Douglaston Hill Historic District

Douglaston Hill is a neighborhood district in northeastern Queens, near the Nassau County line, bounded by the Long Island Railroad, Northern Boulevard, Douglaston Parkway and Udall's Cove park. It contains 85 contributing buildings and sites, including a church, a cemetery, a public park, houses, garages and commercial blocks. Zion Episcopal Church, first built in 1830 from plans by Richard Upjohn and rebuilt after a fire in 1924 to designs by local architect Aubrey Grantham, anchors the district from the top of the hill. Most development came after the 1890s, when large lots were subdivided and filled with Queen Anne, Shingle Style and Colonial Revival houses, many built by local builders such as William J. Hamilton. In the 1920s more modest homes, a few multi-family complexes in Tudor Revival style and commercial strips near Douglaston Parkway completed the area. Belgian block curbs and gutters, mature trees and consistent siting add to its coherent character. The district retains much of its historic appearance and layout.