167-638: Astoria Park is a 59.96-acre (24.26 ha) public park in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens in New York City . The park is situated on the eastern shore of the Hell Gate , a strait of the East River , between Ditmars Boulevard to the north and Hoyt Avenue to the south. The Robert F. Kennedy (Triborough) and Hell Gate Bridges respectively pass over the park's southern and northern sections. Astoria Park contains
334-653: A clay cup found in Ischia , Italy, are the words "Nestor's cup, good to drink from." Some scholars, such as Calvert Watkins , have tied this cup to a description of King Nestor's golden cup in the Iliad. If the cup is an allusion to the Iliad , that poem's composition can be dated to at least 700–750 BC. Dating is similarly complicated by the fact that the Homeric poems, or sections of them, were performed regularly by rhapsodes for several hundred years. The Odyssey as it exists today
501-402: A common design for these proposed aquatic centers. Each location was to have distinct pools for diving, swimming, and wading; bleachers and viewing areas; and bathhouses with locker rooms that could be used as gymnasiums. The pools were to have several common features, such as a minimum 55-yard (50 m) length, underwater lighting, heating, filtration, and low-cost construction materials. To fit
668-479: A fig tree. Washed ashore on Ogygia , he remained there as Calypso's lover. Having listened to his story, the Phaeacians agree to provide Odysseus with more treasure than he would have received from the spoils of Troy. They deliver him at night, while he is fast asleep, to a hidden harbour on Ithaca. Odysseus awakens and believes that he has been dropped on a distant land before Athena appears to him and reveals that he
835-516: A higher ratio of college-educated residents than the rest of the city as of 2018 . Half of residents (50%) have a college education or higher, while 16% have less than a high school education and 33% are high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, 39% of Queens residents and 43% of city residents have a college education or higher. The percentage of Astoria students excelling in math rose from 43 percent in 2000 to 65 percent in 2011, and reading achievement rose from 47% to 49% during
1002-508: A leading role. Unable to hide his emotion as he relives this episode, Odysseus at last reveals his identity. He then tells the story of his return from Troy. Odysseus recounts his story to the Phaeacians. After a failed raid against the Cicones , Odysseus and his twelve ships were driven off course by storms. Odysseus visited the lotus-eaters who gave his men their fruit which caused them to forget their homecoming. Odysseus had to drag them back to
1169-577: A list of 23 pools around the city, including one at Astoria Park. The pools would be built using funds from the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a federal agency created as part of the New Deal to combat the Depression's negative effects. Eleven of these pools were to be designed concurrently and open in 1936. Moses, along with architects Aymar Embury II and Gilmore David Clarke , created
1336-419: A non-fatal assault hospitalization rate of 56 per 100,000 people, compared to the boroughwide rate of 37 per 100,000 and the citywide rate of 59 per 100,000. Its incarceration rate is 277 per 100,000 people, compared to the boroughwide rate of 315 per 100,000 and the citywide rate of 425 per 100,000. Of the five major violent felonies (murder, rape, felony assault, robbery, and burglary), the 114th Precinct had
1503-617: A particular version of the text had become canonised. The Iliad and the Odyssey were widely copied and used as school texts in lands where the Greek language was spoken throughout antiquity. Scholars may have begun to write commentaries on the poems as early as the time of Aristotle in the 4th century BC. In the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, scholars affiliated with the Library of Alexandria —particularly Zenodotus and Aristarchus of Samothrace —edited
1670-624: A patent from Nieuw Nederland's last governor, Peter Stuyvesant , it is believed to be the oldest remaining dwelling in New York City still used as a residence. There is an adjacent family cemetery. The Smiths, who bought the house in 1975, have been restoring it for many years. The annual public tour was given usually in mid-September by the owners for the benefit of a local historical society, but has since ceased to occur. Before Prohibition , there were dance halls, picnic areas, and amusement park rides at North Beach. Ragtime composer Scott Joplin
1837-478: A plan to ambush his ship and kill him as he sails back home. Penelope overhears their plot and worries for her son's safety. In the course of Odysseus's seven years as a captive of Calypso on the island Ogygia , she has fallen deeply in love with him, even though he spurns her offers of immortality as her husband and still mourns for home. She is ordered to release him by the messenger god Hermes , who has been sent by Zeus in response to Athena's plea. Odysseus builds
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#17328590209152004-549: A playground, a soccer field, a running track, a skate park, and courts for tennis, basketball, and bocce . Astoria Park also includes the Astoria Play Center , which consists of a recreation center and a pool. The park and play center are maintained by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks). Astoria Park was planned in 1905, but the land was not acquired until October 1913. Astoria Park
2171-555: A playground, skating rink, athletic field, restroom, six tennis courts, and two baseball diamonds. Contracts for a wading pool and six extra tennis courts were awarded in early 1929, with the tennis courts being completed later that year. Work on the Triborough Bridge above the park's southern section began in late 1929, causing significant changes to the park layout during much of the next decade. In 1934, mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia nominated Robert Moses to become commissioner of
2338-405: A raft and is given clothing, food, and drink by Calypso. When Poseidon learns that Odysseus has escaped, he wrecks the raft, but helped by a veil given by the sea nymph Ino , Odysseus swims ashore on Scherie , the island of the Phaeacians. Naked and exhausted, he hides in a pile of leaves and falls asleep. The next morning, awakened by girls' laughter, he sees the young Nausicaä , who has gone to
2505-631: A rate of 385 crimes per 100,000 residents in 2019, compared to the boroughwide average of 424 crimes per 100,000 and the citywide average of 572 crimes per 100,000. Astoria is served by four New York City Fire Department (FDNY) fire stations: As of 2018 , preterm births and births to teenage mothers are less common in Astoria than in other places citywide. In Astoria, there were 84 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 15.1 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide). Astoria has
2672-451: A re-telling of the Odyssey set in Dublin , is divided into eighteen sections ("episodes") which can be mapped roughly onto the twenty-four books of the Odyssey . Joyce claimed familiarity with the original Homeric Greek, but this has been disputed by some scholars, who cite his poor grasp of the language as evidence to the contrary. The book, and especially its stream of consciousness prose,
2839-465: A relatively average population of residents who are uninsured . In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 12%, which is equal to the citywide rate of 12%. The concentration of fine particulate matter , the deadliest type of air pollutant , in Astoria is 0.0078 milligrams per cubic metre (7.8 × 10 oz/cu ft), higher than the citywide and boroughwide averages. Nineteen percent of Astoria residents are smokers , which
3006-546: A significant ethnic and religious group. The Astoria Center of Israel , which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places , was built in 1925 after outgrowing the former Congregation Mishkan Israel, which was built in 1904. The 1960s saw a large increase of Greeks , and after 1974 , there was an influx of Cypriots . This cultural imprint can be seen in the numerous Greek restaurants, tavernas , bakeries, and cafes, as well as several Greek Orthodox churches. In
3173-527: A soccer field. East of the running track are fourteen tennis courts and a restroom. The tennis court area protrudes slightly under the RFK Bridge. A "tennis landscape" separates the tennis courts from the street. There is a parking lot just north of the running track, underneath the RFK Bridge and at the western end of Hoyt Avenue North. Also underneath the bridge, west of the parking lot, is a 21,500-square-foot (2,000 m) skate park. New York Road Runners hosts
3340-466: A type scene in the Odyssey. Two important parts of an omen type scene are the recognition of the omen, followed by its interpretation . In the Odyssey , all of the bird omens—with the exception of the first—show large birds attacking smaller birds. Accompanying each omen is a wish which can be either explicitly stated or only implied. For example, Telemachus wishes for vengeance and for Odysseus to be home, Penelope wishes for Odysseus' return, and
