81-568: The Greater Astoria Historical Society (GAHS) is a non-profit cultural and historical organization located in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens , New York , United States , dedicated to preserving the past and promoting the future of the neighborhoods that are part of historic Long Island City , including the Village of Astoria , Blissville , Bowery Bay , Dutch Kills , Hunters Point , Ravenswood , Steinway Village , and Sunnyside . The mission of
162-620: A melanotype or ferrotype , is a photograph made by creating a direct positive on a thin sheet of metal, colloquially called 'tin' (though not actually tin-coated ), coated with a dark lacquer or enamel and used as the support for the photographic emulsion . It was introduced in 1853 by Adolphe Alexandre Martin in Paris, It competed with both the ambrotype process and the older and established daguerreotype , finding particular adoption in North America. Tintypes enjoyed their widest use during
243-426: A Library/Research Center that contains over 10,000 items, including books and publications on local history, a photographic record of the community, and neighborhood ephemera and memorabilia. The GAHS holdings include dozens of antiquarian atlases and thousands of historic maps of Queens and surrounding areas from the now defunct Belcher Hyde map company among others. The holdings also include an almost complete run (or
324-427: A dark color or provided with a black backing so that, as with a tintype, the underexposed negative image in the emulsion appeared as a positive. Tintypes were sturdy and did not require mounting in a protective hard case like ambrotypes and daguerreotypes. There are two historic tintype processes: wet and dry. In the wet process, a collodion emulsion containing suspended silver halide crystals had to be formed on
405-434: A dull-toned positive. This ability to employ underexposed images allowed shorter exposure times to be used, a great advantage in portraiture . To obtain as light-toned an image as possible, potassium cyanide was normally employed as the photographic fixer . It was perhaps the most acutely hazardous of all the several highly toxic chemicals originally used in this and many other early photographic processes. To overcome
486-560: A hearse from Quinn's funeral home, whose historical background is Irish Catholic , to save the synagogue stone," and relocate it to the Greater Astoria Historical Society. They also lobbied the city EDC to preserve the Dutch Kills Millstones . The holdings of the Greater Astoria Historical Society, on loan and owned, include a collection of rare and unusual items available for public perusal. The GAHS maintains
567-516: 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
648-490: A movable plate holder was registered by Albert S. Southworth in 1855. In 1860 both methods were combined in patents by Simon Wing, who promoted these cameras successfully and tried to enforce licensing, but failed with the Supreme Court ruling his patents invalid due to their use prior to his patents. Portrait sizes ranged from gem-size to 11 in × 14 in (280 mm × 360 mm). From about 1865 to 1910,
729-419: 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
810-624: 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
891-631: 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
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#1733093127365972-465: 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
1053-546: 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
1134-560: A tintype could be developed and fixed and handed to the customer only a few minutes after the picture had been taken. The tintype saw the Civil War come and go, documenting the individual soldier and horrific battle scenes. It captured scenes from the Wild West as it was easy to produce by itinerant photographers working out of covered wagons. They captured farming families in front of their new home ( house portraits ), emerging towns as well as
1215-424: A very underexposed negative image was produced in the emulsion. Its densest areas, corresponding to the lightest parts of the subject, appeared gray by reflected light. The areas with the least amount of silver, corresponding to the darkest areas of the subject, were essentially transparent and appeared black when seen against the dark background provided by the lacquer. The image as a whole therefore appeared to be
1296-598: 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
1377-627: 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,
1458-645: 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
1539-402: 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
1620-693: 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
1701-743: 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
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#17330931273651782-411: Is now East 87th Street near York Avenue —he could see across 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
1863-400: 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
1944-501: 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
2025-447: Is to foster a positive sense of community pride and identity through an understanding of history for all residents, both newly arrived immigrants and longtime residents. The Greater Astoria Historical Society's “Long Island City Forum” is a multi-faceted program that includes lectures, video presentations, walking tours, exhibits and programs designed for local schools to increase awareness of Long Island City history. Regular tours include
2106-667: The Astoria History Project . The GAHS also has an extensive collection of images relating to the history of the East River, which can be viewed at East River NYC . The Greater Astoria Historical Society has a historical plaque program, which designates noteworthy locations in Queens. The GAHS has erected a plaque on the apartment building at 43-30, 46th Street , in Sunnyside, Queens , where legendary jazz musician Bix Beiderbecke , "the remote and mysterious jazz cornettist... died in obscurity." In collaboration with local historians,
2187-751: 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
2268-720: The East River and the piano factory Steinway & Sons . The Greater Astoria Historical Society sponsors an annual Haunted Waters Walking Tour along the East River in Long Island City as part of the Socrates Sculpture Park 's Halloween Harvest Festival. The Greater Astoria Historical Society's most recent program, the Winged Fist Project , is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Irish American Athletic Club , an amateur athletic organization that
