New Immigrants Put Stamp on Richmond Hill

This town has always been home to immigrants, but the home countries of the people have changed over the years. - - Donna Poisl

By KAVITA MOKHA

From the sounds of calypso and soca that permeate Liberty Avenue's roti shops and the Bhangra beats that rock Atlantic Avenue's Punjabi restaurants, to the Latin rhythms in bodegas along Jamaica Avenue, Richmond Hill is a garden community in Queens whose past is as diverse as its present.

Originally home to a large Irish, German and Italian population, the neighborhood has experienced a marked demographic shift in the last few decades.

"A part of Richmond Hill was unofficially known as 'Berlin' in the 1800s on account of its large German population," said local historian Carl Ballenas. "A large number of European immigrants were drawn to the area to work in the [Long Island] Rail Road repair shops. But many left for bigger homes elsewhere, making way for the newer immigrants from India, South America and the Caribbean."
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