Horse Brook (Queens) facts for kids
Horse Brook is a stream that used to flow through the Elmhurst neighborhood in Queens, one of New York City's boroughs. Today, you can't see it because it's completely buried underground. Its path once went under big places like Queens Center Mall, Rego Center Mall, and LeFrak City. It also flowed beneath the Long Island Expressway. Horse Brook eventually emptied into Flushing Creek, which is now part of Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. Flushing Creek then flows into the East River.
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Horse Brook: Queens' Hidden Stream
Where Did Horse Brook Start?
Horse Brook began near Kneeland Avenue and Codwise Place in Queens. From there, it flowed northeast, making its way towards Flushing Creek. This creek is a smaller waterway that eventually joins the larger East River.
Horse Brook Through History
People first talked about Horse Brook way back in 1662. This was at an annual town meeting for the town of Newtown (which is now part of Queens). During this meeting, a rule was made about keeping the area clean. It was decided that if anyone had dead animals like cats, dogs, or hogs, they had to bury them. If they didn't, they were told to throw them into the creek. This shows that Horse Brook was an important part of the local environment even centuries ago.
Finding Traces of the Past
Even though Horse Brook is buried, there are still clues about where it used to be. If you look at a map, you might notice some very large blocks of land that were not developed until much later. These areas, like the land where Queens Center Mall and LeFrak City now stand, stayed empty until the 1960s. This is because the ground above the buried stream was not ideal for building early on.
Today, you can visit two small parks that are located right above where the stream once flowed. One is called Horsebrook Triangle. It's located at 56th/Justice Avenues and 90th Street in Elmhurst. Another small park, Libra Triangle, is also found above the stream, at Justice Avenue and Broadway. These parks are like little green markers showing where Horse Brook once ran freely.