3507-705: A unified New York City Department of Parks and Recreation . At the time, the United States was experiencing the Great Depression ; immediately after La Guardia won the 1933 election , Moses began to write "a plan for putting 80,000 men to work on 1,700 relief projects". By the time he was in office, several hundred such projects were underway across the city. Moses was especially interested in creating new pools and other bathing facilities, such as those in Jacob Riis Park , Jones Beach , and Orchard Beach . He devised
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#17328590209153674-409: A very specific type scene that accompanies it. Throughout the epic, the testing of others follows a typical pattern. This pattern is: Omens occur frequently throughout the Odyssey . Within the epic poem, they frequently involve birds. According to Thornton, most crucial is who receives each omen and in what way it manifests. For instance, bird omens are shown to Telemachus, Penelope, Odysseus, and
3841-576: A village called Hallet's (or Hallett's) Cove after its first landowner William Hallet, who settled there in 1652 with his wife, Elizabeth Fones grew around the fort. Hallet's Cove was incorporated on April 12, 1839, and was later renamed for John Jacob Astor , then the wealthiest man in the United States, in order to persuade him to invest in the area. During the second half of the 19th century, economic and commercial growth brought increased immigration. Astoria and several other surrounding villages were incorporated into Long Island City in 1870, which in turn
4008-648: A village; there was no disposition at any time to become independent as there was insufficient population or commercial activity to justify such a move. Ravenswood remained an exclusive hamlet within the Town of Newtown until its absorption with the Village of Astoria and the hamlets of Hunters Point , Blissville , Sunnyside , Dutch Kills , Steinway, Bowery Bay and Middleton in Newtown Township into Long Island City in 1870. In 1870, Ravenswood, along with several other hamlets and
4175-622: A weekly 3.10-mile Open Run within the park. The central portion of the park contains the Astoria Pool and Play Center. There are also basketball courts southwest of the pool area, as well as bocce courts and Charybdis Playground north of the pool area. Charybdis Playground sits opposite the Hell Gate from Scylla Point on Wards Island . The two features are named after Scylla and Charybdis , two water hazards described in Homer's Odyssey , and refer to
4342-422: A wooden stake. When Polyphemus cried out, his neighbors left after Polyphemus claimed that "Nobody" had attacked him. Odysseus and his men finally escaped the cave by hiding on the underbellies of the sheep as they were let out of the cave. As they escaped, however, Odysseus taunted Polyphemus and revealed himself. The Cyclops prayed to his father Poseidon, asking him to curse Odysseus to wander for ten years. After
4509-486: A world beyond man and that influences the fact he cannot return home. These beings that are close to the gods include the Phaeacians who lived near the Cyclopes, whose king, Alcinous, is the great-grandson of the king of the giants, Eurymedon , and the grandson of Poseidon. Some of the other characters that Odysseus encounters are the cyclops Polyphemus , the son of Poseidon; Circe, a sorceress who turns men into animals; and
4676-413: Is a neighborhood in the western portion of the New York City borough of Queens . Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to four other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City to the southwest, Sunnyside to the southeast, and Woodside and East Elmhurst to the east. As of 2019 , Astoria has an estimated population of 95,446. Originally the site of a War of 1812 fortification ,
4843-506: Is a memorial dedicated to World War I victims. There is also a plaque commemorating the PS General Slocum , which caught fire and sunk in the Hell Gate in 1904, killing over a thousand people. Recreational facilities are concentrated in the southern two-thirds of the park, south of 23rd Avenue. The southernmost portion of Astoria Park, at 18th Street and Astoria Park South, contains a 0.25-mile (400 m) running track, which surrounds
5010-661: Is a worldwide piano company. Later on, the Steinways built a sawmill and foundry, as well as a streetcar line. The family eventually established Steinway Village for their workers, a company town that provided school instruction in German as well as English. Part of the motivation for locating the Steinway factory in Queens was to keep the workers isolated from the ferment of labor organizing and radicalism occurring in other parts of New York, notably
5177-576: Is about 20 percent of New York City's electricity demand. Ditmars is a middle class section of Astoria bounded by Bowery Bay to the north, 31st Street and the Steinway subsection to the east, 23rd Avenue to the south, and the East River to the west. The adjacent Steinway neighborhood was largely developed as a company town by the Steinway & Sons piano company, and included houses and public facilities that were also available to non-employees. However,
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5344-645: Is buried across the Grand Central Parkway at St. Michael's Cemetery , which occasionally holds ragtime concerts. The Rikers Island Bridge to New York City's main prison, Rikers Island , runs from the north end of Hazen Street. Technically, Rikers Island is in the Bronx since New York City took it over from Long Island City in 1884, after it had annexed the South Bronx but before it consolidated Queens. However, like Astoria Heights, Rikers Island gets its mail from
5511-433: Is discovered by the housekeeper Eurycleia when she recognizes an old scar as she is washing his feet. Eurycleia tries to tell Penelope about the beggar's true identity, but Athena makes sure that Penelope cannot hear her. Odysseus swears Eurycleia to secrecy. The next day, at Athena's prompting, Penelope maneuvers the suitors into competing for her hand with an archery competition using Odysseus's bow. The man who can string
5678-402: Is higher than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers. In Astoria, 19% of residents are obese , 11% are diabetic , and 29% have high blood pressure —compared to the citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28% respectively. In addition, 22% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%. Eighty-nine percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which
5845-693: Is higher than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 79% of residents described their health as "good", "very good", or "excellent", about the same as the city's average of 78%. For every supermarket in Astoria, there are 10 bodegas . Astoria is served by the Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens . Astoria is covered by ZIP Codes 11102 between 37th Avenue and Grand Central Parkway, 11105 north of Grand Central Parkway, 11106 between 31st and 37th Avenues west of 37th Street, 11101 south of 37th Avenue, and 11103 east of 37th Street. The United States Post Office operates five locations nearby: Astoria generally has
6012-694: Is higher than the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most inhabitants are middle-aged adults and youth: 16% are between the ages of 0–17, 41% between 25 and 44, and 22% between 45 and 64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 10% and 12% respectively. As of 2018 , the median household income in Community District 1 was $ 67,444. In 2018, an estimated 18% of Astoria residents lived in poverty, compared to 19% in all of Queens and 20% in all of New York City. Around 8% of residents were unemployed, compared to 8% in Queens and 9% in New York City. Rent burden, or
6179-436: Is indeed on Ithaca. She hides his treasure in a nearby cave and disguises him as an elderly beggar so he can see how things stand in his household. He finds his way to the hut of one of his own slaves, swineherd Eumaeus , who treats him hospitably and speaks favorably of Odysseus. After dinner, the disguised Odysseus tells the farm laborers a fictitious tale of himself. Telemachus sails home from Sparta, evading an ambush set by
6346-465: Is likely not significantly different. Aside from minor differences, the Homeric poems gained a canonical place in the institutions of ancient Athens by the 6th century. In 566 BC, Peisistratos instituted a civic and religious festival called the Panathenaia , which featured performances of Homeric poems. These are significant because a "correct" version of the poems had to be performed, indicating that
6513-708: Is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer . It is one of the oldest works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. Like the Iliad , the Odyssey is divided into 24 books . It follows the Greek hero Odysseus , king of Ithaca , and his journey home after the Trojan War . After the war, which lasted ten years, his journey from Troy to Ithaca, via Africa and southern Europe, lasted for ten additional years during which time he encountered many perils and all of his crewmates were killed. In his absence, Odysseus
6680-400: Is part of Astoria. The etymology of Ravenswood may have been for the population of ravens, or a character from The Bride of Lammermoor . It was situated around Sunswick Creek , which drained into the East River at the current location of Socrates Sculpture Park . The land was acquired in 1814 by Col. George Gibbs , a businessman from New York City who developed it. Gibbs died in 1833, and
