts or all of adjacent hamlets) seceded from and became independent of the Town of Newtown and Queens County then had 1 city (Long Island City) and 6 towns (Newtown, Flushing, Jamaica, North Hempstead, Hempstead and Oyster Bay).

1883
The Village of Sea Cliff incorporated within the Town of Oyster Bay.

1886
The Lloyd's Neck peninsula in the Town of Oyster Bay is transferred (excluding riparian rights) to the Town of Huntington, Suffolk County.

1888
The Village of Far Rockaway incorporated within the Town of Hempstead.

1892
The Village of Freeport incorporated within the Town of Hempstead.

1893
The Village of Rockville Centre incorporated within the Town of Hempstead.

1894
The Village of Richmond Hill incorporated within the Town of Jamaica.

1897
The Village of Lawrence and the Village of Rockaway Beach incorporated within the Town of Hempstead.

1898
The western-quarter of Queens County (the City of Long Island City, the Towns of Newtown, Flushing and Jamaica and the Rockaway peninsula of the Town of Hempstead) are annexed by the new New York City. The eastern three-quarters (the Towns of North Hempstead, Hempstead and Oyster Bay) remained part of Queens County, but is not part of New York City. Thus, for one year, part of Queens County is in New York City and part is not in New York City.

1899
The eastern three-quarters of Queens County (the Towns of North Hempstead, Hempstead and Oyster Bay) seceded from and became independent of Queens County and formed Nassau County.


NYS Geographic Glossary with the NYS definitions of county, city, town, village, hamlet and postal zone.

New York State is divided into counties.

County
A county is a municipal corporation, a subdivision of the state, created to perform state functions; a "regional" government. All counties are divided into cities, towns and Indian reservations.

City
A city is a unique governmental entity with its own special charter.  Cities are not sub-divided, except into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic areas.

Town
A town is a municipal corporation and encompasses all territory within the state except that within cities or Indian reservations. Towns can be sub-divided into villages and hamlets.

Village
A village is a general purpose municipal corporation formed voluntarily by the residents of an area in one or more towns to provide themselves with municipal services. The pattern of village organization is similar to those of a city. A village is divided into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic areas.

Hamlet
A hamlet is an unincorporated area in one or more towns that is governed at-large by the town(s) it is in. A hamlet is divided into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic areas.

Postal Zone "City" and "Town"
A postal zone "City" and "Town" is an administrative district established by the U.S. Postal Service to deliver the mail. Postal zone "City" and
"Town" may not (but are encouraged to) conform to municipal or community borders. Thus, postal zone location does not always determine city, village or
hamlet location.


Please be aware: In many areas of New York State, the problem of non-conforming postal zones leads to a situation where the majority of places have a different community name in their mailing address than the community where that place is actually located.