WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES FEBRUARY 14, 2019 27
Woodhaven’s Forest Parkway:
Short in length, but long on history
PRESENTED BY THE
WOODHAVEN CULTURAL AND
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PROJECTWOODHAVEN@GMAIL.COM
For a road that runs just a
bit over 1,300 feet, Forest
Parkway in Woodhaven
is surrounded by a lot of
interesting history.
For starters, it actually used to
be just a little bit longer. Today,
the road begins at a T-junction at
Jamaica Avenue and ends at Park
Lane South, at the entrance to
Forest Park. But many years ago,
the road actually continued into
the park, ending outside the old
Golf Clubhouse (today known as
Oak Ridge).
The Woodhaven Cultural &
Historical Society has erected
three dif ferent historical
markers on Forest Parkway.
One sits outside the Woodhaven
Library, which was built 95
years ago by funds provided by
famed philanthropist Andrew
Carnegie. The Woodhaven
Library was the last Carnegie
Library built in New York City.
Across the street you’ll find
the Betty Smith house, where the
novelist famous for writing “A Tree
Grows in Brooklyn” once lived.
And closer to Jamaica Avenue,
you’ll find a sign outside the
Woodhaven Post Office, which
was built in 1940 and contains a
beautiful mural inside by famed
Lithuanian artist Ben Shahn that
depicts the Bill of Rights.
Right at Jamaica Avenue is
a building with a beautiful
rounded corner with the name
Forest Parkway on it; anyone
who rides the elevated train to
the city is very familiar with
that. For many years, that corner
was occupied by a drug store
(Zagame) and for the past few
decades it has been a bank.
On the other side of Forest
Parkway, right at Jamaica
Avenue, sits an old large bank
which is where the Woodhaven
Business Improvement District
(WBID) and Greater Woodhaven
Development Corporation
(GWDC) and WORKS Little
League are located.
On the outside of the bank
building you can still see a sign
for Pasta & Pasta Law, which
hasn’t been active in Woodhaven
for several decades. One of the
Pasta brothers, James Pasta,
served in World War 1 and
was the first Commander of
American Legion Post 118.
Surprisingly, this isn’t the
first bank that sat on that spot.
Originally, the Bank of Long
Island had a nice building at that
corner, but it was torn down in
the 1920s and replaced with the
current, larger building.
There is a monument to the
young soldiers of Woodhaven
who lost their lives during
World War 2. For many years,
the Memorial Day Parade here
stopped to pay tribute to these
heroes and up until the early
1970s they used to include a 21-
gun salute.
Although there hasn’t been a
Memorial Day Parade here in
Woodhaven for decades, the
WBID and GWDC still hold a
ceremony each year in front of
the monument, honoring those
lost in all wars.
At the top of Forest Parkway,
at the entrance to the park, you’ll
find the Memorial Trees, planted
in memory of each of the young
men who lost their lives in the
First World War.
During the 1970s, Hollywood
came calling and one of the most
acclaimed made-for-TV movies
ever made filmed scenes on
Forest Parkway.
“Queen of the Stardust
Ballroom” stars Maureen
Stapleton as Bea, a lonely widow
who lives on Forest Parkway
and runs a small thrift shop on
Jamaica Avenue. She’s begins
visiting the Stardust Ballroom
(the old Haven Theater in
disguise) to go dancing where
she meets Al, played by Charles
Durning.
Stapleton and Durning were
nominated for Emmy awards for
their outstanding performances,
two of the 11 nominations the
film would receive. It ended up
winning two Emmys: one for
Outstanding Achievement in
Choreography and another for
Outstanding Achievement in
Cinematography for a Special.
Those watching the film will
be treated to several glimpses of
Woodhaven circa 1974, when it
was filmed. For example, you’ll
see the post office and you’ll see
the long-since-removed steps
to the elevated train on Forest
Parkway.
Locals will also be scratching
their heads watching a bus roll
down Forest Parkway and stop
in front of the post office. Of
course, there was never a bus
line that traveled along Forest
Parkway; that was just some
creative license taken by the
filmmakers.
It may not be the longest road
around, but Forest Parkway is
long in history and remains one
of the more beloved and wellknown
streets in Woodhaven.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD: THE WAY IT WAS
An undated, early 20th century photo of Forest Parkway, looking north toward Forest Park, in Woodhaven.
(photo courtesy of Woodhaven Cultural and Historical Society)
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