‘Astoria Institute’ (1825 – 1860?) funded by John Jacob Astor, was a young woman’s private school, part of a revolutionary development at that time in women’s educational opportunities giving rise to the Seneca Falls Convention. ‘Hallets Cove’ changed its name to ‘Astoria’ because of this building. It was later a parish house for St. George Church. Soon after its Request for Evaluation rejected by the Landmarks Commission, demolished for the Gloria D’Amico Senior Residence, named for a late Queens County Clerk.

At the northwest corner of 26th Avenue is the Mount Carmel Cemetery, 1931. The original Our Lady of Mount Carmel church (completed in 1841) once stood adjacent to this church graveyard. The parish moved to a new church a few blocks away at the corner of Newtown Avenue and Crescent Street in 1873. The church continued to use and maintain the church graveyard into the 20th century. The earliest monument dates back to 1844, with most burials between the 1850s and 1880s. The final burial took place in 1926. Most of the burials are of Irish immigrant parishioners, many of whom likely arrived in the United States in the late 1840s to escape the Irish Famine. As is the case with many of the small church and family burial plots, this cemetery suffered through decades of neglect and vandalism. In 1983 the Diocese of Brooklyn began to clean and maintain the plot, placing it behind a tall fence for protection.

Masonic Temple of Astoria (Advance Masonic Temple), June 2, 1927. The lodge was named for the USS Advance, a 19th century US Navy brigantine used in two Arctic rescue missions in search of the lost Franklin polar expedition. The Advance was abandoned in 1855, icebound, having discovered the Polar Sea.

Columbus Square, ca. 1942. This triangle, like many others around New York City, honors Christopher Columbus. The land for the plaza was acquired by the City on July 19, 1910, but it was not until 1930 that the site was named after famed explorer. In 1938, with funds from the Works Progress Administration, Italian sculptor Angelo Racioppi was commissioned to create the seven foot tall bronze of a Christopher Columbus that presently stands here today.

Hoyt Avenue North, west from 31st Street, looking forward the Triborough Bridge, 1935. The Robert F. Kennedy Bridge (formerly the Triborough Bridge) is actually three bridges, a a viaduct, and 14 miles of approach roads connecting Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx. Construction began on the bridge in 1929, actually on the day of the stock market crash, October 25th. The construction barely continued after early 1930 due to extreme financial instability. The project was "saved" by Robert Moses in 1932-1933 when he advocated the the state legislature to create the Triborough Bridge Authority to fund, build, and operate the Bridge. He unsurprisingly became the head of the Authority. The bridge officially opened to much fanfare on July 11, 1936. For the approaches to the East River suspension span, a number of large apartment houses had to be demolished on Hoyt Avenue North (the empty land on the right of the photograph depicts the results of these demolitions).

Astoria Square, March 13, 1931. Newtown Avenue, Astoria Boulevard (formerly Flushing Avenue and Fulton Street), 21st Street (Van Alst Street), and 27th Avenue (Franklin Street) converge at Astoria Square, which sat at the northeast corner of Astoria Park, a 19th century green space that has since been build over. At left is the “Astoria flatiron building” at 18-23 Astoria Boulevard, built in 1889 for the L. Gally furniture showroom.

St. George's Episcopal Church, Parish House, May 25, 1937. This clapboard building began its life in 1828 as the Astoria Institute for the Education of Young Ladies, a finishing school for the young daughters of the wealthy families residing in the mansions of nearby Hallet's Cove. Sometime after St. George's built their brick church next door (circa 1903-1903), this building became its parish house. In the early 2000s, as the church suffered from lack of funds, a decision was made to raze the building for the construction of senior housing.

Astoria branch of the Queens Public Library, June 2, 1927. One of seven Carnegie Libraries built in Queens, the Astoria branch was designed by Tuthill & Higgins firm and completed in 1904. The library’s original Flemish Revival design featured angled corner entrance, framed by twin chimneys and a curved stepped gable. The distinctive entrance was removed during 1930s-era renovations.

And just like that, another year here at Urban Archive is coming to a close in just a few short days! We've asked our partners to pick some of their favorite stories, images, and facts they encountered this year to share with you. Check them out below!