William Hallett (1616 – 1706), an early English colonizer in America, was born in 1616 in Dorsetshire, England. Hallett's arrival in America is not definitively documented, but by 1647 in Connecticut, he married his second wife, Elizabeth Fones Winthrop Feake Hallett. Elizabeth was the niece of John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Her first husband died by drowning, and she divorced her second husband due to mental illness. When Elizabeth married William while pregnant with their first child, it caused a scandal in the Puritan colony. The Puritan church didn't recognize mental illness as grounds for divorce, and the townspeople of Connecticut, upon learning they were considered "living in sin," demanded Elizabeth be hanged. John Winthrop Jr., Elizabeth's uncle and the governor of Connecticut, intervened. He struck a deal with Peter Stuyvesant, allowing the Halletts to flee to New Amsterdam. Under the cover of darkness, Elizabeth left behind all her property, and they sailed to Hell Gate in Newtown, present-day Hallets Cove. Stuyvesant appointed Hallett Sheriff of Flushing around 1650. However, he later imprisoned Hallett for hosting an Episcopalian minister. Hallett was eventually forgiven. In 1652, William Hallett purchased 160 acres of land, which became known as Hallett's Cove. Twelve years later, his holdings expanded to include all of present-day Astoria, encompassing roughly 2,200 acres. The area remained largely rural and used as a ship landing until 1839 when fur merchant Stephen A. Halsey officially founded Hallets Cove. A steamboat and ferry line were then established, connecting the area to 86th Street in Manhattan. The original farmhouse at Hallett's Cove was burned down by indigenous people, forcing the Hallett family to flee to Flushing. Despite this setback, they persevered and built a life in the new world, becoming part of early American history. Elizabeth's actions in Connecticut helped establish women's property rights, while William's banishment and reinstatement played a role in setting the stage for future protests like the Flushing Remonstrance. The couple eventually left the Anglican church and converted to Quakerism. William Hallett died in April 1706 in the area now known as Hallets Cove in Newtown, Queens, New York Colony, British Colonial America. A fictionalized account of their marriage appears in the book The Winthrop Woman by Anya Seton.

William H. Pease, Jr. (1921-2004) was a professor, a former engineer, and an advocate of the study of African American history. He served in the United States Army Air Corps as a weather observer during WWII and was stationed for a period in Tuskegee, Alabama as part of the Tuskegee Airmen. He won accolades as the Tuskegee Airmen welterweight champion in 1945. Born in Harlem, Pease graduated from Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn and Fordham University, and he and his wife, Louise, raised their daughter, Denise, in Corona. He went on to work as a senior instructor at RCA Institute, a microwave engineer at Tung-Sol Electronics, and for more than two decades, as an educator at Suffolk County Community College, where he was a professor of electrical engineering and assistant dean of instruction. He was the first full-time African American administrator at the college, and the first African American president of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. Pease gave back to his community in many ways, including sponsoring a scholarship awarded through the Central Brooklyn Martin Luther King Commission to student winners of essay and art contests. In the 1970s, Pease also served on the board of the Langston Hughes Branch of the Queens Public Library. Through his career, he received awards from the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, the New York University Weekend Tutorial Project, the Professional Achievement Award of the Brownsville Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the Teacher of the Year Award from the New York University Outreach Program for Mathematics and Science, the Mary McLeod Bethune Award for the motivation of black youth, and a proclamation from the Suffolk County Executive for outstanding service and leadership. His daughter, Denise Pease, a longtime government leader, went on to serve under President Obama as Regional Administrator for the U.S. General Services Administration Northeast and Caribbean Region, as well as on President Biden’s Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans. In honor of his dedicated community service, the intersection of 104th Street and 35th Avenue in North Corona is co-named Professor William H. Pease, Jr. Way.

