New Books Network Jeffrey Kroessler, "Rural County, Urban Borough: A History of Queens" (Rutgers UP, 2025) This
Dec 19, 2025
Laura Heim, an architect and the late Jeffrey Kroessler's widow, shares insights on her husband's final work about Queens. She delves into its fascinating history, from its early rural economy to its dramatic transformation during the 19th century. Discussion includes how transportation changes reshaped the borough and the intriguing impact of the Great Depression on housing. Heim also highlights Queens’ remarkable diversity and tolerance, rooted in its unique immigrant communities—making it a vibrant microcosm of metropolitan America.
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Geography Shaped Queens' Early Growth
- Queens' physical geography shaped its separate north-south development around a terminal moraine ridge.
- Natural features like the Hempstead Plain influenced economic uses such as horse racing and later suburban projects.
Rural Economy Fed The City
- Colonial Queens was predominantly rural, supplying produce to Manhattan and hosting large nurseries.
- Nurseries imported exotic trees and supported urban landscaping projects like Central Park.
Transport Spurs Industrial Shift
- 19th-century Queens industrialized as factories left Manhattan for cheaper, less regulated land.
- Transportation improvements accelerated industrial and population change before consolidation.