Whitestone is a residential neighborhood in the northernmost part of the New York City borough of Queens.

[4] Dutch settlers derived the name of the town from limestone that used to lie on the shore of the river according to a popular tradition.

The area was, in large part, the estate of Francis Lewis, a delegate to the Continental Congress and a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

[5] In the late 19th century, many wealthy New Yorkers began building mansions in the area, on what had once been farmland or woodland.

Rapid development of the area ensued in the 1920s, however, as trolley and Long Island Rail Road train service on the Whitestone Branch was expanded into the neighborhood.

[7] Demographically, the population is mostly white and of European descent (Greek, Italian, Irish), as well as Jewish, with a small minority of Asian Americans.

In 1683, Roe was taxed upon owning 35 acres (140,000 m2) and thereafter increased his holdings substantially, ultimately acquiring the upland around what was to become Malba.

He was among the most well-to-do citizens of Flushing, owning lands, farm stock, carpenter's tools and two slaves.

[citation needed] In 1786, John Powell purchased Roe's 87-acre (350,000 m2) parcel for 1,685 pounds, 6 shillings, and 8 pence.

During the 19th century, some of Powell's land passed into the hands of Harry Genet, a member of the Tammany Hall, New York City's infamous political machine.

In the spring of 1906, the Realty Trust secured over 100 investors from New Haven, Guilford, Bridgeport, and other Connecticut towns, to the planned purchase of the Ziegler Tract.

Based on a review of early maps of the area, the developers, at one point, planned a very densely populated community; with homes on lots no bigger than 20 feet (6.1 m) wide.

Thereafter such Connecticut residents as Samuel R. Avis, Noble P. Bishop, George W. Lewis, David R. Alling and George Maycock were elected trustees (altogether these were the five names that combined to form the MALBA name) of the Malba Land Company.

[8] Based on data from the 2010 United States Census, the population of Whitestone was 30,773, a decrease of 583 (1.9%) from the 31,356 counted in 2000.

Based on this calculation, as of 2018[update], Whitestone and Flushing are considered to be high-income relative to the rest of the city and not gentrifying.

The Grace Episcopal Church, on Clintonville street, was built in 1858 on land donated by the family of Francis Lewis.

The Russian Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas, with its distinctive great blue onion dome (added in 1991 after the Cold War, previous building from 1916), was built in 1968.

[11]: 14 The concentration of fine particulate matter, the deadliest type of air pollutant, in Whitestone and Flushing is 0.0073 milligrams per cubic metre (7.3×10−9 oz/cu ft), less than the city average.

[11]: 13  In Whitestone and Flushing, 13% of residents are obese, 8% are diabetic, and 22% have high blood pressure—compared to the citywide averages of 22%, 8%, and 23% respectively.

[11]: 12 Ninety-five percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which is higher than the city's average of 87%.

[33] Whitestone and Flushing's rate of elementary school student absenteeism is less than the rest of New York City.

[12]: 24 (PDF p. 55) [11]: 6  86% of high school students in Whitestone and Flushing graduate on time, more than the citywide average of 75%.

[11]: 6 The New York City Department of Education operates public schools in the area, including P.S.

The Cross Island Parkway merges into the Whitestone Expressway approximately 0.5 miles (0.80 km) before the bridge.

Most of the local buses provide access to and from Flushing–Main Street on the IRT Flushing Line (7 and <7>​ trains) of the New York City Subway.

Originally intended to lead into Westchester County, it was consolidated into the Long Island Rail Road in 1876.