George Was Here

If you’ve ever been on West Alley Road near Alley Pond Park, there’s a good chance you missed that there’s a historic marker alongside the busy thoroughfare.

Just ask Greg Steiner.

“That’s funny. I can’t say I’ve ever really noticed that,” Steiner said, as he waited across the street for the Q30 bus this past Monday.

Still, sitting there at the southeast corner of Horace Harding Boulevard, 233rd Street and West Alley Road is a tiny bronze plaque erected by the Daughters of The American Revolution, which reads:

“George Washington traveled this road on his tour of Long Island on April 24 1790. To commemorate that event the Matinecock chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution of Flushing New York have set this marker on May 25, 1934.”

But other than what’s etched in bronze, not much is known about the plaque or history behind it. 

“Because most of those markers were placed independently by local DAR [Daughters of the American Revolution] chapters, we really don’t know a whole lot about that particular plaque," said Laurean Pope, a historian for the Daughters of the American Revolution. 

However, there was one man, a pedestrian walking by the site Monday afternoon that tried helping to fill in a few of the blanks. 

“From what I’ve heard, [Washington] passed by here on his way to the island to thank the troops from this area who fought during the Revolutionary War, for their patriotism,” said Gary Anderson, a retired carpenter from Springfield Gardens. 

However, Anderson admitted he wasn’t technically a historian. 

“I read a lot, especially about local history, but I can’t say I’ve ever actually looked into why that stone is there, nor would I call myself an expert in American history,” he said. 

Even so, Anderson said he liked having this oft-overlooked historic marker in his backyard. 

“It’s cool to think that America's first president took a trip out here almost immediately after swearing the oath of office," Anderson said.

Reflecting on the history of northeast Queens, Anderson noted how different it must have looked back then. 

"When you see the area today, it’s easy to forget our colonial ancestry. Makes you wish that you could go back and see what it was like in Washington's time, “ he said.