Belle Harbor, Queens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Belle Harbor
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Neighborhood of Queens
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New York |
| City |  New York City |
| County/Borough |  Queens |
| Community District | Queens 14 |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code |
11694
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| Area codes | 718, 347, 929, and 917 |
Belle Harbor is a quiet neighborhood in Queens, one of New York City's five main areas. It's found on the western side of the Rockaway Peninsula, which is the southernmost part of Queens. When people talk about Belle Harbor, they usually mean the area between Beach 126th and Beach 141st Streets.
This neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 14. In 2010, Belle Harbor and its neighbor, Neponsit, had a total population of just over 5,400 people. Belle Harbor is also known as the place where American Airlines Flight 587 crashed in 2001.
Contents
History of Belle Harbor
How Belle Harbor Started
In 1880, a new train service opened to Rockaway Park. This made it easier for people to move to the Rockaways Peninsula. More people meant the area started to grow.
The story of Belle Harbor began in 1900. A judge in New York State decided that the land west of Rockaway Park should be sold. This land, which now includes Belle Harbor and Neponsit, was bought by Edward P. Hatch. A few years later, in 1907, he sold it to the West Rockaway Land Company.
The company's president, Frederick J. Lancaster, gave the community its official name. Before this, in 1905, a group of people who wanted to start a yacht club made a deal with the West Rockaway Land Company. This group called themselves the Belle Harbor Yacht Club. They bought land for four thousand dollars. By 1908, they were already racing against other yacht clubs in the city.
Remembering Flight 587
On November 12, 2001, American Airlines Flight 587 was on its way to the Dominican Republic. Sadly, it crashed right in the middle of Belle Harbor. All 260 people on the plane and five people on the ground lost their lives. Many passengers were from the Dominican community in Washington Heights.
After talking with families from both communities, a memorial was built at Beach 116th Street in Rockaway Park, Queens. This spot is easy for everyone to visit. There's also a temporary memorial at the actual crash site on Newport Avenue. Many people still visit this spot each year to remember those who were lost.
A resident once said that it's hard to understand the community unless you live there. Many families have lived in the same houses for generations. The neighborhood also faced significant losses from the events of September 11, 2001.
Who Lives in Belle Harbor?
Population and Diversity
In 2010, the total population for the combined areas of Breezy Point, Belle Harbor, Rockaway Park, and Broad Channel was 28,018. This was a small increase from 2000.
Most residents in these neighborhoods, about 78.3%, were White. About 7.5% were African American, and 2.1% were Asian. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up about 10.8% of the population.
Geography of Belle Harbor
Belle Harbor is like a quiet, suburban area on the Rockaway Peninsula. It's a narrow strip of land with the Atlantic Ocean to the south and Jamaica Bay to the north. To the west is Neponsit, and to the east is Rockaway Park.
From Belle Harbor, you can see amazing views of the Manhattan skyline across the bay. The wide, white sandy beaches are a big draw for people living here. While the beach is open to everyone, parking rules on weekends and holidays from May to September make it harder for non-residents to visit. Public transportation access is also limited.
Community Life
Belle Harbor is mostly made up of single-family homes. Many families have lived here for generations. A large number of residents are Irish Catholic. There are also Italian-American and Jewish American families. Many police officers and firefighters, both active and retired, call Belle Harbor home.
There's a small shopping area on Beach 129th Street. For more shopping options, residents often go to the larger area on Beach 116th Street in Rockaway Park, Queens.
Getting Around Belle Harbor
Roads and Bridges
You can drive to Belle Harbor using two main bridges. The Marine Parkway–Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge connects to Brooklyn. The Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge links Belle Harbor to Broad Channel and the rest of Queens.
Public Transportation
The A S trains subway line is available at the Rockaway Park–Beach 116th Street station. Several MTA Bus lines, including the Q22, Q35, Q53 SBS, QM16, also serve the area.
There's also a shuttle service from NYC Ferry. It connects Belle Harbor to a landing at Beach 108 Street on Jamaica Bay.
Education in Belle Harbor
Students in Belle Harbor attend schools managed by the New York City Department of Education. For grades K-8, residents are zoned for PS/MS 114 Belle Harbor School.
There are also several private schools in the area:
- Saint Francis De Sales, a Catholic school.
- Three Jewish schools: West End Temple Nursery School, Yeshiva of Belle Harbor, and Yeshiva Mercaz Hatorah of Belle Harbor.
