Brief History of Astoria Park
Astoria Park was initially planned in 1905, but it wasn’t until much later, in October 1913, that land for the park would be acquired. It was then formally named after the area surrounding it in December 1913. However, it took two decades for recreational facilities to open up gradually.
The park was created as part of a large-scale development project in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, which aimed to provide local residents with access to green space and Astoria Park movies.
The large bathhouse and pool were designed by John Hatton between 1935 and 1936. The pool was later used for the United States Olympic Trials on three occasions 1936, 1952 and 1964. However, after a few decades, in the 1980s, the park underwent extensive renovation, including adding a new playground, expanding the pool deck, and installing new lighting and landscaping. Updates to the park were only completed in 2010. Today, it is designated a city landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.
