[4] Woodhaven, once known as Woodyville, has one of the greatest tree populations in the borough and is known for its proximity to the hiking trails of Forest Park.

Woodhaven contains a mixture of urban and suburban land uses, with both low-density residential and commercial sections.

[10] The northern boundary of the Rockaway territory was the terminal moraine of the Wisconsin glacier, which formed the ridges of Forest Park.

"[12] Native Americans in the area used the arrowwood stems prevalent in Forest Park for arrow shafts.

[13] European settlement in Woodhaven began in the mid-18th century as a small town that revolved around farming, with the Ditmar, Lott, Wyckoff, Suydam and Snediker families.

A Connecticut Yankee, John R. Pitkin, developed the eastern area as a workers' village and named it Woodville (1835).

To avoid confusion with a Woodville located upstate, the residents agreed to change the name to Woodhaven.

As late as 1900, the surrounding area, however, was still primarily farmland, and from Atlantic Avenue one could see as far south as Jamaica Bay, site of present-day John F. Kennedy International Airport.

[20] In 2018, an estimated 22% of Woodhaven and Kew Gardens residents lived in poverty, compared to 19% in all of Queens and 20% in all of New York City.

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

[32][33] An annual motorcycle parade on Woodhaven Boulevard commemorates the bravery of war veterans and collects donations for the Salvation Army and holiday toys for needy children.

[39] The hospital significantly helped the scientific community in the creation of breakthroughs in Pulmonary and Heart treatments.

In 1920, the entire house was forced to move to its current location on 88th Street due to the construction of the BMT Jamaica Line.

[43][44] Neir's Tavern, founded in Woodhaven in 1829 and in nearly continuous operation since then (except during Prohibition) is one of the older bars in the United States.

[46] Betty Smith, author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, wrote most of the book in Woodhaven, at Forest Parkway near 85th Drive (though the story is set in nearby Cypress Hills).

[43] The Brooklyn Royal Giants, a professional Negro Baseball League team, played in Dexter Park, which was torn down in 1955 and today is marked with a plaque.

[47][48] The Lalance & Grosjean Tin Manufacturing Factory of Woodhaven produced many kitchen and household objects, some of which were featured in MOMA exhibitions on 20th Century design.

[49] Kew Gardens, Richmond Hill, and Woodhaven are patrolled by the 102nd Precinct of the NYPD, located at 87-34 118th Street.

[17]: 14 The concentration of fine particulate matter, the deadliest type of air pollutant, in Woodhaven and Kew Gardens is 0.0073 milligrams per cubic metre (7.3×10−9 oz/cu ft), less than the city average.

[17]: 13  In Woodhaven and Kew Gardens, 23% of residents are obese, 14% are diabetic, and 22% have high blood pressure—compared to the citywide averages of 22%, 8%, and 23% respectively.

[59] The Wisconsin Glacier retreated from Long Island some 20,000 years ago, leaving behind the hills to the north of Woodhaven that now are part of Forest Park.

[24] The park was home to the Rockaway, Delaware and Lenape Native Americans until Dutch West India Company settlers arrived in 1634 and began establishing towns and pushing the tribes out.

[38] The park also contains playgrounds,[61] Strack Pond,[62] a barbecue area,[63] a bandshell,[64] a nature center,[65] a dog run,[66] and hiking trails.

[68] Dexter Park,[69] a baseball field which once occupied 10 acres (40,000 m2) in Woodhaven just east of Franklin K. Lane High School, contained the first engineered lighting system for night games, which was installed in 1930.

[70] Woodhaven and Kew Gardens generally have a lower rate of college-educated residents than the rest of the city as of 2018[update].

[71] Woodhaven and Kew Gardens's rate of elementary school student absenteeism is less than the rest of New York City.

[17]: 6 [18]: 24 (PDF p. 55)  Additionally, 79% of high school students in Woodhaven and Kew Gardens graduate on time, more than the citywide average of 75%.

[83] Some Queens transit advocates are pushing to reopen the Rockaway Beach Branch of the LIRR, including the Brooklyn Manor station in Woodhaven, at Jamaica Avenue and 100th Street.

[84] An alternate proposal has been to leave the naturally reforested tracks untouched or to convert them into a rail trail similar to Manhattan's High Line.