6847-630: Is patrolled by the New York City Police Department 's 114th Precinct. Fire protection is provided by Battalions 45 and 49 of FDNY . Politically, Astoria is represented by the New York City Council 's 22nd and 26th Districts. The area now known as Astoria was originally called Hallet's Cove (also spelled Hallett's Cove), after its first landowner William Hallet, (or Hallett) who settled there in 1652 with his wife, Elizabeth Fones , though they moved to Flushing after their farm
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7014-594: Is preserved today by the Museum of the Moving Image and Kaufman Astoria Studios . For census purposes, the New York City government classifies Astoria as part of three neighborhood tabulation areas: Steinway (north of Grand Central Parkway ), Old Astoria (north of 31st Avenue and approximately west of 31st Street), and Astoria (in the remaining area approximately north of Northern Boulevard / 36th Avenue and approximately west of Hobart Street / 50th Street). Based on data from
7181-449: Is sometimes referred to simply as "Steinway", and the northern end around Ditmars Boulevard is sometimes referred to as "Ditmars", with their convergence point bearing the neighborhood name "Ditmars-Steinway". Banners displayed on lamp posts along 30th Avenue refer to it as "the Heart of Astoria". Ravenswood is the name for the strip of land bordering the East River and Long Island City, and
7348-406: Is sunken below street level, surrounded by the bathhouse pavilion to the west, the wings to the north and south, and 19th Street to the east. The entrance plaza is accessed via two ramps with steps, which extend north to 23rd Drive and south to 23rd Terrace. The main entrance is flanked by a pair of stepped-brick piers with glass brick columns set into the middle of each pier. The pool entrance, at
7515-402: Is that he will eat him last. Calypso also exemplifies poor guest-friendship because she does not allow Odysseus to leave her island. Another important factor to guest-friendship is that kingship implies generosity. It is assumed that a king has the means to be a generous host and is more generous with his own property. This is best seen when Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, begs Antinous, one of
7682-453: The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Odyssey . Both Odysseus and Gilgamesh are known for traveling to the ends of the earth and on their journeys go to the land of the dead. On his voyage to the underworld, Odysseus follows instructions given to him by Circe, who is located at the edges of the world and is associated through imagery with the sun. Like Odysseus, Gilgamesh gets directions on how to reach
7849-624: The 2010 United States Census , the combined population of these areas was 154,141, a decrease of 17,427 (10.2%) from the 171,568 counted in 2000 . Covering an area of 2,556.2 acres (1,034.5 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 60.3 inhabitants per acre (38,600/sq mi; 14,900/km ). The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 52.2% (80,533) Non-Hispanic White , 4.7% (7,204) black, 0.2% (250) Native American , 14.3% (22,100) Asian , 0.0% (70) Pacific Islander , 1.0% (1,532) from other races , and 2.1% (3,238) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 25.4% (39,214) of
8016-751: The East Elmhurst ( ZIP Code 11370) station of the Flushing Post Office. Astoria is patrolled by the 114th Precinct of the NYPD , located at 34-16 Astoria Boulevard. The precinct also covers parts of Long Island City and Woodside. The 114th Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 83.9% between 1990 and 2019. The precinct reported 2 murders, 34 rapes, 184 robberies, 364 felony assaults, 196 burglaries, 782 grand larcenies, and 136 grand larcenies auto in 2019. As of 2018 , Queens Community District 1 has
8183-424: The Iliad and the Odyssey were composed independently and that the stories formed as part of a long oral tradition . Given widespread illiteracy, the poem was performed by an aoidos or rhapsode and was more likely to be heard than read. Crucial themes in the poem include the ideas of nostos (νόστος; "return"), wandering, xenia (ξενία; "guest-friendship"), testing, and omens. Scholars still reflect on
8350-574: The Iliad , Alexander Pope began to translate the Odyssey because of his financial situation. His second translation was not received as favourably as the first. Emily Wilson , a professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania , notes that as late as the first decade of the 21st century, almost all of the most prominent translators of Greek and Roman literature had been men. She calls her experience of translating Homer one of "intimate alienation." Wilson writes that this has affected
8517-744: The New York City Housing Authority project that was built in 1949 to 1951 with this name between 34th and 36th Avenues, and 12th and 24th Streets. The name also identifies the large electric power station established along the shore of the East River, just south of the Roosevelt Island Bridge . The Ravenswood Generating Station which includes Ravenswood No. 3 or " Big Allis ", was built by Con Edison in 1963–65 but, due to deregulation, has subsequently been owned by KeySpan , National Grid, and TransCanada . The power plant can generate approximately 2,500 megawatts of power, which
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#17328590209158684-678: The New York Connecting Railroad (NYCN) bought 13,566 square feet (1,260.3 m) from the East River Land Company for a right-of-way to build the Hell Gate Bridge through Astoria Park's site. The bridge, opened in 1917, was part of a railroad line from the new Pennsylvania Station to New York City's northeastern suburbs. Also in 1907, the city government was slated to pay the East River Land Company $ 200,000 for nine hundred lots totaling 70 acres (28 ha). However,
8851-601: The Odyssey alone spans nearly 2,000 oversized pages in a twentieth-century edition. The first printed edition of the Odyssey , known as the editio princeps , was produced in 1488 by the Greek scholar Demetrios Chalkokondyles , who had been born in Athens and had studied in Constantinople. His edition was printed in Milan by a Greek printer named Antonios Damilas. Since the late 19th century, many papyri containing fragments of
9018-576: The Odyssey and the Iliad , published together in 1616 but serialised earlier, were the first to enjoy widespread success. The texts had been published in translation before, with some translated not from the original Greek. Chapman worked on these for a large part of his life. In 1581, Arthur Hall translated the first 10 books of the Iliad from a French version. Chapman's translations persisted in popularity, and are often remembered today through John Keats ' sonnet " On First Looking into Chapman's Homer " (1816). Years after completing his translation of
9185-572: The Odyssey have been found in Egypt, some with content different from later medieval versions. In 2018, the Greek Cultural Ministry revealed the discovery of a clay tablet near the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, containing 13 verses from the Odyssey 's 14th book. While it was initially reported to date from the 3rd century AD, the date is unconfirmed. George Chapman 's English translations of
9352-399: The Odyssey was in the 16th century. Adaptations and re-imaginings continue to be produced across a wide variety of media . In 2018, when BBC Culture polled experts around the world to find literature's most enduring narrative, the Odyssey topped the list. The Odyssey begins after the end of the ten-year Trojan War (the subject of the Iliad ), from which Odysseus (also known by
9519-456: The War of 1812 . The coastal fort also had an inland defensive position, Castle Bogardus, to protect from a land attack. Together these structures where the first permanent buildings in what would become Astoria. By 1815 the fort would be abandoned, but by 1836 a small village of 20 to 30 dwellings and an Episcopalian church was built, naming itself the aforementioned Hallet's Cove. Beginning in
9686-399: The bard , performs a narrative poem for them. That night, Athena, disguised as Telemachus, finds a ship and crew for the true prince. The next morning, Telemachus calls an assembly of citizens of Ithaca to discuss what should be done with the insolent suitors, who then scoff at Telemachus. Accompanied by Athena (now disguised as Mentor ), the son of Odysseus departs for the Greek mainland to
9853-499: The eighth circle of hell , where Odysseus appends a new ending to the Odyssey in which he never returns to Ithaca and instead continues his restless adventuring. Edith Hall suggests that Dante's depiction of Odysseus became understood as a manifestation of Renaissance colonialism and othering , with the cyclops standing in for "accounts of monstrous races on the edge of the world", and his defeat as symbolising "the Roman domination of
10020-453: The 130-foot-long (40 m) Pot Rock within the Hell Gate; the rock was dynamited in 1876 as part of the removal of Hell Gate rocks . There were hills immediately above the Hell Gate shoreline, and several creeks emptied into the cove. One of these was Linden Brook, which flowed along the current path of Astoria Park South and into Pot Cove. The surrounding land had numerous owners from the 17th to 19th centuries. The tracts were developed with