Stanislaw Kozikowski (1895-1967) fought in the United States Army during WWII and was awarded the Army’s Distinguished Service Cross. The citation read: “The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Stanislaw Kozikowski, Private, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Binarville, France, October 2–7, 1918. During the time when his company was isolated in the Argonne Forest and cut off from communication with friendly troops, Private Kozikowski, together with another soldier, volunteered to carry a message through the German lines, although he was aware that several unsuccessful attempts had been previously made by patrols and members of which were either killed, wounded or driven back. By his courage and determination, he succeeded in delivering the message and brought relief to his battalion.” After his discharge from the Army, he continued to serve his country working a job at the Brooklyn Navy Yard for over 30 years, mostly in Shop 31, which is today the home of New Lab.

Mary Gallagher (1932 - 2018) was an early advocate for the LGBTQ community and an educator in Queens. She was a founding member of PFLAG/Queens, a support, education and advocacy group for parents, families and friends of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, and served as its Queens Hospitality Chairperson. Gallagher was also a public school teacher for many years and later opened a nursery school and served as administrator of several daycare centers in New York City.

Marie Curie (1867-1934) was a noted scientist and the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in Physics. Born in Warsaw, Poland, Maria Skolodowska-Curie moved to Paris in 1891 to study at the Sorbonne. Soon after, she joined a research laboratory and in 1898, she and her husband Pierre expanded on Henri Becquerel’s discovery of radioactivity, discovering two new elements, Polonium and Radium. This discovery earned Curie her first Nobel Prize, in Physics. She won a second Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1911, becoming the first person to earn two such awards. Curie died in France in 1934 from leukemia, thought to be caused by exposure to radiation. Marie Curie Playground opened September 6, 1956, as a jointly operated playground at J.H.S. 158. Jointly operated playgrounds are under the jurisdiction of the Board of Education and maintained by Parks, so that parklands serve an adjacent school site’s recreational needs as well as the general public. In 1985 the park was renamed for Curie, and later renovations pay tribute to her career: an atom motif is featured in the spray showers, and the hopscotch grid is patterned after a chemistry table. Several plaques also feature Curie’s achievements and quotes.

Joseph J. Lynch (1906-1940) and Ferdinand A. Socha (1904-1940) were detectives in the elite six-man Bomb and Forgery Squad of the New York City Police Department. They were killed in the line of duty while examining a time bomb taken from the British Pavilion of the World’s Fair in Flushing Meadow Park on July 4, 1940. Socha was off duty at the time when his partner, Lynch, called him at home for assistance after a suspicious ticking satchel was discovered at the New York World’s Fair. To help ensure the safety of thousands of daily visitors, the satchel had been brought outside the building to an areaway in the back of the Polish Pavilion. As Lynch cut open the package, he discovered approximately 12 sticks of dynamite, reportedly noting to Socha, “It’s the business,” and the bomb went off immediately after. The incident killed the two detectives instantly, leaving a crater two feet deep and six feet across. Five other officers were injured, two critically. Though the bombers were never caught, one theory suggests the bombing was engineered to push the United States into joining Britain in the war against Germany. The case remains open to this day, along with a $26,000 reward. No other deaths resulted from the explosion, and the two officers were accorded full department honors by the NYPD. Lynch was born in Greenwich Village, one of eight children to John Lynch, an NYPD patrolman, and Mary (Landers) Lynch, originally of Ireland. He attended Manhattan High School and continued his studies at the Graduate School of Pharmacy at Fordham University. Lynch aspired to open an apothecary, but a civil service job offered him more security during the Great Depression, so he followed his father and his brother into the NYPD. He officially entered the force on March 9, 1936, and rose quickly to the role of detective. The father of five children, he and his wife, Easter C. (Hare) Lynch, were living with their family in the Kingsbridge neighborhood of the Bronx at the time of his death. Socha was born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, to Polish-immigrant parents Joseph and Franciska (Plachta) Socha. One of five children, he attended P.S. 110 and Eastern District High School and spent three years at Columbia University before transferring to Long Island Medical School. In 1919, he married Genevieve Waskiewicz, and the couple continued to live in Greenpoint. Socha hoped to become a physician, but opted instead to join the NYPD, beginning his service on December 1, 1931. As with his partner Lynch, Socha rose quickly in the ranks to his position as detective. Twenty-four years after the bombing that took their lives, a plaque was dedicated in their honor in 1964 at the second New York World’s Fair. The plaque is located along Avenue of the States near the Queens Museum in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. It is across the fairgrounds from where the event took place, which is now underneath the Van Wyck Expressway. The inscription reads: “THIS PLAQUE IS DEDICATED TO THE/ MEMORY OF DETECTIVES/ JOSEPH J. LYNCH AND FERDINAND A. SOCHA / BOMB AND FORGERY SQUAD / WHO WERE KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY / WHILE EXAMINING A TIME BOMB TAKEN FROM / THE BRITISH PAVILION OF THE WORLD'S FAIR / IN FLUSHING MEADOW PARK AT 4:45 PM ON / JULY 4, 1940.”

Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) was a French chemist and microbiologist, best known for his invention of the pasteurization process. He attended the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, earning a master's degree in science and an advanced degree in physical sciences before going on to earn his doctorate. He later married Marie Laurent and they had five children together, but only two survived until adulthood. Throughout his career, Pasteur was an important figure in researching molecular asymmetry, and his works in fermentation supported the germ theory of disease. By 1863, Pasteur had developed the process which bears his name, reducing the amount of microorganisms in milk and other liquids. He also contributed to the principle of vaccination and successfully immunized a patient from rabies in 1885. In 1888, the Pasteur Institute was named for him in Paris.

Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson may be best known as a rap icon, but he's also helped spark a love of nature in kids growing up in his old neighborhood through this community garden. Born July 6, 1975, Jackson grew up in South Jamaica, Queens. After his mother passed away when he was eight, his father left him to his grandmother's care. Though boxing and school took up his time, he also began dealing drugs around the age of 12. While attending the now-defunct Andrew Jackson High School, he was arrested for drug and gun possession, but served time in a boot camp rather than prison. With a GED in hand, it was around this time he decided to pursue hip hop. Attempting to break through with his music—and suffering some near-death experiences that included being shot several times outside of his grandmother's old house - Jackson's career took off when Eminem and Dr. Dre signed him for a record deal that resulted in the release of his debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin', in 2003. The album's single "In da Club" hit number one on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. Jackson has since made several more albums, appeared in films and television, and developed business ventures from apparel to real estate. And in 2007, he worked to give back to the community where he grew up with an investment into the former Baisley Park Community Garden. Working with the New York Restoration Project and Bette Midler, the new Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson Community Garden is underwritten by 50 Cent’s G-Unity Foundation and reopened in 2008 following several renovations. The space now features a rainwater harvesting system for regular irrigation, a solar-powered water pump, and new garden beds. The garden has also provided new opportunities for youth encountering the criminal justice system. According to a 2016 article, teens in an alternative-to-detention program volunteered at the garden, where they built connections to both people and nature.

Born on February 22, 1732 in Westmoreland County, Virginia, George Washington was born into a prosperous family, and was privately educated. He gained early experience as a land surveyor, and then joined the militia, serving as an officer in the French and Indian Wars from 1755-1758. Rising to the rank of colonel, he resigned his post, married Martha Dandridge (1731-1802), and returned as a gentleman farmer to the family plantation at Mount Vernon, Virginia, where he resided with his wife, Martha. He soon reentered public life, and served in succession as a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses (1759-1774), and as a member of the First and Second Continental Congresses (1774-1775). Upon the outbreak of the American Revolution in 1775, Washington was made Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. His military prowess and inspirational leadership held the colonial armies together against overwhelming odds, and secured the evacuation and defeat of the British in 1783. Washington again retired to Mount Vernon, but his dissatisfaction with the new provisional government, caused him to resume an active role, and in 1787 he presided over the second federal constitutional convention in Philadelphia. He was then unanimously chosen first president of the United States, and was inaugurated at Federal Hall in New York City on April 30, 1789.  Washington was reelected to a second term in 1893, declined a third term, and retired from political life in 1797. Often referred to as “the father of our country,” Washington is universally regarded as having been instrumental in winning the American Revolution and in the establishment of the new nation. This statue honors George Washington’s close association with the Free and Accepted Masons, a fraternal order founded in 1717, and dedicated to human liberty, religious tolerance, and fellowship. He was installed as first master of Alexandria Lodge on April 28, 1788. The first version of this statue was created by De Lue in 1959 for the Louisiana Lodge. A full-size faux-patined plaster model was displayed at the Masonic Pavilion of the New York World’s Fair of 1964-65 in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.  Following the fair, the sculptor was commissioned to create this replica in bronze, and with the assistance of former Parks Commissioner and Fair President Robert Moses (1888-1981), a site was selected for permanent placement near the former Masonic Center. The statue, cast in Italy, and positioned on a pedestal of North Carolina pink granite, was dedicated on June 3, 1967, the same day in which the World’s Fair Corporation returned the park back to the City. Additional copies of the statue were installed at the Masonic Hospital in Wallingford, Connecticut and at the Detroit Civic Center in Michigan.

