In the 1600s, Dutch settlers established small communities on the island, harvesting oysters, clams, shrimp, and fish from Jamaica Bay. Broad Channel remained part of the Town of Jamaica until 1898, when New York City consolidated its surrounding municipalities into one city, transforming the island’s governance and infrastructure. With railroad construction in 1880 by the New York, Woodhaven and Rockaway Beach Railroad, the island became more accessible, stimulating growth.
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