While many of the streets in Queens were renamed with a numbering system in the early 20th Century, Fresh Pond Road has kept its name for over 200 years. The original path was forged centuries ago by Indigenous people and is still used actively by present-day New Yorkers. If you’ve ever encountered this busy throughway, you might be curious about the elusive pond. Through this in-person guided/participatory tour, attendees will learn how the neighborhood transformed from marsh and forest, to farmland and picnic parks, to the network of rowhouses and warehouses it is today. Stops will include Shirttail Row, Reiff Playground, Ridgewood Community Garden, and of course the site of the famous ponds. The tour will end with an optional picnic at Grover Cleveland Park. Bring comfortable shoes and a water bottle, optional: picnic lunch, camera.
Accessibility
This will be an in-person walk with the usual accessibility considerations of public sidewalk terrain. The terrain is somewhat hilly, and some sidewalks may be uneven. Some sections of the route go along busy roads where loud traffic may make it difficult to hear.
Grover Cleveland Park is accessible by Citibike at Stanhope St/Fairview Avenue, as well as the B38 bus in both directions, and is a 15-minute walk from the L train at Dekalb Ave or the M at Forest Ave. There is also limited street parking in the neighborhood.
Location Information
RSVP is required and capacity is limited. Meeting location, ending location, and directions will be provided via email before walk date.
guided
Saturday, May 6, 20231:00 PM
One hour
Borough: Queens
Theme: Art & Architecture, Environment, History & Culture
Language: English
