Remember that the “valley of ashes” in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby was inspired by a real place? That place is now part of what we know as Corona Golf Playground. This golf playground is a piece of the larger Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens. This park is massive. It spans 897 acres.
Before it was a park, this land had a fascinating, somewhat grimy history. Until the 19th century, the area consisted of wetlands. It was traversed by the Flushing River. In the early 20th century, the area became a dumping ground for ashes. It was far from the developed parts of New York City and considered worthless.
Robert Moses, a New York City Parks Commissioner, had a vision. In the 1920s, he wanted to develop a large park in Flushing Meadow. This idea came to life. Flushing Meadows–Corona Park hosted the 1939 New York World’s Fair. It also hosted the 1964 New York World’s Fair.
The Corona Dump, as it was known, drew much ire from local residents. Strong odors and rat infestations plagued the neighborhoods. Much of the street sweepings collected consisted of horse manure. Residents threw out normal garbage with coal ashes. The meadows became one of the worst breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
As a minor concession, the Corona Park Golf and Country Club opened in 1931. It was near Nassau Boulevard. Today, that is the Long Island Expressway.
Robert Moses incorporated a significant portion of the refuse into the bases of several roadways. These roadways bordered or bisected the park. These included the Van Wyck Expressway, Interboro Parkway, and the Long Island Expressway.
Following the 1964 fair, most buildings were demolished. Some were relocated. Others remained in the park. City officials proposed repurposing the site as a sports park in 1966. Ultimately, the Parks Department took back ownership. It opened on June 3, 1967.
In early 1964, the New York City Council added Corona to the park’s name. The park became Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. Councilman Edward Sadowsky said this corrected an injustice. The people of Corona had long lived in the aroma of a junkyard named for their community.
Today, Flushing Meadows–Corona Park is the fourth-largest public park in New York City. It is a vibrant place. It offers a mix of recreational and cultural attractions. The park retains much of the layout from the 1939 World’s Fair. Its attractions include the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. It also has Citi Field, the New York Hall of Science, and the Queens Museum. The Unisphere is another attraction. It formerly contained Shea Stadium. The Flushing River continues to run through the park. Meadow and Willow Lakes take up much of the park’s area. It’s quite a transformation from a dumping ground to a beloved park.