Hamilton Beach Queens

Hamilton Beach is a middle-class neighborhood situated in the borough of Queens, New York City. Bounded by the 102nd Street Creek to the north, the IND Rockaway Line (A train) tracks and JFK Airport to the east, Hawtree Creek to the west, and Jamaica Bay to the south, it stands out as one of the few communities in the city boasting its own volunteer fire department. Often referred to as West Hamilton Beach, it is distinguished from its eastern counterpart, East Hamilton Beach, which was absorbed for the expansion of Idlewild Airport (now JFK Airport) in the 1940s. Despite its name, Hamilton Beach has no direct connection to the Hamilton Beach Company, deriving its name from individuals named Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Beach.

Historically, Hamilton Beach had a station on the Long Island Rail Road’s Rockaway Beach Branch until its closure on June 27, 1955. Accessible mainly via one long strip, 104th Street, which branches into ten dead-end blocks, the neighborhood is predominantly surrounded by water. Entry is possible either by car through a single route or by foot via a boardwalk extending from the A train station at Coleman Square to 104th Street, or through the Hawtree Basin pedestrian bridge connecting Hamilton and Old Howard Beach.

Hamilton Beach features a small park at its southern end, offering amenities such as a 200-foot baseball field, a handball court, a small jungle gym area, and a beach. Additionally, Gateways Hamilton Beach Park, located just south of 165th Avenue, serves as the final stop for the Q11 bus route. Formerly characterized by dirt roads, cottage-style or shack-type houses, and lacking a sewer system, Hamilton Beach has seen significant development since the early 21st century, with new houses being constructed on nearly every block.