History

St. Albans is a residential community within Queens, New York and is currently part of Queens Community Board 12.  St. Albans is southeast of Jamaica, west of Cambria Heights, and north of Springfield Gardens and Laurelton.

The area was part of a land grant to Dutch settlers from New Netherlands in 1655. It remained farmland and forest for most of the next couple of centuries. By the 1800’s, the plantations of four families – the Remsens, Everitts, Ludlums and Hendricksons – formed the foundation of this sprawling farm community in the eastern portion of Jamaica Township. The area was earlier known as Francis Farm. Francis Lewis Boulevard is now the eastern boundary of St. Albans.

St. Albans began its change from a farm community to a more modern one in the 1890’s. The first street lights illuminated Lazy Lane, which became Central Road and then Linden Boulevard, and Freeman’s Path, which became Farmers Boulevard. New shops were erected and joined August Everitt’s store.

In April, 1892, a N.Y. syndicate laid out the Francis Farm. On July 1, 1898, St. Albans railroad station opened and was later destroyed in 1935. Today, the St. Albans station provides Long Island Rail Road service to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan or Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, with transfers available at Jamaica Station.

In 1899, a year after Queens became part of New York City; residents officially named their community after a village in England called St. Albans.

In 1915 the St. Albans Golf Course was built and served as a major attraction for the rich and famous, including baseball legend Babe Ruth. The Depression forced the owners of the golf course to sell to the government in 1942. The land became the St. Albans Naval Hospital, serving thousands of World War II veterans. The hospital was turned over to the Veterans Administration in 1974 and is presently the Veterans Administration St. Albans Primary and Extended Care Facility.