The City of Greater New York was the consolidation of the City of New Yorkwith Brooklyn, western Queens County, and Staten Island, which took effect on January 1, 1898. New York had already annexed the Bronx (west of the Bronx River in 1874, east of the Bronx River in 1895), so the consolidated city sprawled across five counties, which became the five Boroughs of modern New York. Eastern Queens County was excluded and later became Nassau County.
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👉 City of Greater New York in the context of Elmhurst, Queens
Elmhurst (formerly Newtown) is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City. It is bounded by Roosevelt Avenue on the north; the Long Island Expressway on the south; Junction Boulevard on the east; and the New York Connecting Railroad on the west.
The village, originally named Middleburgh, was established in 1652 by English Puritans, approximately 7 miles (11 km) from New Amsterdam. When the British took over New Netherland in 1664, they renamed it New Town, which was eventually simplified to Newtown. It remained a rural community until the late 1890s, when it was renamed Elmhurst and became part of the City of Greater New York. Elmhurst became heavily developed with residential and commercial structures in the early 20th century, and many immigrants started moving in during the latter part of the century.
In this Dossier
- ⭐ Core Definition: City of Greater New York
- 👉 City of Greater New York in the context of Elmhurst, Queens
- City of Greater New York in the context of Boroughs of New York City
- City of Greater New York in the context of Staten Island
- City of Greater New York in the context of New York City Charter
- City of Greater New York in the context of Long Island City
- City of Greater New York in the context of Flushing, Queens
- City of Greater New York in the context of Jamaica, Queens
City of Greater New York in the context of Boroughs of New York City
The boroughs of New York City are the five major governmental districts that compose New York City. They are the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. Each borough is coextensive with a respective county of the State of New York: The Bronx is Bronx County, Brooklyn is Kings County, Manhattan is New York County, Queens is Queens County, and Staten Island is Richmond County.
All five boroughs of New York came into existence with the creation of modern New York City in 1898, when New York County (then including the Bronx), Kings County, Richmond County, and part of Queens County were consolidated within one municipal government under a new city charter. All former municipalities within the newly consolidated city were dissolved.
City of Greater New York in the context of Staten Island
Staten Island (/ˈstætən/ STAT-ən) is the southernmost of the five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York. The borough is separated from the adjacent state of New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull and from the rest of New York by New York Bay. With a population of 495,747 in the 2020 Census, Staten Island is the least populated New York City borough but the third largest in land area at 58.5 sq mi (152 km); it is also the least densely populated and most suburban borough in the city.
A home to the Lenape Native Americans, the island was settled by Dutch colonists in the 17th century. It was one of the 12 original counties of New York state. Staten Island was consolidated with New York City in 1898. It was formerly known as the Borough of Richmond until 1975, when its name was changed to Borough of Staten Island. Staten Island has sometimes been called "the forgotten borough" by inhabitants who feel neglected by the city government and the media. It has also been referred to as the "borough of parks" due to its 12,300 acres of protected parkland and over 170 parks.
City of Greater New York in the context of New York City Charter
The New York City Charter is the municipal charter of New York City. It establishes the basic framework of New York City government, including the elective offices of the mayor, comptroller, public advocate, and members of the City Council. It also enumerates the powers and duties of those officers and many appointed officials, such as the commissioners of city agencies. In contrast, more detailed local laws and regulations governing New York City are typically found in the New York City Administrative Code and the Rules of the City of New York. As of November 2025, the New York City Charter includes a non-numbered introductory chapter, plus chapters identified by a number (1 through 79) or a number plus a letter suffix.
The modern charter's origins correspond with the establishment of Greater New York. As part of the 1898 consolidation of New York City, the New York State Legislature enacted a charter for the consolidated city (Laws of 1897, chapter 378, effective January 1, 1898). The Charter was amended periodically and throughout the twentieth century and overhauled in 1989, after the New York City Board of Estimate had been declared unconstitutional, to redistribute power from the Board of Estimate to the mayor and City Council.
City of Greater New York in the context of Long Island City
Long Island City (LIC) is a neighborhood within the New York City borough of Queens. It is bordered by Astoria to the north; the East River to the west; Sunnyside to the east; and Newtown Creek, which separates Queens from Greenpoint, Brooklyn, to the south. Its name refers to its location on the western tip of Long Island.
Incorporated as a city in 1870, Long Island City was originally the seat of government of the Town of Newtown, before becoming part of the City of Greater New York in 1898. In the early 21st century, Long Island City became known for its rapid and ongoing residential growth and gentrification, its waterfront parks, and its thriving arts community. The area has a high concentration of art galleries, art institutions, and studio space. Long Island City is the eastern terminus of the Queensboro Bridge, the only non-tolled automotive route connecting Queens and Manhattan. Northeast of the bridge are the Queensbridge Houses, a development of the New York City Housing Authority and the largest public housing complex in the Western Hemisphere.
City of Greater New York in the context of Flushing, Queens
Flushing is a neighborhood in the north-central portion of the New York City borough of Queens. The neighborhood is the fourth-largest central business district in New York City. Downtown Flushing is a major commercial and retail area, with the intersection of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue at its core being the third-busiest in New York City, behind Times Square and Herald Square.
Flushing was established as a settlement of New Netherland on October 10, 1645, on the eastern bank of Flushing Creek. It was named Vlissingen, after the Dutch city of Vlissingen. The English took control of New Amsterdam in 1664, and when Queens County was established in 1683, the Town of Flushing was one of the original five towns of Queens. In 1898, Flushing was consolidated into the City of Greater New York. Development came in the early 20th century with the construction of bridges and public transportation. A significant immigrant population, composed mostly of Chinese, Indians, and Koreans, settled in Flushing in the late 20th century and early 21st century, leading to the neighborhood hosting the original Queens Chinatown and being revered as a cultural melting pot.
City of Greater New York in the context of Jamaica, Queens
Jamaica is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It has a popular large commercial and retail area, though part of the neighborhood is also residential. Jamaica is bordered by Hollis, Queens Village, St. Albans, and Cambria Heights to the east; South Jamaica, Rochdale Village, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and Springfield Gardens to the south; Laurelton and Rosedale to the southeast; Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, and Aqueduct Racetrack to the west and southwest; Briarwood to the northwest; and Kew Gardens Hills, Jamaica Hills, and Jamaica Estates to the north.
Jamaica's original designation was for a larger area, and was settled under Dutch rule in 1656. It was originally called Rustdorp. Under English rule, Jamaica became the center of the "Town of Jamaica"; the name is of Lenape origin and wholly unrelated to that of the country. It was the first county seat of Queens County, holding that title from 1683 to 1788, and was the first incorporated village on Long Island. When Queens was incorporated into the City of Greater New York in 1898, both the town of Jamaica and the village of Jamaica were dissolved, but the neighborhood of Jamaica regained its role as county seat.