Irv Mazur writes and asks the following question;
Skip,
Can you let me know if Far Rockaway is or was part of the 5 towns. I have a bet with someone that insists that Far Rockaway was never part of the 5 towns. Could you please get me the answers on this?
Thanks much,
Irv Mazur
If you can help, please e-mail the answer to Irv's question to rockaway@astound.net and I will post it.
Skip:
Many thanks to you and all the folks
that tried to help with my question" was Far Rockaway part of the five
towns"? Although the answer to this question has still not been
resolved,
It is interesting to see the varied comments pertaining to this
question.
Again, many thanks to those of you that have tried to answer this
question.
The following are several pictures that I have found in my scrap book. Can you name these people? A hint, the large pictures was taken in 1957. This was the second graduating class from Cardoza JHS198. The teacher was Miss Turner.
The two smaller pictures were taken on beach 27th st. Enjoy!!!!!
Sincerely,
Irv Mazur
Well Irv, You Asked For It! Several people have written in to help you with the answer to this question. Below are their thoughts.
I was brought up on the borderline of Rockaway and Inwood. The five towns does not include Far Rockaway. Just ask the Nassau County clerks office, and also the Nassau County Police Department. They very rarely came into Rockaway since it was out of there juristician..
Rockaway native
Dear Skip,
The Five Towns is comprised of Cedarhurst, Hewlet, Inwood, Lawrence, and Woodmere. Located at the Southern most tip of main land Nassau County, Long Island and adjacent to Queens.
The first settlers arrived in the
1600's.
Local government was based in Hempstead and dominated by Presbyterian
settlers.
The Rockaway Peninsula on which the Five Towns stands derives its name
from the Rockaway Indians or Reuckowacky Tribe. Early settlers
recognized
the value of the pasture land
that stretched from Hewlett to Inwood,
and forced the Reuckowacky population out. The last Native American in
the Five Towns died in 1888, and Abraham Hewlett erected a monument to
remember the "Last of the Iroquois." The memorial still stands in
Woodsburgh.
Sincerely,
Caro Marston, Class of 1956
Dear Skip,
As far back as I can remember Far
Rockaway
was part of the five towns.
Joan Robins
Skip:
I lived right "on the border" of the
5 towns - the corner of my street (Alonzo Road, near Doughty Blvd. in
Lawrence
and Beach 9th St. in Far Rock )was Lawrence and those kids went to
Lawrence
High. I'm told that
area is now called "West Lawrence,"
but I don't know if it has 5 towns status. Incidentally, I had the
opportunity
to visit my old house in May '98 after many years and the inhabitants
graciously
let me come in and see what had been done!!
Rhoda (Feinberg) Nevins, Class of 1962
I don't think so. I think the five towns were Inwood, Lawrence, Cedarhurst, Woodmere, and Hewlett. If Far Rockaway was, then Hewlett wasn't. But I think the five towns were all in Nassau county, which puts Hewlett in and Rockaway, as part of NYC, out.
Thanks.
Joe Marasco, Class of 1962
The Rockaway boys were never
satisfied
with the locals and for the most part tried to establish
relationships
with the girls from THE FIVE TOWS. That alone tells me that Far
Rockaway
was not part of that community and for the most part we were
appreciated
as being from ROCKAWAY and not from "THE 5
TOWNS". We thank the Lord
for the difference!
No Name Given
Several people have identified Hewlett as one of the Five Towns, and this is a common misperception. Atlantic Beach, not Hewlett, is one of the towns. (Check out one of the phone books from the mid-1950's.) Each of Atlantic Beach, Inwood, Cedarhurst, Lawrence and Woodmere is technically an incorporated village (as is Woodsburgh).
As best I know, Far Rockaway was never one of the Five Towns. I believe that just before the consolidation of New York City in 1898, Far Rockaway was part of Jamaica, an incorporated town in Queens County. (Parts of Lawrence may have been included in that town but joined Nassau County after the consolidation.) I do agree with Carol that the first center of local government had been in Hempstead.
I think that some people believe that Far Rockaway was once part of Lawrence because the Rockaway Hunt Club is located there. That club, however, was first located in Bayswater, at the end of Mott Avenue, and retained the "Rockaway" in its name when it moved to Lawrence.
I think that "West Lawrence" is a new term, started by people who live in the Reads Lane area.
Fred Strober '66
Far Rockaway was never part of the
Five
Towns. At one time (1770's), Nassau County was part of Queens County
(see
www.newsday.com and look up Rockaway and Queens in the historical
series
they have been running). However, due to politics and patriotism during
the Revolutionary War, everything was broken up, according to which
side
of the war you were sympathic to). Atlantic
Beach is not part of the Five Towns.
Inwood and Hewlett are, but not incorporated villages. "West Lawrence"
is a term derived by residents on the Far Rockaway/Lawrence border (zip
code is Far Rockaway; taxes are paid to City of New York) to make the
area
sound "separate" from the rest of Far Rockaway. One block in from
Doughy
Blvd. is part of Nassau County (the unincorporated part of Lawrence),
as
is Beach 2nd Street and Seagirt Avenue (by the boat marina). I
hope
this has been helpful! Regards!
Elisa B. Hinken, Class of 1976
Lawrence High School
MedMal Nursing Consultant Services
(a division of MedMal Consultants,
Inc.)
medmalnursing@msn.com
The Rockaways were never a part of the five towns ... remember the Rockaways were a part of Queens in New York City ... The five towns were .... Lawrence, Inwood, Cedarhurst, Hewlett and Woodmere ... all part of Nassau County ....
No Name
Joe Marasco, Class of 1962 is right. The Five Towns has always been "Inwood, Lawrence, Cedarhurst, Woodmere and Hewlett".
Gert, Class of 1943.
I don't believe that Far Rockaway, was ever a part of the Five Towns. The Five Towns is made up (and still is) of Lawrence - Inwood - Cedarhurst - Woodmere and Hewlett. These towns are in Nassau County, with the dividing line Doughty Blvd. actually it was one or two blocks west of Doughty Blvd. Far Rockaway was always a part of New York (Queens). My time line goes back to 1927.
Harold Schafer
PS Glad I found your site. I'll visit again. Thank you.
