From Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce :

http://www.foresthillschamber.org/en/history/

Neighborhood History and Neighborhood Feel
Forest Hills was settled in the mid 1600’s and was known as Whitepot. English settlers bought the land from Native Americans for three white clay pots and the name stuck. The present history of Forest Hills was begun in 1906 when successful businessman Cord Meyer purchased 600 acres of farmland in Whitepot. Meyer re-named the area Forest Hills in deference to nearby Forest Park and because the area was the highest point for miles around.

In 1909 Margaret Olivia Slocum Sage, founder of the Russell Sage Foundation bought 142 acres of the land from the Cord Meyer Development Company and built the Forest Hills Gardens. Grosvenor Atterbury renowned architect was given the commission to design the Forest Hills Gardens. The neighborhood was planned on the model of the garden communities of England. The Forest Hills Gardens were the first and are the oldest of the planned communities. The Gardens are credited as the leading American contribution to the Garden Cities movement and one of the most recognized. This new science of city planning allowed commuters to have country living in the city. This was their alternative to cramped New York City flats. No industry was to be allowed.

Atterbury designed elegant, substantial Tudor and Colonial style homes. Throughout the Gardens you will see towers, spires, fancy brickwork, Tudor exposed half timbers and red tile clay roofs. The Arts and Crafts style was very popular in the 1920’s and Atterbury designed many of the neighborhoods homes in this style as well. Wrought iron streetlights were designed to resemble Old English lanterns. These Harwich port blue lampposts add to the English village atmosphere.

Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr. son of the landscape architect of New York City’s central park was the landscape architect for the Forest Hills Gardens project. He planned curving streets lined with stately trees, closes, two small parks, Flag Pole Green, and Station Square. In 1919 Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr. stated, � a local park adds more to the value of the remaining land in the residential area which it serves, than the value of the land withdrawn to create it.�  Olmstead’s design for the Forest Hills Gardens offered open space and relaxation which people living in Forest Hills still benefit from today.

The Long Island Rail Road built a link to Forest Hills and it opened on August 5, 1911, enabling residents to commute to Manhattan in less than 20 minutes. Sage and Cord Meyer joined together to help build Station Square, at a cost of $50,000.00. The Tudor style touches, two staircases, cobblestone streets, and Bavarian Tower create an elegant space for visitors and residents alike. The station also has unique inside walkways for access to the railroad, leading from the Forest Hills Inn, located directly across from the Station.

Today the Forest Hills Gardens is the only private community in Queens. The distinctive charm of the area is thus preserved by the guidelines established by the Forest Hills Gardens Corporation. Any plans to build or make exterior changes on the homes must be reviewed by the corporation and must maintain the architectural standards of one hundred years ago, set forth by it’s architects Grosvenor Atterbury and Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr.

General Information About The Neighborhood
Forest Hills, an ethnically diverse area, is composed of young families as well as a large senior population. In recent years Russian immigrants have joined our neighborhood. Middle Eastern and Eastern European specialty food markets, Russian language video stores and establishments catering to the Russian Jewish population can be found on 108th Street.

Forest Hills always entertaining, boasts a vibrant business community offering upscale shopping, fine restaurants, lively nightlife and pubs. Explore Austin Street and Continental Ave where you will find 200 one of a kind shops. The Forest Hills merchants have a motto that they are proud of “We are large enough to serve you and small enough to know you� , so join us for your next shopping spree!

Foods of many nations are here for the tasting. Try Cuban, Cajun, Japanese, Thai, Mexican, and Italian to name a few of Forest Hills’ flavors. Start with a visit to 70th Road between Austin Street and Queens Blvd., also known as restaurant row for a variety of great eateries. As you walk through our area don’t forget to stop at our gourmet specialty food stores and bakeries. You will also find one of the largest organic marketplaces to be found in Queens.

