Hammels, Queens facts for kids
Hammels is a neighborhood in Rockaway Beach. It's part of the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens, one of the five boroughs of New York City. You can find it between the neighborhoods of Arverne to the east and Seaside to the west. The main street in Hammels is Beach Channel Drive. The New York City Subway's A train train also runs through Hammels on the IND Rockaway Line. This area is also home to the Hammel Houses, a large group of public housing buildings built in 1955.
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History of Hammels
How Hammels Got Its Name
The Hammels area is named after a local landowner named Louis Hammel (1836-1904). Long ago, Hammels started as a place where people would come for summer vacations. There were boardwalks that connected the bay and ocean sides.
Early Days as a Resort
One of the first big buildings was the Eldert House, a hotel run by Garret Eldert. It faced the bay near what is now Beach 85th Street. In August 1869, Louis Hammel took over the hotel.
Around 1880, the New York, Woodhaven & Rockaway Railroad built a train track right near the hotel. This track crossed the bay on a special bridge. A train station was built right in front of the hotel, and it was called the Hammels station. Soon, the whole community became known as Hammels.
Travel by Steamboat
A dock in front of the hotel, on the bay side, was called Fifth Landing. It was a regular stop for large boats from the Iron Steamboat Company. People could travel to Hammels by steamboat, which was a popular way to get around back then.
Becoming Part of New York City
Over time, fewer people came to Hammels just for summer vacations. More people started living there all year round. In 1897, Hammels joined with another nearby area called Hollands. Together, they became an official town called the Village of Rockaway Beach.
Just one year later, in 1898, Rockaway Beach became part of the City of Greater New York. This happened when the five different boroughs joined together to form the single big city we know today as New York City.
The Hammel Houses
The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) manages the Hammel Houses. These buildings were finished in April 1955. There are 14 buildings in total, with 700 apartments. They cover about 14 acres of land between Beach 81st and 86th streets, along Rockaway Beach Boulevard and Beach Channel Drive.