10187-408: The 1930s. Because the repairs required the installation of new sewer lines, the playground's restrooms were closed in 2015 for at least five years. After the design process was completed, community members advocated for the diving pool's restoration, though NYC Parks refused to change the plans. Diving Pool Plaza was completed in late 2019. In 2016, $ 30 million was allocated for further improvements to
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#173285902091510354-512: The 1980s and the late 2010s. The Astoria Play Center was designated a city landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 2007. Astoria Park is in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens in New York City . It is bounded by Astoria Park South, an extension of Hoyt Avenue, to the south; the Hell Gate , a strait of the East River , to the west; Ditmars Boulevard to the north; and 19th Street to
10521-402: The 1980s, and was totally infilled between 2017 and 2019. The still-extant diving board measures 32 feet (9.8 m) tall, with three platforms cantilevered over each other. The diving board, described by Architectural Record as "an example of design for function", allowed four contestants to dive simultaneously: one each from the top and bottom, and two from the middle. The deck surrounding
10688-487: The 1990s, Steinway Street between 28th Avenue and Astoria Boulevard saw the establishment of many Arabic shops, restaurants, and cafes, which is unofficially called "Little Egypt", due to the number of Arabs residing there and the mostly Egyptian shops and lounges there. Croatians from Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina have been numerous since the 1960s and their numbers continue to grow. New populations of South American and Balkan peoples have seen significant growth since
10855-603: The Asian minority decreased by 5% (1,120), and the change in the small Black population rounded to 0% (11). Taking into account the three census tabulation areas, the White and Asian populations both actually increased in Old Astoria, but decreased enough in Astoria and Steinway to cause an overall decrease; on the other hand, the Black population decreased in Old Astoria and increased equivalently in
11022-550: The Astoria Park Alliance in 2007 to clean up the park. NYC Parks created a master plan for the Astoria Pool in 2010, in which it proposed turning the pool into a year-round facility by converting it into an ice rink or amphitheater during the off-season. The department also considered reopening the diving pool. The Astoria Skate Park opened that October, and the United States Tennis Association renovated
11189-604: The Astoria Pool. The Astoria Pool hosted the Olympic swimming trials once again in 1964. In advance of this, the Astoria Play Center was renovated; its roof decks and some windows were replaced, and the facade was repainted. By the 1970s, parks across New York City were in poor condition following the 1975 New York City fiscal crisis . The park had become dilapidated: in 1980, The New York Times reported that almost every bench had been destroyed, and teenagers were sneaking into
11356-460: The Astoria ferry landing, where service ran to Manhattan. That July, the New York City Board of Estimate authorized a park to be laid out on the plot between the East River, Ditmars Boulevard, 19th Street, and Hoyt Avenue. The projected $ 1.5 million cost would be paid by tax assessments placed on residents of Queens, Brooklyn , and Manhattan, as well as an extra assessment on people living in
11523-529: The Detroit area. However, as of 2010, the Bangladeshi American community in Astoria has been increasing. By the early 21st century, Astoria was one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in Queens, with people from around 100 countries residing there as of 2015 . Population losses in Queens were particularly high in immigrant neighborhoods such as Astoria, which suffered the greatest population loss in
11690-464: The Ditmars neighborhood was not included in the Steinway & Sons company housing and related facilities project. The neighborhood takes its name from Ditmars Boulevard which was named in honor of Abram Ditmars, the first mayor of Long Island City, New York, elected in 1870 (the city became a mere neighborhood when Queens became a part of Greater New York). His ancestors were German immigrants who settled in
11857-543: The Dutch Kills area in the 1600s. Astoria Heights, or Upper Ditmars (part of East Elmhurst), is bounded by Hazen Street to the west, La Guardia Airport to the east, Bowery Bay to the north, and Astoria Boulevard and the Grand Central Parkway to the south. It is mostly a quiet middle class neighborhood of one- and two-family private homes. The Riker-Lent Homestead is near the north end of Astoria Heights at 78-03 19th Road. Built around 1655 by Abraham Riker under
12024-441: The East River the new Long Island village named in his honor. Astor, however, never actually set foot in Astoria. During the second half of the 19th century, economic and commercial growth brought increased immigration from German settlers, mostly furniture and cabinet makers. One such settler was Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg , patriarch of the Steinway family who founded the piano company Steinway & Sons in 1853, which today
12191-592: The Homeric poems, wrote commentaries on them, and helped establish the canonical texts. The Iliad and the Odyssey remained widely studied and used as school texts in the Byzantine Empire during the Middle Ages . The Byzantine Greek scholar and archbishop Eustathios of Thessalonike ( c. 1115 – c. 1195/6 AD ) wrote exhaustive commentaries on both of the Homeric epics that became seen by later generations as authoritative; his commentary on
12358-464: The Latin variant Ulysses), king of Ithaca , has still not returned because he angered Poseidon , the god of the sea. Odysseus's son, Telemachus , is about 20 years old and is sharing his absent father's house on the island of Ithaca with his mother Penelope and the suitors of Penelope , a crowd of 108 boisterous young men who each aim to persuade Penelope for her hand in marriage, all the while reveling in
12525-597: The Lower East Side. Astoria and several other surrounding villages, including Steinway, were incorporated into Long Island City in 1870. Long Island City remained an independent municipality until it was incorporated into the City of Greater New York in 1898. The area's farms were turned into housing tracts and street grids to accommodate the growing number of residents. Astoria also figured prominently in early American filmmaking as one of its initial centers. That heritage
12692-538: The Village of Astoria, merged to form Long Island City. In 1875, the first commercial buildings were erected, and the mansions were converted into offices and boarding houses. In 1879, the Long Island Terra Cotta Company was established in Ravenswood, by Rudolph Franke. By 1900, Ravenswood was heavily commercial, and remains so to this day. However, the name has retained its residential character through
12859-792: The area include the Hellenic American Action Committee (HANAC) and the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York. Most of the 20,000 Maltese in New York City live in Astoria, and although this population has steadily been emigrating from the area, there are still many Maltese, supported by the Maltese Center of New York. Beginning in the mid-1970s, the neighborhood's Muslim population grew from earlier immigrants from Lebanon to also include people from Kosovo , Albania , Bosnia-Herzegovina , Montenegro , Egypt , Syria , Yemen , Tunisia , Morocco , and Algeria . In
13026-461: The baseball and soccer fields, running tracks, tennis courts, paths, and lighting. Much of Astoria Park was rebuilt from 1983 to 1987, including the northern playground's restroom and the seawall. The playground itself was rebuilt and reopened in 1989. By that year, the main pool was the only one of Astoria Park's three WPA-era pools in use, and it had become deteriorated, but it too was planned to be renovated for $ 15.3 million. Some infrastructure around
13193-406: The bow and shoot an arrow through a dozen axe heads would win. Odysseus takes part in the competition, and he alone is strong enough to string the bow and shoot the arrow through the dozen axe heads, making him the winner. He then throws off his rags and kills Antinous with his next arrow. Odysseus kills the other suitors, first using the rest of the arrows and then, along with Telemachus, Eumaeus, and
13360-473: The bridge in July 1937, alleviating congestion at the pool. The Astoria Pool's main and diving pool hosted the 1936 Olympic swimming trials shortly after its opening. The trials, which were featured prominently in the local media, led the pool to be nicknamed the "Olympic Tryout Pool". The pool was also nicknamed "The Bathtub" for its size, and in subsequent years, children from Manhattan's Lower East Side traveled to
13527-415: The cannibalistic Laestrygonians destroyed all of his ships except his own, Odysseus sailed on and reached the island of Aeaea , home of witch-goddess Circe . She turned half of his men into swine with drugged cheese and wine. Hermes warned Odysseus about Circe and gave Odysseus an herb called moly , making him resistant to Circe's magic. Odysseus forced Circe to change his men back to their human forms and
