Beaver Pond (Queens) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Beaver Pond |
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 Beaver Pond
Location in New York
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| Location | Jamaica, Queens, New York |
| Coordinates | 40°42′04″N 73°47′59″W / 40.701051°N 73.799631°W |
| Type | former lake |
Beaver Pond was a pond located in the Jamaica area of Queens, New York. This pond no longer exists today. Water from Beaver Pond flowed into Baisley Creek, which then led to Baisley Pond. From there, the water continued through Cornell Creek and finally reached Jamaica Bay.
How Beavers Created the Pond
Long before people settled in the area, beavers built dams that created Beaver Pond. The local Lenape Native Americans had a word for beaver, Jameco. This word later gave its name to the English settlement north of the pond, which became known as Jamaica.
Beavers were very important for the economy back then. Their fur attracted Dutch colonists to the region. In fact, the beaver even appears on the official seal of New York City! English settlers arrived in the area in 1656. They got permission from the Dutch government to build a town called Rustdorp. After the English took control in 1664, the popular name Jamaica became official. The town then became the main center for Queens County in 1683.
Neighbors of the Pond
One of the oldest places near Beaver Pond was Prospect Cemetery. The first burial there happened in 1668. People continued to be buried in this cemetery until 1988.
Later, the Long Island Rail Road built its Main Line and Atlantic Branch tracks in Jamaica. By 1834, when the railroad was built, Beaver Pond was seen as the very center of the town.
The Pond's Final Years
In the late 1800s, a company called American Ice Company used Beaver Pond to harvest ice. However, city officials became worried. They thought using the pond for industry was a health risk. This was because the pond's water flowed into the Brooklyn Water Works, which supplied drinking water.
In April 1906, a group of officials in Queens suggested that the city fill in the pond. They called it a "menace to the community" and a problem for Jamaica's progress. Beaver Pond was eventually filled in. Even after it was filled, the land on top of the pond remained empty for about 20 more years. Today, this area is used for manufacturing. You can find auto repair shops, and empty lots used to store car parts there. The only physical reminder of the pond is Beaver Road, which follows where the pond's northern shore used to be.
