Ravenswood Queens

Ravenswood refers to the strip of land bordering the East River and Long Island City, which is part of Astoria. The etymology of Ravenswood may have originated from the population of ravens in the area or from a character in The Bride of Lammermoor. It was located around Sunswick Creek, which emptied into the East River at the present location of Socrates Sculpture Park.

The land was purchased in 1814 by Col. George Gibbs, a businessman from New York City, who developed it. After Gibbs’s death in 1833, the land was divided into nine parcels by three developers. Several mansions were constructed on the land starting in 1848, but the upscale housing did not endure. In the spring of 1853, a post office and country store were established, with Samuel H. Moore of the firm “Moore & Luyster” appointed as postmaster.

Unlike Astoria, Ravenswood never became an independent village due to its insufficient population and commercial activity. It remained an exclusive hamlet within the Town of Newtown until its amalgamation with the Village of Astoria and other hamlets into Long Island City in 1870.

Commercial development in Ravenswood began in 1875, with the conversion of mansions into offices and boarding houses. The Long Island Terra Cotta Company was established in Ravenswood in 1879 by Rudolph Franke. By 1900, Ravenswood had become predominantly commercial, a characteristic it retains today. However, residential elements persist through the New York City Housing Authority project built between 1949 and 1951, located between 34th and 36th Avenues, and 12th and 24th Streets, which bears the name Ravenswood.