Rev. Dr. Samuel B. Joubert Sr. (1922-2013) was the pastor of the Community Baptist Church in Bayside for 47 years, beginning in the late 1960s. A longtime resident of Bayside, he spent his life in service to his faith and his community. He served as president of the Bayside and Vicinity Interfaith Interracial Improvement Council for several years, which offered programs for young people, and he instituted the NYC Needy Family Food Program, which evolved into a family clothing program. Joubert was also chaplain of the Bayside Volunteer Ambulance Corps, a clergy liaison for the 111th Police Precinct, and president of the Bayside branch of the NAACP. In recognition of his lifelong service, he received many awards from the NYC Board of Education, the 111th Police Precinct Community Council, the Queens Borough President, and other agencies and organizations. Samuel Berthal Joubert was born in Grand Prairie, Louisiana, to Edmond Joubert III, who managed the family farm, and Virigie Wickliffe Joubert, a schoolteacher. The fifth of their eight children to survive infancy, Joubert attended high school in Opelousas, Louisiana, and Peabody High School in Alexandria, Louisiana. At age 15, he was elected president of the state 4-H Club. Serving for three years, he gave speeches around the state, experiences that he considered the beginning of his career as a public speaker. In 1945, he moved to New York City, settling in Harlem. On September 11, 1948, he married Doris Joyce Lee Thorpe, and the couple raised five children together. Joubert worked for a period at Harlem Hospital. In 1954, he began preaching full-time as pastor of the New Jerusalem Baptist Church in Upper Manhattan. On June 10, 2023, a co-naming ceremony was held at Community Baptist Church in Bayside to rename the northeast corner of 46th Road and 206th Street in Joubert’s honor as Rev. Dr. Samuel B. Joubert Sr. Way. The corner is located directly in front of the church where Joubert served his community for nearly half a century.

Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) was a French chemist and microbiologist, best known for his invention of the pasteurization process. He attended the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, earning a master's degree in science and an advanced degree in physical sciences before going on to earn his doctorate. He later married Marie Laurent and they had five children together, but only two survived until adulthood. Throughout his career, Pasteur was an important figure in researching molecular asymmetry, and his works in fermentation supported the germ theory of disease. By 1863, Pasteur had developed the process which bears his name, reducing the amount of microorganisms in milk and other liquids. He also contributed to the principle of vaccination and successfully immunized a patient from rabies in 1885. In 1888, the Pasteur Institute was named for him in Paris.