13694-550: The cannibalistic giants, the Laestrygonians. Throughout the course of the epic, Odysseus encounters several examples of xenia ("guest-friendship"), which provide models of how hosts should and should not act. The Phaeacians demonstrate exemplary guest-friendship by feeding Odysseus, giving him a place to sleep, and granting him many gifts and a safe voyage home, which are all things a good host should do. Polyphemus demonstrates poor guest-friendship. His only "gift" to Odysseus
13861-431: The center bays on each side are Art Deco -style aluminum letters indicating the respective genders' locker rooms. The bathhouse pavilions are similar in design. The east facade is fifteen bays wide, while the west facade is seventeen bays wide. Except for the central bay on each side, there are openings with glass blocks topped by metal louvers; these are separated by fluted brick piers. At the northern and southern ends of
14028-432: The center of the western facade, is also flanked by stepped-brick piers with glass brick columns and contains a clock suspended above the center. As designed, the pool entrance was flanked by two stainless steel sculptures created by Emil Siebern , which depicted female athletes. The lobby between the main and pool entrances is open to the outdoors and contains a brick floor surrounded by bluestone and granite. The ceiling of
14195-504: The city balked on acquiring the land, contending that the selling price was too high and citing the company's decision to grant the NYCN an easement. The city's hesitancy was attributed to the Panic of 1907 , which had worsened the city's finances. By 1913, residents of Manhattan and Long Island City were again calling for the creation of a park along the Astoria waterfront. The site was just north of
14362-405: The city, losing more than 10,000 residents between the years 2000 and 2010. There is some debate as to what constitutes the geographic boundaries of Astoria. The neighborhood was part of Long Island City prior to the latter's incorporation into the City of Greater New York in 1898. The area south of Astoria was called Ravenswood, and traditionally, Broadway was considered the border between
14529-511: The cowherd Philoetius, with swords and spears. Once the battle is won, Telemachus also hangs twelve of their household maids whom Eurycleia identifies as guilty of betraying Penelope or having sex with the suitors. Odysseus identifies himself to Penelope. She is hesitant but recognizes him when he mentions that he made their bed from an olive tree still rooted to the ground. She embraces him and they sleep. The next day, Odysseus goes to his father Laertes 's farm and reveals himself. Following them to
14696-428: The crew overriding Odysseus's wishes to remain away from the island. Zeus caused a storm that prevented them from leaving, causing them to deplete the food given to them by Circe. While Odysseus was away praying, his men ignored the warnings of Tiresias and Circe and hunted the sacred cattle. Helios insisted that Zeus punish the men for this sacrilege. They suffered a shipwreck, and all but Odysseus drowned as he clung to
14863-463: The dangerous whirlpools in the waters of the Hell Gate. Charybdis Playground was named first, in 1997; Scylla Point was named in 2001 after parks commissioner Henry Stern petitioned the federal government to rename what was then known as "Negro Point", in 2001. Charybdis Playground contains a decorated one-story brick restroom. The restroom contains decorative piers protruding from all four corners; glass-block openings; and Art Deco lettering indicating
15030-782: The early 1990s, including a large population of Brazilians , who reside in the 36th Avenue area. Albanians , Bulgarians , Serbs , and Bosnians have also shown a rise in numbers. Many Spanish Americans live in Astoria, with most of them being of Galician heritage from Northwestern Spain; this community is supported by the Casa Galicia (Galicia House) and the Circulo Español (Spanish Circle). At one time, many Bangladeshi Americans settled in Astoria, but by 2001, many of them had moved to Metro Detroit . A survey of an Astoria-area Bengali language newspaper estimated that, in an 18-month period until March 2001, 8,000 Bangladeshi people moved to
15197-408: The early 19th century, affluent New Yorkers constructed large residences around 12th and 14th Streets, an area that later became known as Astoria Village (now Old Astoria). Hallet's Cove, incorporated on April 12, 1839, and previously founded by fur merchant Stephen A. Halsey , was a noted recreational destination and resort for Manhattan's wealthy. The area was renamed for John Jacob Astor , then
15364-490: The early 2000s. In 2006, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the Astoria Pool and Play Center as a landmark. The commission had previously considered the pool for landmark status in 1990, along with the other ten WPA pools in the city. The landmark designation covered the pool and bathhouse, as well as part of the surrounding park between the Triborough and Hell Gate Bridges. A group of volunteers formed
15531-424: The east. The RFK (Triborough) Bridge crosses over the southern section of Astoria Park. The Hell Gate Bridge , carrying Amtrak 's Northeast Corridor and the New York Connecting Railroad , crosses over the northern section. The park is separated from the Hell Gate and the East River by a 30-foot-wide (9.1 m) road called Shore Boulevard. The park covers 59.96 acres (24.26 ha). The southeastern corner of
15698-515: The end of the Odyssey . For instance, one example is that of Agamemnon's homecoming versus Odysseus'. Upon Agamemnon's return, his wife Clytemnestra and her lover, Aegisthus, kill Agamemnon. Agamemnon's son, Orestes , out of vengeance for his father's death, kills Aegisthus. This parallel compares the death of the suitors to the death of Aegisthus and sets Orestes up as an example for Telemachus. Also, because Odysseus knows about Clytemnestra's betrayal, Odysseus returns home in disguise in order to test
15865-439: The escape, Aeolus gave Odysseus a leather bag containing all the winds except the west wind, a gift that should have ensured a safe return home. Just as Ithaca came into sight, the sailors opened the bag while Odysseus slept, thinking it contained gold. The winds flew out, and the storm drove the ships back the way they had come. Aeolus, recognizing that Odysseus had drawn the ire of the gods, refused to further assist him. After
16032-464: The estates of wealthy businessmen such as Edwin Hoyt, Edward Woolsey, and Henry Barclay. Maps show that some streets had already been laid out on the future park site by the late 19th century. The surrounding Astoria neighborhood was part of the independent city of Long Island City , which was combined into the City of Greater New York in 1898. Augustus D. Juilliard began combining the various properties for
16199-467: The existing wading pool. Moses was also planning a "model playground" at Astoria Park, one of five around the city. The complex was initially supposed to be completed by mid-1935, but this was delayed due to a temporary work stoppage. Plans for the bathhouse, landscape, bleachers, and filter house were completed by the end of 1935. John Hatton was responsible for the pool complex's primary design, while Gregory Kiely designed some minor details. The war memorial
16366-452: The farm is a group of Ithacans, led by Eupeithes , father of Antinous, who are out for revenge for the murder of the suitors. A battle breaks out, but it is quickly stopped by Athena and Zeus. The Odyssey is 12,109 lines composed in dactylic hexameter , also called Homeric hexameter. It opens in medias res , in the middle of the overall story, with prior events described through flashbacks and storytelling. The 24 books correspond to
16533-442: The future site of Astoria Park in 1872. As the lots were purchased, the estates on the site were largely demolished by the 1890s. The East River Land Company acquired 27 acres (11 ha) south of 24th Avenue from Augustus Juilliard, as well as 31 acres (13 ha) to the north from James Barclay, in 1905. This was part of the acquisition of some 180 acres (73 ha) on the Hell Gate shorefront, comprising over 2,000 lots. In 1907,
16700-450: The girls' and boys' restrooms. Astoria Park contains an enclosed elliptical pool area that is aligned north-south, with two pools (formerly three). The main pool is rectangular and measures 330 by 165 feet (101 by 50 m), with a depth of 4 feet (1.2 m) and a surface area of 54,450 square feet (5,059 m). It was the largest of 11 pools in New York City that were completed by the Works Progress Administration in 1936. At its peak,
16867-569: The homeland of Odysseus, which may or may not be the same island that is now called Ithakē (modern Greek: Ιθάκη ). The wanderings of Odysseus as told to the Phaeacians, and the location of the Phaeacians' own island of Scheria, pose more fundamental problems, if geography is to be applied: scholars, both ancient and modern, are divided as to whether any of the places visited by Odysseus (after Ismaros and before his return to Ithaca) are real. Both antiquated and contemporary scholars have attempted to map Odysseus's journey but now largely agree that
17034-433: The host's home. Another theme throughout the Odyssey is testing. This occurs in two distinct ways. Odysseus tests the loyalty of others and others test Odysseus' identity. An example of Odysseus testing the loyalties of others is when he returns home. Instead of immediately revealing his identity, he arrives disguised as a beggar and then proceeds to determine who in his house has remained loyal to him and who has helped
