Queens Car Rentals - Queens History

Queens is one of the ten original counties of New York and unlike Brooklyn, Queens' size has decreased approximately three-fold since the boroughs original creation in 1683. At the time of its creation Queens County stretched from Suffolk all the way to Nassau. This section was original governed by the Dutch and was considered to be a part of New Netherland. Both English and Dutch settled in Queens County, building small towns and prosperous farmland. Under this arrangement numerous populations were organized including Newtown in 1642, Flushing in 1645, Jamaica in 1656 and part of Hempstead in 1644. Much has changed since these early colonial days; for one, the Queens car rental has replaced the horse and buggy as the main mode of transportation! If you're interested in learning a brief history of Queens before reserving your Queens car rental feel free to continue browsing this site! Colonial Days

Most of the established colonies in Queens were ruled by Englishmen. The English continued to dominate throughout the 17th century as Peter Stuyvesant surrendered in 1664 to an English force acting for the Duke of York. Staten Island, Long Island and Westchester were soon turned into the county of Yorkshire and English rule seemed to dominate. Interestingly enough by 1683 Yorshire had passed out of existence and the lands had been broken up into separate counties.

The American Revolution

Queens officially became its own county in 1683 and was named after Queen Catherine of Braganza, the wife of King Charles II. The revolution in 1776-1783 had a huge affect on Queens, causing tension between neighboring farmers and the mounting of hostilities. The majority of the Queens residents tended to side with the British and even refused to send delegates to the first two Continental Congresses! When George Washington lost the Battle of Long Island at Brooklyn, seven years of British occupation befell the people of Queens County.

The Importance of the Turnpike

The turnpike was a very important part of life in Queens during the 1800s as it helped speed the transport of various products. Today the turnpike can often be seen clogged with Queens's car rental traffic, but back in the 19th century the turnpike was a constant flow of overland travel. The first turnpikes to open included the Flushing and Newton Turnpike in 1801 and the Jamaica and Rockaway in 1806. The industrial revolution was far behind the introduction of the turnpike in Queens County. The urban push began in the 1930s and it wouldn't be long before rural Queens was totally consumed. Suburban villages were founded by real estate companies for development and it wasn't long before powerful men began to influence the skyline; Charles and Peter Roach bought Long Island in 1934, breaking ground a numerous developments while Stephen Halsey, along with associates acquired Astoria in 1839. German and Irish immigrants became to flow into Queens and the entire East Coast during the mid to late 19th century until the Civil War interrupted the process.

The borough of Queens is now a mass urban complex with a staggering population of approximately 1.9 million residents. The borough covers approximately 118 square miles that are filled with multiple businesses, homes, schools and plenty of roads for you travel in your Queens car rental! Sadly, only one farm remains in all of Queens; thankful it has been restored as a historical landmark. Queens was incorporated in as one of New York City's five boroughs on January 1st 1898, and since than it has become a huge part of the city's distinct culture. Queens has become home to a plethora of multiethnic groups including Greeks, Italians, Japanese, Chinese, Koreans and still more! Living in Queens makes for daily exploration, so make sure to reserve your Queens car rental as your transportation gateway to adventure!