Neponsit, Queens

History

Neponsit is a Native American name meaning "the place between waters", the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and of Jamaica Bay or Rockaway Inlet.

The present community's character has persisted since it was established. In January 1910, the Neponsit Realty Company purchased the land for the development of an exclusive community. It forbade the construction of any homes that were inexpensive, and the homes were built in order to withstand the beach weather and geography of the narrow peninsula. The entrance to the area was originally marked by a massive ornamental gateway. More recently, a stretch of tree-dotted islands, called "the malls", situated along Rockaway Beach Boulevard, was a distinguishing feature. It extended through Belle Harbor. By the 1930s, high quality homes were dominant in Neponsit.

The first transatlantic flight departed from Neponsit on May 8, 1919, when four United States Navy-Curtis model seaplanes took off from what is now Beach Channel Drive in Neponsit to Newfoundland, Canada, the Azores Islands, and Lisbon in Portugal. On May 31, 1919, a single plane piloted by Lt. Commander Albert C. Read arrived in Plymouth, England.

Land use and zoning

Neponsit is zoned for residential, one-or-two-story single-family homes. Due to this, and its secluded beach location, some homes are mansion-like, and the average market price for properties has approached $1 million, according to Zillow.

Nearby Jacob Riis Park has an area of 262 acres.

Transportation

Public access is available to/from Neponsit via Rockaway Beach Boulevard. The provides local service to Scholars’ Academy and to Brooklyn College via the Marine Parkway Bridge. The also provides express service in the area to/from Manhattan during peak hours.

In popular culture

The television show, Rescue Me (FX Network) has regularly filmed in Neponsit using residences to portray the fictional homes of some of the characters, although the article points out that the "story never tells you how a firefighter can afford ... [a] Neponsit home".

Notable people

Notable current and former residents of Neponsit include:

• Frederic E. Hammer (1909–1980), lawyer and politician who served in the New York State Senate
• Jason Miller (1939–2001), playwright and actor, who won the 1973 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play for his play That Championship Season
• James H. Scheuer (1920–2005), politician who represented New York in the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1993

References

References

1. "NYC Planning {{!}} Community Profiles". New York City Department of City Planning.
2. [http://www.rockawave.com/common/neighborhoods/Neponsit/index.html Neponsit Home Page] {{Webarchive. link. (2007-06-10 , ''[[Wave of Long Island). The Wave]]'', Rockaway's Local Newspaper, accessed June 10, 2007
3. Briano, Nicholas. (March 21, 2008). "Rockaway Population Popping At Record Pace". [[Wave of Long Island.
4. (1999). "Old Rockaway, New York, in Early Photographs". Dover Publications.
5. "Neponsit Malls". [[New York City Department of Parks & Recreation]].
6. "NYC Planning ZoLa".
7. Schwach, Howard. (July 30, 2004). "'Rescue Me' Highlights Rockaway In Premier Episode". [[Wave of Long Island.
8. [https://www.nytimes.com/1980/09/06/archives/justice-frederic-e-hammer-71-of-state-supreme-court-is-dead.html"Justice Frederic E. Hammer, 71, Of State Supreme Court Is Dead"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', September 6, 1980. Accessed January 6, 2024. "Justice Frederic E. Hammer of the New York State Supreme Court died Wednesday at his home in Neponsit, Queens. He was 71 years old."
9. Funke, Phyllis. [https://www.nytimes.com/1974/02/10/archives/jason-miller-found-success-in-failure-new-film-in-works-film-is.html "Jason Miller Found Success in Failure"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', February 10, 1974. Accessed January 6, 2024. "Yet, in his next breath, this long‐time resident of Queens (Flushing and Neponsit) who moved to Upper Saddle River, N.J. last June, concedes, 'I would. In fact, I must. As much as I love to wander, I could never leave the New York area forever."
10. Lichtenstein, Grace. [https://www.nytimes.com/1974/09/05/archives/scheuer-makes-esposito-election-issue.html "Scheuer Makes Esposito Election Issue"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', September 5, 1974. Accessed January 6, 2024. "Instead, he has attacked Mr. Scheuer as a carpetbagger who moved to Neponsit, in Queens, only a year and a half ago and who is now trying to 'buy' the district with a huge campaign treasury."