17201-450: The household of Nestor , most venerable of the Greek warriors at Troy , who resided in Pylos after the war. From there, Telemachus rides to Sparta , accompanied by Nestor's son . There he finds Menelaus and Helen , who are now reconciled. Both Helen and Menelaus also say that they returned to Sparta after a long voyage by way of Egypt. There, on the island of Pharos , Menelaus encounters
17368-551: The immediate area. At the time, the northern portion of the park contained the Barclay mansion, a brick building measuring 54 by 74 feet (16 by 23 m), while the southern portion contained three unidentified structures. A corps of engineers was hired to draw plans for the new park. The city acquired 56.25 acres (22.76 ha) in October 1913, and shortly afterward, the Board of Estimate renamed
17535-452: The island of Thrinacia and that failure to do so would result in the loss of his ship and his entire crew. He then meets his dead mother Anticleia and first learns of the suitors and what happened in Ithaca in his absence. Odysseus also converses with his dead comrades from Troy. Returning to Aeaea, they buried Elpenor and were advised by Circe on the remaining stages of the journey. They skirted
17702-411: The king's palace and eating up his wealth. Odysseus's protectress, the goddess Athena , asks Zeus , king of the gods , to finally allow Odysseus to return home when Poseidon is absent from Mount Olympus . Disguised as a chieftain named Mentes , Athena visits Telemachus to urge him to search for news of his father. He offers her hospitality, and they observe the suitors dining rowdily while Phemius ,
17869-459: The land of the Sirens . All of the sailors had their ears plugged up with beeswax, except for Odysseus, who was tied to the mast as he wanted to hear the song. He told his sailors not to untie him as it would only make him drown himself. They then passed between the six-headed monster Scylla and the whirlpool Charybdis . Scylla claimed six of his men. Next, they landed on the island of Thrinacia, with
18036-412: The land of the dead from a divine helper: the goddess Siduri , who, like Circe, dwells by the sea at the ends of the earth, whose home is also associated with the sun. Gilgamesh reaches Siduri's house by passing through a tunnel underneath Mt. Mashu , the high mountain from which the sun comes into the sky. West argues that the similarity of Odysseus' and Gilgamesh's journeys to the edges of the earth are
18203-451: The land was divided into nine parcels by three developers. From 1848, there were several mansions built on this land, but the high class housing did not survive. The spring of 1853 brought the opening of a post office of its own and country store "run by Messrs. Moore & Luyster, and Mr. Samuel H. Moore of that firm received the appointment of postmaster, handling the mails in a corner of the store." Ravenswood, unlike Astoria, never became
18370-441: The land was still an unimproved "No Man's Land". Queens officials announced a plan in 1922 to pave 23rd Avenue and create an ornamental gateway to Astoria Park from that avenue. The same year, NYC Parks announced improvements to the section between Hoyt and 24th Avenues, including a bandstand. There would also be a 450-by-300-foot (137 by 91 m) athletic oval that could be turned into an ice skating pond during winter, and funding
18537-542: The landscapes, especially of the Apologia (Books 9 to 11), include too many mythic aspects as features to be unequivocally mappable. Classicist Peter T. Struck created an interactive map which plots Odysseus's travels, including his near homecoming which was thwarted by the bag of wind. Scholars have seen strong influences from Near Eastern mythology and literature in the Odyssey . Martin West notes substantial parallels between
18704-534: The last 548 lines of the Odyssey , corresponding to Book 24, are believed by many scholars to have been added by a slightly later poet. The events in the main sequence of the Odyssey (excluding Odysseus's embedded narrative of his wanderings) have been said to take place in the Peloponnese and in what are now called the Ionian Islands . There are difficulties in the apparently simple identification of Ithaca,
18871-495: The late 1960s, a 'Greek Town' neighborhood coalesced in Astoria. From 1960s to 1980s the number of Greeks constantly increased. While the population of Greeks in Astoria was 22,579 in 1980, it dropped to 18,127 by 1990 due to decreased immigration and lower birth rates. During the 2000s, the Greek immigration dropped again. During the 2010s and 2020s economic issues in Greece caused a resurgence of Greek immigration. Greek organizations in
19038-579: The letters of the Greek alphabet ; the division was likely made after the poem's composition, by someone other than Homer, but is generally accepted. In the Classical period , some of the books (individually and in groups) were commonly given their own titles: Book 22 concludes the Greek Epic Cycle , though fragments remain of the "alternative ending" of sorts known as the Telegony . The Telegony aside,
19205-408: The lobby contains concrete beams. The octagonal ticket booth at the center of the lobby has a nautical theme, with an outwardly angled terrazzo base, a ticket collector's cage, and a ventilation cupola on the roof. The north and south walls are divided into three bays and contain the women's and men's locker rooms. These bays contain glass bricks at the top and openings or doorways at the bottom. Above
19372-490: The loyalty of his own wife, Penelope. Later, Agamemnon praises Penelope for not killing Odysseus. It is because of Penelope that Odysseus has fame and a successful homecoming. This successful homecoming is unlike Achilles , who has fame but is dead, and Agamemnon, who had an unsuccessful homecoming resulting in his death. Only two of Odysseus's adventures are described by the narrator. The rest of Odysseus' adventures are recounted by Odysseus himself. The two scenes described by
19539-542: The narrative significance of certain groups in the poem, such as women and slaves, who have a more prominent role in the epic than in many other works of ancient literature. This focus is especially remarkable when contrasted with the Iliad , which centres the exploits of soldiers and kings during the Trojan War. The Odyssey is regarded as one of the most significant works of the Western canon . The first English translation of
19706-477: The narrator are Odysseus on Calypso's island and Odysseus' encounter with the Phaeacians. These scenes are told by the poet to represent an important transition in Odysseus' journey: being concealed to returning home. Calypso's name comes from the Greek word kalúptō ( καλύπτω ), meaning 'to cover' or 'conceal', which is apt, as this is exactly what she does with Odysseus. Calypso keeps Odysseus concealed from
19873-542: The neighborhood's reputation as a progressive political hub - as of 2023, it became the only district in the United States to elect Democratic Socialists of America representatives at municipal, state, and federal levels; and "The Big Apple ’s Fruit Basket" due to the thousands of fruit trees, particularly fig trees, cultivated in local yards. Astoria is located in Queens Community District 1 and its ZIP Codes are 11101, 11102, 11103, 11105, and 11106. It
20040-408: The old Barclay mansion for use as a meeting room, though it was demolished instead. In its 1914 annual report, NYC Parks reported the city's sinking fund commission, which owned the site, had not yet turned over ownership of the land. Condemnation proceedings were still ongoing at the time. By 1915, NYC Parks reported that Astoria Park was used by thousands of Manhattan residents during Sundays, but that
20207-461: The old sea-god Proteus , who tells him that Odysseus was a captive of the nymph Calypso . Telemachus learns the fate of Menelaus's brother, Agamemnon , king of Mycenae and leader of the Greeks at Troy: he was murdered on his return home by his wife Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus . The story briefly shifts to the suitors, who have only just realized that Telemachus is gone. Angry, they formulate
20374-449: The oldest works of extant literature commonly read by Western audiences. As an imaginary voyage , it is considered a distant forerunner of the science fiction genre, and, says science fiction scholar Brian Stableford , "there are more science-fictional transfigurations of the Odyssey than of any other literary text". In Canto XXVI of the Inferno , Dante Alighieri meets Odysseus in
20541-423: The original Greek, the word used is hai , the feminine article, equivalent to "those female people". The influence of the Homeric texts can be difficult to summarise because of how greatly they have affected the popular imagination and cultural values. The Odyssey and the Iliad formed the basis of education for members of ancient Mediterranean society. That curriculum was adopted by Western humanists, meaning
20708-670: The other regions. The decreases in the Hispanic / Latino population and in racial groups, however, were relatively even across the three areas. The entirety of Queens Community District 1 , which includes Astoria and parts of Long Island City, is bounded to the east approximately by the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and 81st Street, and to the south approximately by Queens Plaza and Northern Boulevard . It had 199,969 residents according to NYC Health 's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 83.4 years. This
