Cool Timeline

Board of Education

As the population increased in the Village, the need for a school became apparent. A Board of Education was formed and a four room school house, called the Floral Park School, was built and opened in 1895 on South Tyson Avenue. Upon the death of John Lewis Childs in 1921,…Read More

St. Hedwig Roman Catholic Church

Religious organizations came to Floral Park as early as 1889, when the Extension Society of the Methodist Church sent a min­ister to preach on Sunday evenings. A church was formally dedicated in 1891 and became the first church in the Village. St. Hedwig Roman Catholic Church dates from 1902 and…Read More

The Hook & Ladder Company

The Hook & Ladder Company was founded in 1893, the first of the Floral Park fire companies. The first firehouse was on Violet Avenue, now the location of a municipal park­ing field. The second floor of this hall served as a meeting place for Village activities for many years. A…Read More

Gilbert Wright and George Hurrell

Law and order was provided by two deputy sheriffs, Gilbert Wright and George Hurrell, when the Village incorporated in 1908. It wasn’t until 1918 that Floral Park had a uniformed police force with a booth at Jericho Turnpike and Tyson Avenue, which served as police headquarters. Today, the Village is…Read More

Village of the First Class

With population increasing in 1910 to almost 800 people, a proposition was submitted to Village voters recommending the addition of two trustees. It was voted down until 1922, when it was again submitted and passed. The title of President was changed to Mayor in 1927. In 1926, Floral Park was…Read More

Village of Floral Park was formally incorporated

The Village of Floral Park was formally incorporated on October 15, 1908. Two days later, some 175 voters elected John Lewis Childs as President, along with two Trustees, George F. Downing and John F. Klein. The first Village Clerk, David W Syme, and Tax Collector, Andrew Wright, were named. The…Read More

Young Childs became an employee of C. L. Allen

Young Childs became an employee of C. L. Allen, who was a grower of flowers and seeds. After a year of apprenticeship, he went into business for himself. He rented a small area of land and began a seed and bulb business. He advertised his products in leaflets, thus starting…Read More

Floral Park begins in 1874

The history of Floral Park begins in 1874, when 17 year old John Lewis Childs came to the area known as East Hinsdale. The community, then a part of Queens County, consisted of a small group of houses, one store, the Hinsdale Post Office and a rail­road station. In 1899…Read More