Addisleigh Park (New York City, New York)

 neighborhood, residential neighbourhood

Addisleigh Park is a small community and sub-neighborhood within the greater neighborhood of St.Albans, itself located in the south central part of New York City's borough of Queens. Roughly triangular in shape, it consists of largely single family homes within the borders of Sayres Avenue on the north, 180th Street on the east, Linden Boulevard (formerly Central Avenue) on the south and Marne Place on the west.

Originally this land was occupied by Rockaway Native Americans. It was appropriated by the Dutch in 1655, and eventually ended up in the hands of the English before becoming private property. During the 1800s four families -- the Remsens, Everitts, Ludlums and Hendricksons -- dominated the area which was then devoted to farming. It would be the parcels of land owned by Elliott Remsen that would become the larger area of Saint Albans and, within it, Addisleigh Park.

Addisleigh Park, once predominantly white, went through a process of "white flight" during the 1940-1950 era following the Supreme Court decision in Shelly v. Kraemer. As the white population left this area and moved farther east, middle class and affluent Blacks replaced them. Included in the newcomers were some of the most influential people in the African American community. Many of them were entertainers. "Count" Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne, "Duke" Ellington and James Brown are just a few of the entertainers that once resided in this area.

www.addisleighpark.org/id15.html