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Maspeth street renamed for beloved local World War I hero

Members of the Polish Legion of American Veterans are among those pictured with City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley on Veterans Day at a street renaming ceremony honoring Frank Kowalinski, a Maspeth man who died while serving the U.S. in World War I.
Photo courtesy of City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley

Polish-Americans in Maspeth had even more reason to be proud of their heritage on Veterans Day, as the city officially renamed a neighborhood for a local man whose legacy lives on at one area veterans post.

Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley held a ceremony Wednesday at the corner of Maspeth Avenue and 64th Street renaming the location “Frank Kowalinski Way,” honoring a World War I veteran from the community and namesake of the area’s Polish Legion of American Veterans chapter. The Kowalinski Post, as it is called, stands just a few steps from the intersection.

Numerous post members, including its commander Fred Gundel, were on hand for the ceremony along with Mateusz Stasiek, deputy consul general of the Polish Consulate in New York; Mary Ann Foules, president of the statewide Polish Legion of American Veterans chapter; Maspeth Federal Savings President Ken Rudzewick; Ron Wencer, a Kowalinski cousin; representatives of Assemblywoman Margaret Markey’s office; and other community leaders.

Born in 1894 at a home on nearby Clinton Avenue, Kowalinski fought for the United States after it entered World War I in Europe. He died in combat in 1918 after suffering an injury.

“Veterans Day is about honoring the men and women who bravely fought for our country, for our freedom,” said Crowley, who sponsored legislation in the City Council to have the intersection renamed. “I’m proud to honor Frank Kowalinski and the many members of the Frank Kowalinski post whose dedication and selflessness have kept Maspeth, Queens and New York City thriving for centuries.”