Did you know that Fleetwood Triangle in Queens New York has a hidden history? Right here before us lies a seemingly ordinary triangular park. Yet beneath the grass and trees rests a secret a forgotten pond.
Long before the houses and streets of Rego Park existed this land was rural farmland. Farmers worked the soil their properties marked on old surveys. One such survey from 1891 shows a pond sitting where Fleetwood Triangle now stands. It was called Duggan’s Pond.
Over time Duggan’s Pond appears on several maps. A 1906 topographical survey clearly shows the pond nestled in a depression next to Woodhaven Boulevard. By 1915 maps show the pond outlined in blue. It’s located on a never-built street called Bloomfield Place.
However by 1924 things changed. The area was being developed into Rego Park. The pond became a dumping ground. The city decided to cover it up. The collision of the old and new street grids created Fleetwood Triangle.
The park itself is a small but welcome green space. It’s a result of the quirky geography. Its name Fleetwood Triangle is likely a pun involving nearby Fleet Court and Woodhaven Boulevard.
So next time you visit Fleetwood Triangle remember its hidden story. It’s a reminder that even in a bustling city like New York secrets lie beneath the surface. The land holds memories of a forgotten pond a testament to the ever-changing landscape.