Vleigh Playground facts for kids

Vleigh Playground is a park about 2.2 acres big in Kew Gardens Hills, a neighborhood in Queens, New York City. It's named after an old path called Head of the Vleigh Road. This path, used during colonial times, connected the town of Flushing to Brooklyn. It helped travelers avoid Flushing Meadows, which was a big swamp back then.

The word "Vleigh" comes from the Dutch word vlaie (or vlie), which means "swamp" or "valley." This name makes sense because of the nearby Flushing Meadows swamp.

What's in a Name?

The name of Vleigh Playground comes from an old road called Head of the Vleigh Road. This road was used a long time ago, when New York was still a colony. It helped people travel between Flushing and Brooklyn without getting stuck in the big swamp that is now Flushing Meadows.

The word "Vleigh" itself is from the Dutch word vlaie. This word means "swamp" or "valley." So, the park's name reminds us of the swampy area that used to be nearby.

How the Park Came to Be

Before the mid-1900s, much of Kew Gardens Hills was open farmland. Families like the Campbells, Jacksons, and Millers owned these farms. Later, some of this land became golf courses, like the Arrowbrook and Pomonok golf clubs. They liked the area's hills and nice views.

Building a Neighborhood

In 1936, a new subway line, the Queens Boulevard line, opened in Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike station. This made it possible to get to Manhattan in just 20 minutes! This quick trip made Kew Gardens Hills a very attractive place for people to live and for builders to develop.

A businessman named Abraham Wolosoff bought land in the area. He wanted to use the hills and quiet, country-like setting to attract new residents. He gave the neighborhood its current name, Kew Gardens Hills, after the nearby Kew Gardens neighborhood.

A Park for Kids

After World War II, many new homes were built in Kew Gardens Hills. With more families moving in, there was a need for a new school. City leaders saw that open spaces were quickly disappearing. So, a city group called the Board of Estimate decided to buy this undeveloped land for a school and a playground.

The city officially bought the land for Vleigh Playground in 1949. It opened on January 15, 1952, and was first known as the PS 165 Playground.

PS 165 and Its Namesakes

The school next to the playground, PS 165, is also named after special people. It is partly named after Edith K. Bergtraum (1918-1994). She was a teacher and a member of a city group that worked to improve things for women in New York City.

Her husband, Murry Bergtraum, was also very important in education. He was the president of the New York City Board of Education from 1969 until he passed away in 1973. In 1995, a politician named Rep. Gary Ackerman helped make sure the school was named in their honor.

Vleigh Playground Today

Vleigh Playground is surrounded by large apartment buildings like Dara Gardens, Georgetown Mews, and Pomonok Houses. The park provides a much-needed place for children in the neighborhood to play and have fun.