The 5 Pointz building Long Island City continues to draw tourists to the site that was once covered in graffiti. The building will soon be demolished and is slated to become luxury apartments. Photo by Steve Fisher
From Irish pubs and Pakistani grocery stores to rows of Indian sari and jewelry shops, the 7 train boasts such diversity that it almost seems possible to explore the globe, all while staying in the neighborhoods that dot what is often referred to as the “International Express.”
Fisher’s subway train is reflected in a new building, Gotham Center, located by the Queens Plaza subway stop in Long Island City.
Photo by Steve Fisher
Connecting Times Square to Flushing, the subway line, which opened in 1913, maneuvers its way through an area of Queens that has long been a corridor of immigration. People from places across the world – and who speak more than 100 languages – have long settled along the 7 line, which traverses land populated by individuals from such countries as the Philippines, Thailand, China, Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, India, Ireland, and many more.
Maspeth resident Steve Fisher got a chance to travel the 7 this past Saturday, when he took a tour led by Queens historian Jack Eichenbaum. Luckily for us, Fisher snapped a number of photos during the tour – during which participants explored six neighborhoods along the 7: Long Island City, Corona, Sunnyside, Woodside, Jackson Heights, and Flushing.
As individuals saw everything from ping pong tournaments in Flushing to Central American street vendors in Jackson Heights, Eichenbaum discussed colonial settlement patterns, demographic history, revolutions in transportation and industry, major public works projects, and cuisine, among other topics.
A marching band on its way to entertain in Sunnyside’s Flag Day Parade. Photo by Steve Fisher
From 43rd Avenue in Sunnyside, the Chrysler Building is visible in the distance. Photo by Steve Fisher
Street fare in Jackson Heights. Photo by Steve Fisher
Sean Og’s is a popular Irish bar and restaurant in Woodside. Photo by Steve Fisher
The Chinese-immigrant population of Flushing surpassed that of Manhattan’s Chinatown years ago – and about two-thirds of the neighborhood’s residents are foreign born, with many of them coming from Asia. Photo by Steve Fisher
Passionate ping pong players can always find a place to play a round in one of Flushing’s malls. Photo by Steve Fisher
Beyond Long Island City’s “daylight loft” buildings is Midtown Manhattan. Photo by Steve Fisher
Jackson Heights’ 74th Street by Roosevelt Avenue is part of what has become known as “Little India,” with numerous restaurants and shops from the subcontinent lining the area. Photo by Steve Fisher
