On 12/11/03 (12:18:15 PM MST), as part of an eMail, Barb Fox (lizbethboz@sedona.net ) asked, "I am curious to know when Queen's county came into existence ... " The year was 1683. Today's Queens County is one-quarter its original size, with the eastern three-quarters of Queens County seceding and forming Nassau County on January 1, 1899. Queens County was one of the original 12 counties created in 1683 when the General Assembly of Freeholders reorganized the governmental structure in all of the province of New York into 12 counties, each of which was sub-divided into towns. (The other original counties were Albany, Cornwall, Dukes, Dutchess, Kings, New York, Orange, Richmond, Suffolk, Ulster and Westchester.) 1683 Queens County created and includes 5 towns: Newtown, Flushing, Jamaica, Hempstead and Oyster Bay. 1784 The Town of North Hempstead secedes from the Town of Hempstead and Queens then has 6 towns (Newtown, Flushing, Jamaica, North Hempstead, Hempstead and Oyster Bay). 1813 The Village of Flushing incorporated with the Town of Flushing. 1814 The Village of Jamaica incorporated within the Town of Jamaica. 1839 The Village of Astoria incorporated within the Town of Newtown. 1867 The Village of College Point incorporated within the Town of Flushing. 1868 The Village of Whitestone incorporated with the Town of Flushing. 1870 The City of Long Island City (includes the Village of Astoria and parts or all of adjacent hamlets) seceded from and became independent of the Town of Newtown and Queens County then had 1 city (Long Island City) and 6 towns (Newtown, Flushing, Jamaica, North Hempstead, Hempstead and Oyster Bay). 1886 The Lloyd's Neck peninsula in the Town of Oyster Bay is transferred (excluding riparian rights) to the Town of Huntington, Suffolk County. 1888 The Village of Far Rockaway incorporated within the Town of Hempstead. 1894 The Village of Richmond Hill is incorporated within the Town of Jamaica. 1897 The Village of Rockaway Beach is incorporated within the Town of Hempstead. 1898 The western-quarter of Queens County (the City of Long Island City, the Towns of Newtown, Flushing and Jamaica and the Rockaway peninsula of the Town of Hempstead) are annexed by the new New York City. The eastern three-quarters (the Towns of North Hempstead, Hempstead and Oyster Bay) remained part of Queens County, but is not part of New York City. Thus, for one year, part of Queens County is in New York City and part is not in New York City. 1899 The eastern three-quarters of Queens County (the Towns of North Hempstead, Hempstead and Oyster Bay) seceded from and became independent of Queens County and formed Nassau County. I'm including after my name a NYS Geographic Glossary with the NYS definitions of county, city, town, village, hamlet and postal zone. I hope this information is useful or, at least, interesting. Sincerely, Walter Greenspan . Cities, Towns, Villages, Hamlets and Postal Zones in New York State New York State is divided into counties. County A county is a municipal corporation, a subdivision of the state, created to perform state functions; a "regional" government. All counties are divided into cities, towns and Indian reservations. City A city is a unique governmental entity with its own special charter. Cities are not sub-divided, except into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic areas. Town A town is a municipal corporation and encompasses all territory within the state except that within cities or Indian reservations. Towns can be sub-divided into villages and hamlets. Village A village is a general purpose municipal corporation formed voluntarily by the residents of an area in one or more towns to provide themselves with municipal services. The pattern of village organization is similar to those of a city. A village is divided into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic areas. Hamlet A hamlet is an unincorporated area in one or more towns that is governed at-large by the town(s) it is in. A hamlet is divided into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic areas. Postal Zone "City" and "Town" A postal zone "City" and "Town" is an administrative district established by the U.S. Postal Service to deliver the mail. Postal zone "City" and "Town" may not (but are encouraged to) conform to municipal or community borders. Thus, postal zone location does not always determine city, village or hamlet location. Please be aware: In many areas of New York State, the problem of non-conforming postal zones leads to a situation where the majority of places have a different community name in their mailing address than the community where that place is actually located.