Queens · Neighborhood guide
Rosedale
St. Clare’s parish and a 1976 documentary record different chapters in Rosedale’s change from farmland to a residential neighborhood. Choose a meal from De Islands’ Caribbean takeout menu, view the working parish exterior or check the library’s program calendar.
Understanding Rosedale
St. Clare’s institutional history describes Rosedale growing from a farming community around the start of the twentieth century, with expansion accelerating after the First World War. The parish was founded in 1924 and first rented a firehouse for services. Its present church was completed and dedicated in 1927.
The same account records a school opening in 1957 and the formation of a separate St. Pius X parish in 1960 as the Catholic community grew. It also recalls Caribbean newcomers arriving in the 1970s. These are specific milestones in local institutions and migration, not a claim that every Rosedale household shared one history.
The producer's account of Rosedale: The Way It Is describes the 1976 documentary following the Spencers, a Black family, and the racial intimidation surrounding integration. The film does not establish present conditions or a publicly visitable historic home.
Places to explore
St. Clare Roman Catholic Church
137-35 Brookville BoulevardRead the parish's local history before viewing its church exterior.
Rosedale Library
144-20 243rd StreetUse the branch’s current calendar to select a program, or stop for books, free Wi-Fi and computer workstations.
De Islands
138-58 Francis Lewis BoulevardThe takeout menu includes jerk or escovitch fish and curry goat with roti. Callaloo rice, pumpkin rice and festival are among the sides. Use the Rosedale branch’s contact details to check the day’s menu.
Planning a visit
Ask St. Clare’s parish about any interior visit and give worship priority; rectory office hours are not sightseeing hours. QPL lists wheelchair access and a 24-hour materials drop-off at Rosedale Library. De Islands publishes daily opening; check the Rosedale branch’s current hours and menu before traveling.
Sources and visitor information
- Revisiting RosedaleBillMoyers.com
- Rosedale LibraryQueens Public Library
- St. Clare current parish and contactSt. Clare Roman Catholic Church
- Parish historySt. Clare Roman Catholic Church
- De Islands: store locationsDe Islands
- 2020 Neighborhood Tabulation Areas (NTAs), NYC Open Data 26BNYC Department of City Planning / NYC Open Data