20875-506: The park for mayor William Jay Gaynor . Many residents preferred to name the park for the Astoria neighborhood, and it was officially renamed Astoria Park in December 1913. NYC Parks architect Carl Francis Pilat completed plans for the park in January 1914. It was intended to be the city's first large park with active recreational facilities. These facilities would be in the southern two-thirds of
21042-420: The park under the RFK Bridge, between Hoyt Avenue North and Hoyt Avenue South, extends east to 21st Street. Astoria Park is crossed by numerous paths, of which some are paved in hexagonal blocks, while others contain asphalt paving. Several paths are built on slopes and contain staggered steps. Several entrances are spaced around the perimeter of the park. In the western portion of the park, along Shore Boulevard,
21209-494: The park's recreational facilities as part of the city's Anchor Parks program. A three-phase renovation of Astoria Park commenced in 2018 as part of the Anchor Parks program. The first phase, which involved rebuilding the track and other facilities in the southern portion of the park for $ 13.65 million, was completed in October 2019. The second phase, which includes rebuilding the wading pool and Charybdis Playground for $ 12.5 million,
21376-407: The park's tennis courts the next year. NYC Parks announced in 2012 that it would infill the diving pool, restore the diving board, and create a plaza with an amphitheater on its site. The design process was completed in early 2015. The amphitheater's designers had found that the pool and Charybdis Playground had been dumping sewage directly into the East River ever since the pool had been constructed in
21543-455: The park, near transit. The southernmost section between 24th and Hoyt Avenues would receive a running track, three baseball diamonds, two grandstands, and a playfield. The center section between 23rd and 24th Avenues would contain tennis courts, playgrounds, wading pool, locker rooms, and storage rooms. The northernmost portion between Ditmars Boulevard and 23rd Avenue would contain a landscape with paths and gardens. The plan also included restoring
21710-473: The percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent, is 47% in Astoria, slightly lower than the boroughwide and citywide rates of 53% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, as of 2018 , Community District 1 is considered to be gentrifying : according to the Community Health Profile, the district was low-income in 1990 and has seen above-median rent growth up to 2010. Astoria
21877-444: The pool after hours. Astoria Park's conditions prompted a neighborhood resident to form Friends of Astoria Park in 1975. The group had raised $ 3,700 for the park's cleanup within three years. Between 1979 and 1982, a playground and a restroom on the pool's southwest side were destroyed and ball courts were built at that location. This was part of a $ 5 million renovation that also included a repaved parking lot, as well as improvements to
22044-414: The pool area was able to fit 6,200 swimmers, and the main pool alone had a capacity of 5,570. The pools hosted swimming trials for three Summer Olympic Games in 1936 , 1952 , and 1964 . The main pool is flanked by two semicircular pools, each with a 165-foot diameter. The wading pool is north of the main pool and is surrounded by spray spouts. The diving pool to the south was drained and fenced off in
22211-508: The pool for a day "in the country". In 1940, a running track opened within Astoria Park. Siebern's athletic sculptures at the bathhouse had been removed by 1943, when Moses wrote that they "have long since traveled [...] from the storage yard to the scrap heap". The playgrounds were renovated in 1946. Within the subsequent decade, a concession stand was added to the filter house next to the pool. The 1952 Olympic swimming trials were also hosted at
22378-421: The pools is made of cement. The deck is surrounded by concrete bleachers and enclosed by a brick perimeter wall topped by a wrought iron fence. There is also a filter house on the western side of the pool area. The filter house contains a balcony that is raised one story above the pool deck and two stories above a plaza to the west. The filter house's balcony has a roof that is designed like a saucer. The bathhouse
22545-432: The pools was replaced and upgraded in 1991, and again between 1998 and 1999. Additionally, high lead levels in the area under the Triborough Bridge, caused by paint chips falling from the bridge, forced the temporary closure of that park section in 1993. The northern playground and its restroom were reconstructed in the late 1990s, with $ 400,000 allocated to the playground and $ 381,000 to the restroom. The northern playground
22712-414: The popular conception of characters and events of the Odyssey, inflecting the story with connotations not present in the original text: "For instance, in the scene where Telemachus oversees the hanging of the slaves who have been sleeping with the suitors, most translations introduce derogatory language ("sluts" or "whores") [...] The original Greek does not label these slaves with derogatory language." In
22879-530: The population. The Astoria and Old Astoria tabulation areas had greater Hispanic / Latino and Asian populations, and the Old Astoria area specifically had a greater Black population. The racial and ethnic composition of Astoria changed significantly from 2000 to 2010. The most significant changes were the decrease in the Other population by 64% (8,919) and the decrease in the Hispanic / Latino population by 13% (5,705). The White majority also decreased by 2% (1,699), while
23046-471: The requirement for cheap materials, each building would be built using elements of the Streamline Moderne and Classical architectural styles. The buildings would also be near "comfort stations", additional playgrounds, and spruced-up landscapes. Construction for some of the 11 pools began in October 1934. The excavation plan for a large pool complex at Astoria Park was issued that December, to replace
23213-529: The result of the influence of the Gilgamesh epic upon the Odyssey . In 1914, paleontologist Othenio Abel surmised the origins of the Cyclops to be the result of ancient Greeks finding an elephant skull. The enormous nasal passage in the middle of the forehead could have looked like the eye socket of a giant, to those who had never seen a living elephant. Classical scholars, on the other hand, have long known that
23380-503: The same time period. Astoria's rate of elementary school student absenteeism is about equal to the rest of New York City. In Astoria, 19% of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per school year , less than the citywide average of 20%. Additionally, 78% of high school students in Astoria graduate on time, more than the citywide average of 75%. Odyssey The Odyssey ( / ˈ ɒ d ɪ s i / ; Ancient Greek : Ὀδύσσεια , romanized : Odýsseia )
23547-483: The seashore with her maids after Athena told her in a dream to do so. He appeals for help. She encourages him to seek the hospitality of her parents, Arete and Alcinous . Alcinous promises to provide him a ship to return him home without knowing the identity of Odysseus. He remains for several days. Odysseus asks the blind singer Demodocus to tell the story of the Trojan Horse , a stratagem in which Odysseus had played
23714-515: The ship by force. Afterward, Odysseus and his men landed on a lush, uninhabited island near the land of the Cyclopes . The men entered the cave of Polyphemus , where they found all the cheeses and meat they desired. Upon returning to his cave, Polyphemus sealed the entrance with a massive boulder and proceeded to eat Odysseus's men. Odysseus devised an escape plan in which he, identifying himself as "Nobody," plied Polyphemus with wine and blinded him with
23881-521: The story of the Cyclops was originally a folk tale , which existed independently of the Odyssey and which became part of it at a later date. Similar stories are found in cultures across Europe and the Middle East. According to this explanation, the Cyclops was originally simply a giant or ogre, much like Humbaba in the Epic of Gilgamesh . Graham Anderson suggests that the addition about it having only one eye
24048-487: The suitors wish for the death of Telemachus. There is no scholarly consensus on the date of the composition of the Odyssey . The Greeks began adopting a modified version of the Phoenician alphabet to write down their own language during the mid-8th century BC. The Homeric poems may have been one of the earliest products of that literacy, and if so, would have been composed some time in the late 8th century BC. Inscribed on
24215-411: The suitors, for food and Antinous denies his request. Odysseus essentially says that while Antinous may look like a king, he is far from a king since he is not generous. According to J. B. Hainsworth, guest-friendship follows a very specific pattern: Another important factor of guest-friendship is not keeping the guest longer than they wish and also promising their safety while they are a guest within
