Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Tallmans Island - 1909 & (almost) 2009

This was taken from a 1909 Bromley Atlas. It shows Tallmans Island (part of College Point) separated from the rest of the town by a creek. Dancing Pavilion, bowling alley, dining hall and hotel! Who could ask for anything more? Fun, fun, fun! Unfortunately it all burned down months before this map was published. But it looked like this.

Today the creek is paved over and known as Powells Cove Blvd and the entire island is a waste treatment center because Queens is overflowing with crap.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Used to be Zehdens Casino, one of the largest beer gardens in Queens. Shooting galleries, bathing pavilions, bowling allies, dance halls, and food of every description.

No one ran for president of the US for a generation without having an event in a Queens beer garden.

Anonymous said...

Well, they've gotta put waste/sewage treatment facilities SOMEPLACE, and along the waterfront makes the most sense.

Everyone's a critic, but is there a better solution? Rocketing all our solid and liquid waste into orbit?

Queens Crapper said...

Who was criticizing? Just doing a "then and now" type of thing.

Anonymous said...

Well, they've gotta put waste/sewage treatment facilities SOMEPLACE, and along the waterfront makes the most sense.


MOST CITIES ARE MAKING THEIR WATERFRONTS INTO PARKS!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I never knew about the history of the island. Thanks for posting this! I lived a few blocks away as a kid and remember fishing off of the pier there and playing in the small park.

Anonymous said...

Hey, for ten years before that plant we couldn't swim here, now we can.. unless it overflows in a storm.. Bronx boys come over to fish for Blues

Anonymous said...

What's with the waterfront walkway and pier there? I've seen it up close, and it looks like it should be made public.

Anonymous said...

Not only was Tallman's island overlooked by the authors of "The Other Islands of NYC," but it also deserves a page on Forgotten-NY. Kevin, are you reading this?

Anonymous said...

Who was criticizing? Just doing a "then and now" type of thing.

Sorry, my bad... guess I'm just conditioned to expect knee-jerk NIMBY/BANANA attitudes here.

Queens Crapper said...

Banana?

Anonymous said...

As previously posted, but apparently not approved...

BANANA = Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anyone

Anonymous said...

"Anonymous said...
Hey, for ten years before that plant we couldn't swim here, now we can.. unless it overflows in a storm.. Bronx boys come over to fish for Blues"
"Pro-Zak said...
What's with the waterfront walkway and pier there? I've seen it up close, and it looks like it should be made public."


Closed now. Thanks Bloomberg.