Jason D. Antos

1 month ago | givemeastoria.com | Jason D. Antos

If you’ve ever wondered where Astoria’s history all began look no further than Hallet’s Cove! Today the area is know for its panoramic view of the skyscrapers of midtown Manhattan from Astoria Park with the raging Hell Gate river flowing in between. Throughout the centuries the natural beauty of this location has attracted visitors and settlers. Before the arrival of the Europeans, the area was home to an Indian village which flourished at what was originally known as Pot Cove.

2 months ago | givemeastoria.com | Jason D. Antos

“Archaeologists do not discover the past; they work on what remains” – Michael Shanks, ArcheologistWhen one thinks of archeology, visions of dinosaur bones unearthed from layers and layers of chalky clay and sand against a desert backdrop in far away places is what usually comes to mid.

2 months ago | givemeastoria.com | Jason D. Antos

At the turn of the 20th Century, the geography of Long Island City, Dutch Kills, Hunter’s Point and Newtown Creek resembled a scene familiar of rural Oklahoma. Flat open plains led to swampy wetlands and creeks. At night the area was pitch black due to a lack of homes and public street lighting. In the day time the area was silent except for the sound of a passing trolley or the crack of a rife fired by a hunter shooting at a deer or ducks.

2 months ago | givemeastoria.com | Jason D. Antos

It goes without saying that before any of us ever called Astoria home, whether it be immigrants or those who have migrated here from other states and cities, ancient peoples once walked the land now completely over developed by high rise co-ops, warehouses producing advanced technologies and various businesses large and small. Who were these people and how did they live? The Lenni-Lenape speaking Algonquin are the indigenous people who first called Astoria their home.

Mar 15, 2025 | givemeastoria.com | Jason D. Antos

For this St. Patrick’s Day, we uncover the little-known history of the Irish in Astoria. According to the research paper Irish Settlers in Queens County, City of New York by Michael J. O’Brien, the first recorded Irish person to arrive in Queens was Sarah Ryan in 1638. She traveled to America with her husband, Sylvester Baldwin, and their children from England, though Baldwin tragically passed away during the voyage. In 1671, the Lynch family arrived from Ireland and settled in Jamaica, Queens.