Hip Hop Shop
Jamaica may be the last stop on the eastbound F train, but that doesn't mean that this lively community located in the southeast corner of Queens hasn't had its share of noteworthy firsts! Come see where Hip Hop music and fashion first debuted and where one our country's first leaders, Founding Father Rufus King, lived!

A Bit of Background
Jamaica was named after "ahmeco", the Native American Canarsie tribe's word for beaver, and like much of New York, was soon settled by the Dutch. In the 1660's, English colonists from Massachusetts and Eastern Long Island moved into Jamaica. The area remained fiercely English through the American Revolution as a Loyalist stronghold and British troops were quartered in the foothills north of today's Hillside Avenue.

In 1805 Rufus King, an author and signer of the Constitution (as well as a very outspoken opponent of slavery), bought an old farmhouse in Jamaica, renovating it into a stylish home reflecting his Federalist tastes. Today, the King residence is restored as the King Manor Museum (Jamaica Avenue between 150th and 153rd Streets). This cultural center-a member of the New York Historic House Trust-offers visitors of all ages tours, events and educational programming.

Historical Churches
One of the best ways to experience Jamaica's rich history is by visiting its variety of historically significant churches. Grace Church (155-24 Rufus King Avenue) was founded in 1702 as the official church of the British colonial government. Beneath the crooked and aging gravestones of the surrounding graveyard lie the remains of elected officials and gentry of that time. A "modern" touch can be found inside the building, where murals painted during the 1920's Works Progress Administration adorn the walls. Prospect Cemetery and the Chapel of the Three Sisters (159th Street south of the Long Island Railroad overpass) is one of the few remaining colonial cemeteries in Queens, and contains the graves of revolutionary war soldiers and Edward Benson, New York's first Attorney General.

Hip Hop Headquarters…and all that Jazz
Most Hip Hop aficionados know that Jamaica is practically the birthplace of the Hip Hop genre, clothing, and culture. Walk the 165th Street Outdoor Pedestrian Mall on any given Saturday and witness the local stores teeming with young people seeking out the latest brands in urban and hip hop street wear, poring over the record stores' latest releases or crowding the Coloseum Mall (just north of Jamaica Avenue along the 165th Pathway ) which has a wealth of Hip Hop and house music DJs, urban apparel, footwear and posters. But take note-Jamaica's musical prowess extends far past its Hip Hop roots: Since the 1940's, jazz culture has been one of the foundations of life in Jamaica. Top legends like Count Basie, Brook Benton, Milt Hinton, Illinois Jacquet, Arthur Prysock, Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, Fats Waller and Jimmy Rushing called the greater Jamaica area (especially the nearby residential area of St. Albans) home for years .

Getting Here:
Subway F: Parsons Boulevard at 169th Street and Hillside Avenue
E : Sutphin Boulevard/ Archer Avenue or Jamaica Center-Parsons Boulevard/Archer Avenue
J and Z: Jamaica Center at Parsons Boulevard and Archer Avenue
Parking Jamaica Market Garage, 90-15 Parsons Boulevard (90th Avenue & Parsons Boulevard)
Mid Block, 89-35 162nd Street (162nd & 163rd Streets)
Jamaica First Lot (168th & 169th Streets between 90th & 91st Avenues)
Jamaica First Parking Garage, 90-30 165th Street (165th Street & Archer Avenue)