24382-418: The suitors. Telemachus and Penelope receive their omens as well in the form of words, sneezes, and dreams. However, Odysseus is the only character who receives thunder or lightning as an omen. She highlights this as crucial because lightning, as a symbol of Zeus, represents the kingship of Odysseus. Odysseus is associated with Zeus throughout both the Iliad and the Odyssey. Omens are another example of
24549-442: The suitors. After Odysseus reveals his true identity, the characters test Odysseus' identity to see if he really is who he says he is. For instance, Penelope tests Odysseus' identity by saying that she will move the bed into the other room for him. This is a difficult task since it is made out of a living tree that would require being cut down, a fact that only the real Odysseus would know, thus proving his identity. Testing also has
24716-720: The suitors. He disembarks on the coast of Ithaca and meets Odysseus. Odysseus identifies himself to Telemachus (but not to Eumaeus), and they decide that the suitors must be killed. Telemachus goes home first. Accompanied by Eumaeus, Odysseus returns to his own house, still pretending to be a beggar. He is ridiculed by the suitors in his own home, especially Antinous . Odysseus meets Penelope and tests her intentions by saying he once met Odysseus in Crete. Closely questioned, he adds that he had recently been in Thesprotia and had learned something there of Odysseus's recent wanderings. Odysseus's identity
24883-399: The text was so much a part of the cultural fabric that it became irrelevant whether an individual had read it. As such, the influence of the Odyssey has reverberated through over a millennium of writing. The poem topped a poll of experts by BBC Culture to find literature's most enduring narrative. It is widely regarded by western literary critics as a timeless classic and remains one of
25050-449: The two. Today, however, many residents and businesses south of Broadway identify themselves as Astorians for convenience or status, since Long Island City has historically been considered an industrial area , and Ravenswood is now mostly a low-income neighborhood. Some of the thoroughfares have lent their names to unofficial terms for the areas they serve. For instance, the eastern end of Astoria, with Steinway Street as its main thoroughfare,
25217-461: The wealthiest man in the United States with a net worth of more than $ 40 million, in order to persuade him to invest in the neighborhood. He only invested $ 500, but the name stayed nonetheless, as a bitter battle over naming the village finally was won by Astor's supporters and friends. From Astor's summer home in Yorkville, Manhattan —on what is now East 87th Street near York Avenue —he could see across
25384-399: The west facade, there are semicircular coves with doorways that lead to the bathhouse's locker rooms. The eastern wings of the bathhouse, to the north and south of the entrance court, each contain two bays of horizontal glass-brick bands. The roof of the bathhouse pavilion doubles as a viewing platform and contains a concrete deck and metal railing. The eastern portion of the roof is higher than
25551-642: The western Mediterranean". Some of Ulysses's adventures reappear in the Arabic tales of Sinbad the Sailor . The Irish writer James Joyce 's modernist novel Ulysses (1922) was significantly influenced by the Odyssey . Joyce had encountered the figure of Odysseus in Charles Lamb 's Adventures of Ulysses , an adaptation of the epic poem for children, which seems to have established the Latin name in Joyce's mind. Ulysses,
25718-452: The western portion. The roof contains two concrete ventilators above the main entrance. Upon the bathhouse's completion, Architectural Forum praised its use of glass bricks "for privacy and ease of maintenance". The park site formerly contained Pot Cove, a Native American settlement used for maize cultivation and fishing. The name also applies to the small cove next to the park's southwestern corner. The settlement's namesake may have been
25885-460: The world and unable to return home. After leaving Calypso's island, the poet describes Odysseus' encounters with the Phaeacians—those who "convoy without hurt to all men" —which represents his transition from not returning home to returning home. Also, during Odysseus' journey, he encounters many beings that are close to the gods. These encounters are useful in understanding that Odysseus is in
26052-488: Was also allocated for plantings. The bandstand had been completed by 1924. Construction of a seawall and an approximately 3,000-foot-long (910 m) section of Shore Boulevard started in April 1926, and a memorial to victims of World War I was dedicated that November. Shore Boulevard was completed and opened in October 1927. At the time, the park covered 56 acres, which were largely lawns and recreation areas. The facilities included
26219-514: Was assumed dead, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus had to contend with a group of unruly suitors who were competing for Penelope's hand in marriage. The Odyssey was originally composed in Homeric Greek in around the 8th or 7th century BC and, by the mid-6th century BC, had become part of the Greek literary canon. In antiquity , Homer's authorship of the poem was not questioned, but contemporary scholarship predominantly assumes that
26386-474: Was completed in September 2021, following a temporary opening and re-closure that July. The third phase includes landscaping in the park's northern section for $ 4–5 million. NYC Parks also closed Astoria Pool during 2023 for a $ 19 million renovation. The renovation involves replacing the deck, filtration system, and mechanical systems; the pool was scheduled to reopen in 2024. Astoria, Queens Astoria
26553-428: Was designed by John Hatton. It incorporates both classical motifs, such as brick piers, and modern motifs, such as geometric brickwork. The bathhouse is a U-shaped brick structure west of 19th Street, between 23rd Drive to the north and 23rd Terrace to the south. Pavilions extend north and south of the bathhouse's central lobby. Wings extend eastward into the hillside from the ends of both pavilions. The main entrance plaza
26720-404: Was destroyed by Native Americans . The peninsula was bordered to the north by Hell Gate , to the west by the East River , and the south by Sunswick Creek . Hallet bought the land in 1664 from two native chiefs named Shawestcont and Erramorhar. In 1814 the area of Hallet's point became the site of Fort Stevens , a defensive work to protect Hell Gate from a potential British attack during
26887-538: Was first settled by the Dutch , English, and Germans in the 17th century. Many Irish settled in the area during the waves of Irish immigration into New York City during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Italians were the next significant immigrants in Astoria, and numerous Italian restaurants, delis, bakeries, and pizza shops are found throughout Astoria, particularly in the Ditmars Boulevard area. Jews were also
27054-477: Was formally named after the surrounding neighborhood in December 1913, and recreational facilities gradually opened within the park during the next two decades. The pool and bathhouse were designed by John Hatton during a Works Progress Administration project in 1935–1936 and was used for the United States Olympic Trials for swimming during 1936, 1952, and 1964. The park was extensively renovated in
27221-588: Was incorporated into the City of Greater New York in 1898. Commercial activity continued through the 20th century, with the area being a center for filmmaking and industry. Astoria is colloquially referred to by several nicknames: "Actoria" highlighting the neighborhood's significant population of actors, drawn by its proximity to the Kaufman Astoria Studios , Silvercup Studios , and the Theater District ; "The People's Republic of Astoria," referencing
27388-412: Was invented to explain how the creature was so easily blinded. Homecoming (Ancient Greek: νόστος, nostos ) is a central theme of the Odyssey . Anna Bonafazi of the University of Cologne writes that, in Homer, nostos is "return home from Troy, by sea". Agatha Thornton examines nostos in the context of characters other than Odysseus, in order to provide an alternative for what might happen after
27555-448: Was moved to make way for the pool. By mid-1936, ten of the eleven WPA-funded pools were completed and were being opened at a rate of one per week. The Astoria Pool was the third pool to open; at a ceremony on July 2, 1936, WPA administrator Harry Hopkins called the pool "the finest in the world". The Triborough Bridge opened one week afterward on July 11, adding 4.5 acres (1.8 ha) to the park's site. A 384-space parking lot opened under
27722-400: Was renamed Charybdis Playground in 1997. A 400-meter (1,300 ft), eight-lane rubberized track replaced an old six-lane cinder track, and an exercise parcourse with eight stations was installed during a $ 2.2 million project in 2000. Another $ 1 million was allocated to improvements to paths and park furniture, such as fences and benches. Some restoration was undertaken on the landscape during
27889-416: Was seduced by her. They remained with her for one year. Finally, guided by Circe's instructions, Odysseus and his crew crossed the ocean and reached a harbor at the western edge of the world, where Odysseus sacrificed to the dead . Odysseus summoned the spirit of the prophet Tiresias and was told that he may return home if he is able to stay himself and his crew from eating the sacred livestock of Helios on
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