Beechhurst is a neighborhood in the northeastern section of the

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

Queens Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...

. It is northeast of Whitestone, bordered by the

East River The East River is a saltwater Estuary, tidal estuary or strait in New York City. The waterway, which is not a river despite its name, connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island, ...

to the north, the Cross Island Parkway to the south, and the approaches to the Throgs Neck and Whitestone bridges to the east and west, respectively. It is also bordered by the westernmost section of

Long Island Sound Long Island Sound is a sound (geography), marine sound and tidal estuary of the Atlantic Ocean. It lies predominantly between the U.S. state of Connecticut to the north and Long Island in New York (state), New York to the south. From west to east, ...

. Beechhurst is an area with a diverse mix of housing. Beechhurst is part of the

New York City Police Department The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...

's 109th Precinct and is part of Queens Community District 7. During the

silent film era A silent film is a film without synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...

, Beechhurst was a favorite vacation area for the rich and famous. Estates lined the waterfront, including the Arthur and Dorothy Dalton Hammerstein House, the former house of Arthur Hammerstein and Dorothy Dalton, which is a

New York City designated landmark The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting New York City's architecturally, historically, and c ...

. The Beechhurst Towers hotel (now a co-op apartment building) was a favorite of actress

Mary Pickford Gladys Louise Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American film actress and producer. A Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood, pioneer in the American film industry with a Hollywood care ...

and was frequented by many Broadway and early movie stars, including the

Marx Brothers The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act known for their anarchic humor, rapid-fire wordplay, and visual gags. They achieved success in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in 14 motion pictures. The core group consisted of brothers Chi ...

and W.C. Fields. Industrialist Harvey Firestone owned an estate on the Beechhurst waterfront, visited frequently by his son’s friends Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Transportation

The New York City Bus's local bus provides access to and from the

New York City Subway The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system in New York City serving the New York City boroughs, boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. It is owned by the government of New York City and leased to the New York City Tr ...

's Flushing–Main Street station () on the IRT Flushing Line. The MTA Bus Company's express bus provides express bus service to Manhattan.

Notable people

* Arthur Hammerstein (1872–1955) built a mansion facing Long Island Sound. He lived there for several years with his wife, the actress Dorothy Dalton, but sold the estate during the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

in order to raise money for his theater operations. * Anne Paolucci (1926–2012), writer, scholar and educator."Ronald Reagan: Appointment of 11 Members of the National Graduate Fellows Program Fellowship Board"
, The American Presidency Project, July 10, 1985. Accessed September 30, 2007. "Anne Paolucci is a professor of English at St. John's University. She graduated from Barnard College (B.A., 1947) and Columbia University (M.A., 1950; Ph.D., 1963). She was born July 31, 1926, in Rome, Italy, and now resides in Beechurst, NY."

References

Neighborhoods in Queens, New York Populated coastal places in New York (state) {{QueensNY-geo-stub