Welcome To Astoria’s Lost Islands: The Fascinating History of Berrien’s Island and Its Transformation

A map from 1849 showing Berrien’s Island along with Luyster’s and Riker’s Island. (Courtesy Queens Historical Society)

One of the most impressive parts about Queens history is how the topography of its shoreline has changed so dramatically throughout the centuries that, water front homes and private beaches now lay buried beneath the Grand Central Parkway. At one time the nation’s largest amusement park, North Beach, stood for almost 60 years only to…

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Take The Tunnel To The City:  Queens Midtown Tunnel!

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It’s hard to believe that the Queens Midtown Tunnel is almost 83 years old. And very little has changed; and that’s a good thing. With the exception of the elimination of the toll booths for overhead EasyPass scanners, the Midtown Tunnel still serves as an engineering marvel became instantly iconic upon its opening. The year…

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History Etched in Stone 

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The Dutch colonial era of Queens is alive and well in Long Island City. Workers in Queens Plaza who come to sit outside and enjoy their lunch break at the Dutch Kills Green while engrossed in their smartphones do so right next to two technological marvels dating back more than 370 years.             It was…

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When Long Island City Was a City

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The name says it all.  Long Island City was created as a literal city on May 4, 1870 after part of the village of Astoria, and the hamlets of Ravenswood, Hunters Point, Blissville and Dutch Kills were all merged together. At the time of its incorporation, the newly formed Long Island City was now home…

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Exploring Astoria’s Flat Iron Building

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Located on one of New York City’s oldest roads stands a beautifully preserved specimen of what affordable housing looked like more than 100 years ago.   Newtown Road, named for the township in which Astoria is located, runs aslant to the overall grid and is laid out over an ancient Indian trail that later became the main…

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An Historic Relic in Plain Sight 

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One of the most magnificent relics of historic Queens stands on the southeast corner of Northern Boulevard and Woodside Avenue. The Woodside trolley car barn, built by the New York & Queens County Railway at a cost of $150,000, has stood on this spot since 1896. In that year the New York & Queens County…

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LaGuardia Airport’s Hidden Historic Gem

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There is a hidden gem behind La Guardia airport’s new $8 billion face-lift. Although most of the original LaGuardia Airport (including almost all of the famous American Airlines hangers) have been torn down to make way for new ultra modern terminals, the Marine Air Terminal which once hosted seaplanes flown by aviation legends Howard Hughes…

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 A Look Back At 2022

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Another year in the books! And as we close our book on 2022 let us look back on what made Astoria awesome!  The year of ’22 has seen a lot of change and renewal. COVID-19 is now in the rearview mirror. The economy is on a rollercoaster. NYC elected a new mayor. And of course,…

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Doing Thanksgiving Solo in Astoria

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For those who cannot make it home for the holidays there are many ways to stay active, positive and well fed during the four-day Thanksgiving weekend November 24th through the 27th. Here are some tasty options for you to enjoy. Sweet Afton If you are looking to drink alone (or possibly with friends) on this day…

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Woodside’s Colonial Cemetery

Woodside has a secret. Our neighbor to the south, one of the oldest settlements in Queens, is home to one of the few surviving family cemeteries in the city of New York.                                                                                                                                         Marked for years by nothing more than a rusty sign, the Moore-Jackson family cemetery has been in existence since 1733 when…

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