Greater Astoria Historical Society facts for kids
Long Island City Coat of Arms
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| Formation | 1985 |
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| Type | Historical society |
| Headquarters | Quinn Memorial Building |
| Location | |
| Website | astorialic.org |
The Greater Astoria Historical Society (GAHS) is a group that helps keep the history of Astoria and nearby areas in Queens, New York, alive. It's a non-profit organization, which means it doesn't make money for itself. Instead, it works to save the past and help shape the future of historic Long Island City. This includes neighborhoods like Astoria, Blissville, Hunters Point, and Sunnyside.
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What the Society Does
The Greater Astoria Historical Society started in 1985. Its main goal is to find, get, and protect the history of Long Island City. This area became part of New York City way back in 1898. Queens is known for being very diverse, with many languages spoken. The Long Island City and Astoria area alone is home to over 350,000 people. The Society wants to help everyone, from new families to long-time residents, feel proud of their community. They do this by helping people understand its rich history.
Fun Programs and Activities
The Greater Astoria Historical Society offers many cool programs. Their "Long Island City Forum" includes talks, videos, and walking tours. They also have exhibits and special programs for local schools. These activities help people learn more about the history of Long Island City.
You can join regular tours of the East River and the famous Steinway & Sons piano factory. Every year, the Society also hosts a "Haunted Waters Walking Tour." This spooky tour happens along the East River as part of the Socrates Sculpture Park's Halloween festival.
The Society also has a special project called the Winged Fist Project. This project works to remember the Irish American Athletic Club. This was a sports group active in Long Island City in the early 1900s.
Saving History: Preservation
The Greater Astoria Historical Society tries to get and save old items important to Queens' history. For example, they helped save the cornerstone of Congregation Mishkan Israel. This was the third oldest temple in Queens. It was moved to the Society's care for safekeeping.
Amazing Collections
The Society has a large collection of rare and interesting items. You can look at many of these items yourself. Their Library and Research Center holds over 10,000 things. This includes books about local history and lots of old photos of the community. They also have everyday items and souvenirs from the past.
The Society owns many old maps of Queens and nearby areas. They also have almost all the old copies of the Long Island Star Journal newspaper. This paper shared local and world news until 1968.
Historic Photos and Plaques
The Society actively asks people to donate old photos related to Queens' history. They have thousands of black and white photos, slides, and glass negatives. Their collection includes works from famous Queens historians like Vincent F. Seyfried. More than 3,000 of these photos are available online through the Astoria History Project. You can also see many images about the East River's history at East River NYC.
The Greater Astoria Historical Society also has a historical plaque program. They place special plaques at important locations in Queens. For example, they put a plaque on an apartment building in Sunnyside. This is where the famous jazz musician Bix Beiderbecke once lived.
Books and Articles
Working with local historians, the Society has written or helped write four books about Queens' history. These books are Long Island City, Postcards of Long Island City, The East River, and The Queensboro Bridge. They also give out a free map with walking tours along the East River. The Society writes a weekly column for the Queens Gazette newspaper. This column shares old stories from the Long Island Star Journal.
Where to Find Them
The Greater Astoria Historical Society's offices are in the old Quinn Memorial Building. You can find it at the corner of Broadway and 36th Street in Astoria. They have a large exhibit space where they show permanent and changing displays. These exhibits are about topics that interest the community.
The Society also has a tourist information booth outside its office. They give out free maps and booklets to visitors who want to explore Queens' history. Many local groups use the Society's offices for their meetings. These include the Astoria Music Society and the Queens Council on the Arts.
