Astoria is one neighborhood in the western region of the Queens, New York City borough. Astoria is located along By the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City to the southwest, Sunnyside to the southeast, and Woodside toward the east. As of 2019, Astoria is estimated to have a population of 954,446.
The area was originally known as Hallet’s (or Hallett’s) Cove after the initial owner of the land, William Hallet, settled there in 1652 with his wife, Elizabeth Fones. Hallet’s Cove became incorporated on April 12th, 1839. It was named in honor of John Jacob Astor, then the richest in the United States, to persuade Astor to contribute money to the area. In the second half of the early nineteenth century, the expansion of economics and commerce accelerated the flow of people. Astoria and several other villages were incorporated into Long Island City in 1870 and integrated into The City of Greater New York in 1898. The business activity continued to grow throughout the latter part of the 19th century. The region is fast becoming an international hub for filmmaking and industrial production. Superb Junk Removal
The area now known as Astoria was originally called Hallet’s Cove (also known as Hallett’s Cove) after its first landowner, William Hallet (or Hallett), came to the area in 1652 with their wife, Elizabeth Fones. The peninsula is bordered in its northern region by Hell Gate, west by the East River, and south by Sunswick Creek. Hallet acquired the property in 1664 after conversing with two indigenous chiefs, Shawestcont and Erramorhar. The 19th century saw wealthy New Yorkers construct houses between 12th and 14th Streets, known as Astoria Village (now Old Astoria). Hallet’s Cove, incorporated on April 12th, 1839, and established in 1839 by the trading Furman Stephen A. Halsey, was a popular recreational area and a destination for the city’s wealthy.
Astoria Heights
Astoria Heights, or Upper Ditmars, is located between Hazen Street to the west, La Guardia Airport to the east, Bowery Bay to the north, Astoria Boulevard, and the Grand Central Parkway to the south in Queens, NYC. It is mostly a tranquil middle-class neighborhood that has one and two-family homes. It is home to the Riker Lent Homestead, situated close to the north of the northern part of Astoria Heights at 78-03 19th Road. It was built in 1655 under the direction of Abraham Riker under a patent from the governor of Nieuw Nederland, Peter Stuyvesant. It is believed that it is one of the older homes in New York City and is still used as a house.
Places of Interest
- Museum of the Moving Image
- Isamu Noguchi Museum
- Socrates Sculpture Park
- Astoria Park
- The Hell Gate Bridge
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