The property known as "The Oaks" bordered "The Alley" and totaled about 360 acres. The area was once owned by John Hicks, one of the original patentees to the Town of Flushing in 1645. Beginning in 1859, John H. Taylor, a wealthy Manhattan restaurateur, developed the property as a horticultural enterprise. Together with his partner, John Henderson, they specialized in growing roses and orchids and built over 30 green houses on the estate.

​

After Taylor died in 1886, his son, John H. Taylor, inherited the property and horticultural business. By 1896 Taylor organized The Oakland Golf Course, leased 111 acres of The Oaks to the club, and became its first president. Membership to the club was exclusive and included such prominent New Yorkers as H. P. Du Pont, Charles C. Goodrich, Samuel Kress, Bernard Baruch, Charles Schwab as well as Baysiders J. Wilson Dayton, Edward D. Appleton, Henry L. Bell and Effingham Lawrence.

​

Upon Taylor's death, the club purchased the previously leased property. In 1952 the club became a public course and almost immediately, within that same year, was sold to Pickman and Son, Realtors.

​

By the 1960s the property was bought by the City of New York. The Oaks and the Oakland Golf Course were developed and are now the present site of Queensborough Community College, Benjamin Cardozo High School, and P.S. 205. The historic 1920's Oakland Building, the Club House for the Oakland Country Club was originally used as the administrative building at Q.C.C. It now houses the art gallery.

​

The gate house and entrance to the Oakland Golf Course seen in this postcard were originally part of The Oaks estate and no longer exist.