Henry Parker
In the 1920s, Roosevelt Avenue was transformed from a route over marshland into the primary artery of northern Queens. This change was driven by the construction of the elevated train line, which began operation in 1917 and was fully extended through Corona by the early 1920s. The “El” ran directly above the avenue, casting moving shadows on the street below and carrying waves of new residents into the borough.
The arrival of the train sparked a massive building boom. All along the avenue, from Woodside through Jackson Heights and into Corona, blocks of farmland and empty lots were rapidly developed. Three- and four-story commercial buildings made of brick rose directly on the avenue, with storefronts at street level and offices or apartments above. On the side streets, developers built vast numbers of single-family homes, two-family attached houses, and the innovative garden apartments of Jackson Heights, all designed to attract families from crowded Manhattan.
Roosevelt Avenue itself became the commercial spine for these new communities. The street under the train tracks was a continuous strip of businesses. Residents did their daily shopping at local grocers, butchers, and bakeries. The avenue was also home to furniture stores, clothing shops, and professional offices for doctors and dentists. The constant rumble of the Flushing Line trains overhead was the soundtrack to commerce and daily life.
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Moving into the 1930s, the Great Depression brought economic hardship to the businesses and residents along the avenue. Store owners struggled to stay afloat, and families had less money to spend. Despite the difficult times, the avenue remained a vital center of activity. The five-cent fare on the El was a lifeline for people commuting to jobs in other parts of the city.
The character of the avenue also included entertainment. Movie theaters opened, offering an affordable escape for residents. One notable destination was the Loew’s Boro Theatre in Jackson Heights, which provided films and shows to local audiences.
Toward the end of the 1930s, the avenue played a crucial role in a major global event. The development of the 1939 New York World’s Fair in nearby Flushing Meadows spurred further improvements and brought immense traffic to the area. Roosevelt Avenue became a key gateway to the fairgrounds. The Willets Point Boulevard station was built specifically to serve fairgoers, making the avenue an essential route for millions of visitors traveling to see “The World of Tomorrow.”
![Flushing Meadow Park - [Roosevelt Avenue - Flushing Bay.], 1936](https://seeoldnyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Roosevelt_Avenue_1920s_1930s_14.jpg)
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