Archaeology of Forest Hills

Forest Hills has been home to me ever since I was three. Located in the heart of Queens, it is a neighborhood that both feels like a small Long Island town and some parts that let you know that you’re in New York City. Forest Hills has a major commercial aspect, which revolves around Continental 71st Avenue and Austin Street. Here, you can find anything urban, like Starbucks and Barnes & Noble, to something a little more local, like Martha’s Country Bakery. 

Forest Hills is also known for its high class residences, especially the section known as the Forest Hills Gardens. For us people who live there, we just call it the Gardens. It is a maze of streets that go in and out and disappear into one another, so for outsiders, it is practically impossible to navigate. Forest Hills used to be home to the U.S. Open at the Tennis Stadium but now that the U.S. Open moved to Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, the stadium now serves as a private recreation center for locals.
Forest Hills is known for its good academics. As New York City is structured educationally, most people strive to get a home in the neighborhood so their kids can attend our schools. Our Lady of Mercy, P.S. 144, Russell Sage Junior High, and Forest Hills High School all have a long-standing history within the neighborhood.
Unlike what Pratt described in her contact zone article, Forest Hills is a truly united neighborhood. People know each other by name and neighbors are usually pretty close to one another. Moreover, since the neighborhood is somewhat diverse, differences in race, ethnicity, and religion don’t stop us from getting to know each other. People on the bus can just start talking to each other without any awkwardness that you get from anywhere else. It is what makes us different from most other New York neighborhoods. We aren’t afraid of contact zones and we make our imagined neighborhood a reality.