2349-479: The Long Island Star Journal , a newspaper that chronicled life in Queens, from the 1840s until 1968. The Greater Astoria Historical Society offices in the historic Quinn Memorial Building on the corner of Broadway and 36th Street in Astoria include a 2,000-square-foot (190 m) exhibit space for both permanent and rotating exhibits of topical interest to the community. The GAHS, which is affiliated with
2430-744: 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
2511-410: The daguerreotype , tintypes were not only very inexpensive, they were also relatively easy and quick to make. A photographer could prepare, expose, develop and varnish a tintype plate and have it ready for the customer in a few minutes. Although early tintypes were sometimes mounted in protective ornamental cases, like daguerreotypes and ambrotypes, uncased tintypes in simple paper mats were popular from
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2592-799: The morgue file ) of the Long Island Star Journal, Archived May 9, 2008, at the Wayback Machine "a daily paper that informed the community about local and world news until it folded in 1968. A banner across the Star-Journal masthead reminded readers that the newspaper's name came from the merger of the Long Island Daily Star (1876) and the North Shore Daily Journal—The Flushing Journal (1841)." The Greater Astoria Historical Society actively solicits
2673-409: The 1860s and 1870s, but lesser use of the medium persisted into 1930s and it has been revived as a novelty and fine art form in the 21st century. It has been described as the first "truly democratic" medium for mass portraiture. Tintypes were particularly used for portraits. They were at first usually made in a formal photographic studio, like daguerreotypes and other early types of photographs. At
2754-487: 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
2835-553: The Arts, and Transportation Alternatives . Astoria, Queens Astoria 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
2916-529: 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
2997-464: 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
3078-543: 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
3159-468: The Greater Astoria Historical Society has authored or co-authored four books on the history of Queens: Long Island City , Postcards of Long Island City , The East River , and The Queensboro Bridge . The GAHS has also published a free map that includes popular walking tours along the East River in Queens. The GAHS also compiles a weekly column for the Queens Gazette , summarizing historical articles from
3240-541: The Greater Astoria Historical Society, founded in 1985, is to discover, procure and preserve the history of historic Long Island City , which was incorporated into the City of Greater New York in 1898. In a borough well known for its diverse population (some 138 languages are spoken in Queens), the Long Island City / Astoria area is home to more than 350,000 people. A primary goal of the GAHS
3321-613: 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 the Asian minority decreased by 5% (1,120), and
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3402-538: The Pencil . The tintype was essentially a variant of the ambrotype, replacing the latter's glass plate with a thin sheet of japanned iron (hence ferro ). Ambrotypes often exhibit some flaking of their black back coating, cracking or detachment of the image-bearing emulsion layer, or other deterioration, but the image layer on a tintype has proven to be typically very durable, although the iron support might oxidize at its corners. Compared to their most important predecessor,
3483-479: The Queens Tourism Council, maintains a tourist information booth outside its office and provides free maps and pamphlets to visitors looking to explore the history of Queens. A number of community groups use the Greater Astoria Historical Society offices for meetings, including; Astoria Music Society, Astoria Performing Arts Center, Central Astoria Development Coalition, Greenshores New York, Queens Council on
3564-523: The Steinway family who founded the piano company Steinway & Sons in 1853, which today 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
3645-538: 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
3726-462: The amount of ferrotypes taken would probably surmount the production of all other techniques combined. His book and the introduction of low cost variants known as "Gem ferrotypes" and the invention of the photo booth in 1888, helped to sustain the tintype's longevity. John Coffer, as profiled in a 2006 New York Times article, travels by horse-drawn wagon creating tintypes. In 2013, California Air National Guard member and artist Ed Drew took
3807-792: 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
3888-531: The beginning. They were often transferred into the precut openings provided in book-like photograph albums like the later prints on cardboard. One or more hardy, lightweight, thin tintypes could be carried conveniently in a jacket pocket. They became very popular in the United States during the American Civil War . Although prints on paper ( see cartes de visite and cabinet cards ) soon displaced them as
3969-581: 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 the other regions. The decreases in the Hispanic / Latino population and in racial groups, however, were relatively even across
4050-405: 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
4131-495: The donation of photographic images related to Queens history. The GAHS holdings include thousands of black and white photographs, photographic slides , glass negatives and tintypes and include the works of notable Queens historians Vincent F. Seyfried and Frank Carrado, informally known as the "Mayor of Long Island City." The GAHS has published hundreds of these photos in their books, and has scanned thousands of images. More than 3,000 of these images are available online through
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#17330931273654212-782: 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
