CLIFTON AVENUE, West Maspeth

by Kevin Walsh

In a very old section of Queens now called West Maspeth, formerly called Laurel Hill, can be found an old house on the corner of the two streets formerly known as Clifton Avenue (46th Street) and Waters Avenue (54th Road). The house has two very old street signs carrying the streets’ old names. (12/97)

Waters Avenue and Clifton Avenuecan be seen on this Brooklyn Eagle map dating from about 1900. None of the streets in the neighborhood, with the exception of Laurel Hill Boulevard (on the left) have kept their old names. Note, however, two streets named Jay and Hull Avenues. Further east, in Maspeth, they still go by their old names.

3/3/98

UPDATE: The signs were removed sometime in 2007.

2 comments

Ellen Everall December 28, 2018 - 3:08 pm

I grew up there and want to rerurn

Reply
Jeanne Noonan Leonard January 30, 2024 - 4:27 pm

I grew up on 54th Rd &46St. There were only 5 houses on the block. Across the street was an empty lot about a square block in area. That empty lot was our playground we all had our favorite spots. The was a sidewalk but it was never paved. Mostly everyone walked on the side of the road. In 1958 we all woke up to the sound of heavy machinery. Consequently, our empty lot was gone and was replaced with a noisy factory
The blocks claim to fame was it was the home of my brother who was. Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by Pres. Richard Nixon in a ceremony in the White House in Washington DC IN 1971. How proud we all were. His name is Thomas Noonan and he is buried in Old Calvary Queens NY
It is sad to see what has become of my old neighborhood. I loved the freedom it gave me and the uniqueness of the neighborhood

Reply

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