Hidden History of Queens

Queens has a history filled with fascinating firsts, cool characters and ramshackle ruins. Poet Clement Clarke Moore was inspired by childhood memories of Elmhurst when he wrote the poem "'Twas the Night before Christmas."




From the nation's first modern highway to the first-ever transatlantic flight, the borough has long been at the forefront of modern transportation. The infamous William "Boss" Tweed once fled jail to a secret hideout in a Bayside hotel. The remains of the old Creedmoor Hospital complex in Queens Village are haunting, as are the eerie remnants of Fort Tilden in the Rockaways. Author Richard Panchyk reveals glimpses of the hidden history of Queens.