Long Island City (LIC) is the westernmost neighborhood in Queens.  It consists of aportion of a former city that once comprised other current Queens neighborhoods, including Astoria and Woodside, among others.  LIC, and all of Queens, surrendered their political independence when together they joined New York City in 1898 to become the borough and county of Queens.

Gantry Plaza State park is sited on a former dock facility.  Its signature gantry cranes were used to offload floating rail car barges, transferring freight between the East River and the Long Island Rail Road.   Today, it is a park, and the area seen behind the cranes is part of the Queens West development.

This photo was taken with a blue/gold polarizing filter that really helped to capture the amazing tones of the gantry, sky, and surrounding buildings.