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It was originally settled by the Dutch homesteaders in the 17th Century. It was also a site for part of the Battle of Long Island during the American Revolutionary War when Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Woodhull was captured at a tavern on what is now Jamaica Avenue. Woodhull Avenue in Hollis is named for him.
The area remained rural until 1885, when developers turned 136 acres into houses, and the area is still developed primarily with single family houses. In 1898, it became a part of New York City with the rest of the borough of Queens. Since the end of World War II, the neighborhood has been settled primarily by African-American middle class families.
Since the rise of hip-hop, the neighborhood has been a hotbed of rap talent, sparked primarily by the fact that hip-hop producer and icon Russell Simmons. Among the rap acts this area has spawned are Run DMC (of which Rev. Run is Russell Simmons' brother), LL Cool J, Young MC (the first Grammy winner for any hip-hop recording) and Ja Rule.
Other famous people from this neighborhood include former New York Governor Mario Cuomo, US Secretary of State Colin Powell and civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton.
Queens neighborhoods