Designer clothes for women and men are available in our stylish and trendy boutiques. They are sure to satisfy the clotheshorse in you. Forest Hills can outfit you from head to toe so don’t forget a visit to one of our shoe emporiums. Beautiful gifts are yours to be found in our lovely gift shops, where the unique and unusual are waiting just for you. If you have the home decorating bug there are several upscale home-decorating shops to bring out the designer in you! You can also come and be pampered in one of the many hair salons and day spas Forest Hills has to offer. Relax, Unwind and Have A Good Time…There’s No Place Like Forest Hills

Metropolitan Ave. is a quiet street that is lined with interesting antique shops to rummage through. This street is home to Eddie’s Sweet Shop an original ice cream parlor dating back 100 years. They still make their own ice cream and hand whip all the whipped cream on the delectable sundaes and sodas that are served.

Forest Hills was as famous for the U.S. Open as England is for Wimbledon. The U.S. Open was held here for more than 70 years until 1978 when it moved to the larger National Tennis Center in Flushing. The Westside Tennis Club is still a prestigious tennis club today, located within the Forest Hills Gardens.

Forest Hills Most Famous Residents:
Ray Romano
Dale Carnegie
Paul Simon
Art Garfunkle
Donna Karan
Helen Keller
Carol Channing
Jerry Seinfeld
Captain Kangaroo (Bob Keeshan)
Burt Bacharach
Carroll O’Connor
Lou Costello
Thelma Ritter

Notable Architecture And Landmarks
The Forest Hills Gardens as noted above contains some of the finest private residences in America. The following addresses not only housed notable people but; are beautiful architecturally.

While standing outside the Grosvenor Atterbury home located at 8 Markwood Place you can imagine the splendid construction on this house probably could not be duplicated today. Oak linenfold paneling, teak paneling, pegged and dovetailed oak floors, leaded and stained glass windows and stone masonry were details supervised by Mr. Atterbury and have been maintained in perfect condition.

The ground floor opens to a long hall which forms a vista to a conservatory walled in leaded casement windows. The 24 foot long drawing room has great banks of casement windows on three walls, and a wide fireplace. The large dining room and library each have a fireplace. A flagstone tea terrace crosses the rear of the house, overlooking the garden and the greenhouse. A paneled staircase rises within the stone tower to the second floor hall. There are eight bedrooms, a nursery, three dressing rooms, a sauna and cedar lined closets to name a few of the fantastic amenities.

This home is located on the largest grounds in the Forest Hills Gardens, just under an acre. A sunken garden, rare specimen trees and a pool surround the house.

Geraldine Ferraro, the first woman to run for Vice President of the United States, lived at 22 Deepdene Road until 2002 and her nearby neighbor at 40 Deepdene Road was writer and journalist, Jimmy Breslin who was in residence until 1982. These homes are prime examples of private residences in the Forest Hills Gardens.

Dale Carnegie the “original�  motivational speaker and author of “How To Win Friends and Influence People�  lived at 27 Wendover Road from 1928 to 1955.

Forest Hills is home to Spiderman, also known as Peter Parker who lived at 20 Ingram Street. Coincidentally, a family named Parker lives at this address today!

Academy award winning composer and singer Bert Bacharach lived at 150 Burns Street until 1958.

Station Square is off 71st/Continental Ave. and is the beginning of the Forest Hills Gardens. It has all the old world charm and character indicative of Forest Hills. The historic Forest Hills Inn is located here. No longer an Inn it has been turned into a co-op residence. The square has cobblestone-paved streets, charming spired buildings, the Christian Scientist Reading Room, and the Long Island Rail Road Station, At this railroad station, President Theodore Roosevelt delivered his famous “One Hundred Percent American�  speech. Every Christmas Eve Santa on his sleigh arrives in the square to wish everyone a happy holiday, carols are sung and hot cider is sipped. It is truly a place of another time.

Ridgewood Savings Bank is located on Queens Blvd and 108th Street is designated an historic landmark and has been newly restored to it’s art deco glory.

Our Lady Queen Of Martyrs Church located on Queens Blvd and Ascan Ave. is Queens largest Catholic Cathedral, taking up one square block. Gorgeous stained glass windows, including Rosetta windows adorn the church.

Eddie’s Sweet Shop at 105-29 Metropolitan Ave (cross street: 72nd Road) has all the original fixtures, tile, marble counter, chandeliers, stools and fountain from it’s beginning about 100 years ago. Even the metal ice cream dishes and glass soda holders are original!