4293-516: The first tintypes in a war zone since the Civil War , when he photographed Air Force pilots serving in the Afghan War . The contemporary photographer Victoria Will created a series of tintypes of Hollywood stars at the 2014 and 2015 Sundance Film Festivals , including portraits of Anne Hathaway , Nick Cave , and Ewan McGregor . The portraits were later published as a book. Organisations such as
4374-423: The first use of the wet-plate collodion process as a positive image. Such collodion glass positives had been invented by Frederick Scott Archer in 1851. Although it is a widely held belief James Ambrose Cutting might have named the process after himself, in actuality, "ambrotype" was first coined by Marcus Aurelius Root , a well known daguerreotypist, in his gallery as documented in the 1864 book The Camera and
4455-466: 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 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 ,
4536-406: The frontier landscape, for which large plates were used. It began losing artistic and commercial ground to higher quality albumen prints on paper in the mid-1860s, yet survived for well over another half century, living mostly as a carnival novelty. The tintype's immediate predecessor, the ambrotype , was done by the same process of using a sheet of glass as the support. The glass was either of
4617-586: The growing number of residents. Astoria also figured prominently in early American filmmaking as one of its initial centers. That heritage 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
4698-498: 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 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
4779-451: 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
4860-543: 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
4941-505: The most common type of photograph, the tintype process continued to enjoy considerable use throughout the 19th century and beyond, especially for casual portraiture by novelty and street photographers. In contrast to the considerable amount of manuels, books and articles in journals on the different photographic processes, they were seldomly treating the ferrotype. Whereas Edward M. Estabrooke stated in his almost unique extensive monograph The Ferrotype and How to Make It , published in 1872, that
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#17330931273655022-431: The most popular size, called "Bon-ton", ranged from 2 + 3 ⁄ 8 in × 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 in (60 mm × 89 mm) to 4 in × 5 + 3 ⁄ 4 in (100 mm × 150 mm). Each tintype is usually a camera original, so the image is usually a mirror image, reversed left to right from reality. Sometimes the camera was fitted with a mirror or right-angle prism so that
5103-411: 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 the population. The Astoria and Old Astoria tabulation areas had greater Hispanic / Latino and Asian populations, and
5184-599: 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 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
5265-473: 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
5346-431: The plate just before it was exposed in the camera while still wet. Chemical treatment then reduced the crystals to microscopic particles of metallic silver in proportion to the intensity and duration of their exposure to light, resulting in a visible positive image. The later prefabricated, hence more convenient dry process was similar but used a gelatin emulsion which could be exposed in the camera dry. In both processes,
5427-482: The remaining area approximately north of Northern Boulevard / 36th Avenue and approximately west of Hobart Street / 50th Street). Based on data from 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
5508-558: The result would be right-reading. The process was first described by Adolphe-Alexandre Martin in France in 1853. In 1856 it was patented by Hamilton Smith in the United States and by William Kloen in the United Kingdom . It was first called melainotype , then ferrotype by V. M. Griswold of Ohio, a rival manufacturer of the iron plates, then finally tintype . The ambrotype was
5589-418: 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%. Tintype A tintype , also known as
5670-469: 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 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
5751-410: The site of a War of 1812 fortification , 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
5832-672: 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 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
5913-491: 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
5994-419: The time though the process like the professional were called specifically ferrotype and ferrotypist respectively (not photograph|er ). Later on tintypes were most commonly made by ferrotypists working in booths, tents, or the open air at fairs and carnivals , as well as by itinerant sidewalk photographers (with carts or wagons). Because the lacquered iron support was resilient and later did not need drying,
6075-449: 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,
6156-448: The uniqueness of each picture multi-lensed cameras and single-lens cameras with a movable back holding the plate were invented. Three men from Boston are to name here. John Roberts first made use of multiple lenses, mounting as many as 32 of them on one camera. A twelve-lensed camera for example, developed in 1858, made a dozen 3 ⁄ 4 -by-1-inch (19 mm × 25 mm) so-called "gem" portraits with one exposure. A patent for
6237-525: Was a noted recreational destination and resort for Manhattan's wealthy. The area was renamed for John Jacob Astor , then 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
6318-460: Was active in Long Island City in the first two decades of the 20th century. When possible, the Greater Astoria Historical Society attempts to acquire and preserve artifacts of historical significance to Queens. The GAHS played an important role "in saving the cornerstone of Congregation Mishkan Israel, the third oldest temple in Queens. It had been sitting near (a sidewalk in Queens) until a Greek American , George Stamatiades, and others helped to get
6399-538: 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
6480-408: 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 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
6561-538: Was to keep the workers isolated from the ferment of labor organizing and radicalism occurring in other parts of New York, notably 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
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