named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Celebrate the Fourth of July
Annual event featuring the display of the Blackwell Door, a Revolutionary War-era artifact, at the Advance Masonic Temple.
Education Programs
Offers on-site and off-site presentations and field trips for schools and community groups on local and broader historical topics.
Hallet’s Cove in the American Revolution: A Walking Tour
Guided walking tour exploring the role of Hallet’s Cove during the American Revolution, focusing on historical sites and families in the Astoria area.
Research Services
Provides access to archives and expert research assistance using over 50,000 documents and 150,000 photographs related to Long Island City history.
Watchwords of Freedom
Virtual program examining key historical documents that shaped liberty, civil rights, and human dignity in America and globally.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
-
Museum-Based Educational Outreach 1 activity
- Deliver school and customized educational programsProvides on-site and off-site educational presentations on local and broader historical topics for schools and community groups, including customized programs developed upon request to meet specific educational or event needs.
-
-
Guided Historic Site Tours 1 activity
- Host educational walking tours and public site visitsConducts free public walking tours focused on the history of Astoria during the American Revolution, including exploration of Hallet’s Cove and its historical families, departing from Socrates Sculpture Park. Tours incorporate access to Revolutionary War-era artifacts such as the Blackwell Door.
-
-
Local History Preservation and Education 1 activity
- Organize lectures, talks, and special events on local historyHosts monthly lectures, historical talks, and special events featuring local historians and public programs that explore topics such as Long Island City during the American Revolution and forgotten Revolutionary War sites in New York City. Events include an annual Fourth of July celebration at the Advance Masonic Temple with public access to the Blackwell Door.
-
-
Local History Publishing 1 activity
- Produce publications and educational resources on local historyEngages in book publishing and produces educational materials such as the LIC Teacher’s Guide, a resource for teaching the history of Long Island City and Astoria, Queens. Also publishes monthly blog posts and news features with borough-wide reach and a readership in the six figures.
-
-
Local History Archival Access 1 activity
- Provide public access to historical collections and research servicesOffers on-site and off-site access to a comprehensive historical archive containing over 50,000 newspapers, maps, documents, artifacts, and 150,000 photographs, spanning more than 3,000 cubic feet, and delivers curated research findings to support narratives, projects, or publications related to Long Island City and Queens. The collection is recognized as the largest in Queens and the second largest in New York City outside of the New York Public Library.
-
financials · form 990EZ · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$33K
Contributions & grants$25K77%
Program service revenue$3K11%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$324
expenses
Total expenses$33K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
balance sheet
Total assets$6K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$-33K
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue -21.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
board members · 4
- Alan Arichavala — Board Member
- Debbie Van Cura — Education Director
- Kevin Walsh — Board Member
- Robert Singleton — Executive Director
relationships · 10
Who they work with
- AQ Spectra Partner — Collaborates to provide access to New York City's urban fabric for creative professionals.
- Bob Singleton Partner — Founder of the Greater Astoria Historical Society in the 1980s.
- Forgotten NY Partner — Associate organization collaborating on programs, news features, tours, book publishing, and school programs.
- Forgotten NY Partner — Collaborates with Forgotten NY to host events on forgotten Revolutionary War sites in New York City.
- Forgotten NY Partner — Collaborates with Forgotten NY to present a virtual tour on Revolutionary War sites in New York City.
- Forgotten NY Partner — Partners to document overlooked aspects of New York City such as painted building ads, abandoned subway stations, and out-of-the-way neighborhoods.
- No, YOU Tell It! Partner — Collaborates with the storytelling collective to present true-life tales where performers embody each other's cultural and personal experiences.
- Socrates Sculpture Park Partner — Collaborates on historical walking tours by using the park's entrance as a meeting point for public programs.
- Socrates Sculpture Park Partner — Hosts the starting point for historical walking tours organized by the Greater Astoria Historical Society.
- Zoom Partner — Uses Zoom as the platform for hosting virtual events.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Sourced Historical Stewardshipmethodology: community-sourced collectionsBy inviting community members to contribute artifacts and stories, we strengthen local ownership of history because inclusive collection practices foster deeper connection, trust, and representation in the historical record.
- Immersive Narrative for Historical Relevancemethodology: immersive_historical_storytellingBy using immersive storytelling and virtual tours to reveal hidden or overlooked histories, we increase public interest and understanding because narrative depth and visual context make the past more relatable and memorable.
- Interconnected Public History Engagementmethodology: multimodal public history engagementBy combining education programs, exhibitions, research, historic sites, and events into an integrated model, we deepen public engagement with local history because multiple access points allow diverse audiences to connect with the past in personally meaningful ways.