Cynthia Jenkins (1924 - 2001) was a resident of Springfield Gardens, Queens, a former state assemblywoman, community activist, and a librarian with the Queens Public Library in Southeast Queens, New York. Essie Cynthia Burnley was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, where she graduated with a B.A. from Louisville Municipal College. She met her future husband, Joseph D. Jenkins (1921–2011), a World War II U.S. Army veteran and insurance broker, at a military dance. The couple had one son, Rev. Joseph D. Jenkins Jr. and lived in Springfield Gardens, Queens. Burnley Graduated with an MS in Library Science from Pratt Institute in 1966 and worked at Queens Public Library for two decades, beginning in 1962. She worked in every Southeast Queens branch of the Queens Library, including Far Rockaway, Rochdale Village and Cambria Heights, where she served as branch manager. She later sued the city to stop the closure of the Southeast Queens library branches based on their circulation. In 1969, along with fellow librarian Ernestine Washington and others, Jenkins helped to form the Black Librarians Caucus. 1969 was also the year that Jenkins founded the Social Concern Committee of Springfield Gardens, an education program, and through that the Housekeeping Vendor Agency and the Social Concern Community Development Corporation, a home health attendant service was created. At the time of her death these two organizations employed over 2000 people. Jenkins took her first steps in politics in the early 1970s, when she was appointed to the state committee for the 29th Assembly District. Jenkins became a Democratic district leader for the 29th Assembly District in 1978. Four years later, when she was successfully elected to that Assembly seat, Jenkins made history as the first African American woman elected to public office in Southern Queens. In her 12 years in the Assembly, Jenkins served as chairperson of the Subcommittee on Affirmative Action and a delegate to the Governor’s Conference on Libraries in 1990 and the White House Conference on Libraries in 1991. In the 1980s she was instrumental in the state’s decision to bring a Veterans Home to St. Albans. As a former librarian, Jenkins was known in Albany as an advocate for libraries, books, and literacy.

Detective Picciano (1938-1971), a 10-year veteran of the NYPD, was assigned to the 41st Detective Squad in the Bronx. On February 15, 1971, he was shot and killed at the 41st Precinct building while fingerprinting a suspect that he and other detectives had arrested for abducting a 13-year-old boy. Other members of the Detective Squad were able to return fire, killing the suspect. Det. Picciano resided in Maspeth, Queens, with his wife Theresa and their three children.

Marine Corps Lieutenant Saul Stein was born on October 23, 1921, and grew up in Queens. A budding actor, he attended Queens College from 1938-1941, when he left to serve in World War II. On February 1, 1944, he led the 3rd Platoon of F Company in the 2nd Battalion of the 24th Marine Infantry Regiment toward battle at Roi-Namur Island, part of the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Unknown to them, a blockhouse the Platoon planned to destroy contained torpedoes, and the resulting massive explosion killed 20 Marines, including Stein, and wounded more than 100 others. Harold Goldie, Army Private First Class, also grew up in Queens. He served for two years in the field artillery before being killed in action in North Africa on February 15, 1943. He was 26 years old. Goldie was posthumously awarded a Purple Heart in 1944. He is buried at North Africa American Cemetery in Tunisia. Mayor Robert Wagner signed a bill in October 1960 to name dedicate this plaza in their names on Veterans Day of that year, although it's possible it was not completed until 1964. The space has been maintained by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, as well as the Stein-Goldie Post 552 of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America, and other veterans in the area.

Walter A. Garlinge (1887-1918), was the first resident of Maspeth who died in the World War I. Private Garlinge was killed in action on September 2, 1918, just nine weeks before the end of the War. The memorial in the park commemorates all the soldiers from the Maspeth area of Queens who gave their lives in World War I.

Sean McDonald (1968-1994) was a rookie police officer killed in the line of duty at the age of 26 when he interrupted the armed robbery of a Bronx tailor shop. Officer McDonald grew up in Astoria, after coming from Dublin as an infant. He had attended Most Precious Blood Grammar School, located next door to the church.

Douglaston was colonized in the 17th century by the British and Dutch. The original inhabitants who lived there, the Matinecock people, are part of the larger Algonquin nation. While the Matinecock people are said to have sold land to the Dutch, there was also documented violence against them prior to this, as well as a smallpox epidemic that devastated the community years later in 1652. Others were forcibly removed from the land by Thomas Hicks. Members of the Matinecock tribe remain in Queens today. Douglaston is located on the North Shore of Long Island, bordered to the east by Little Neck, and to the west by Bayside. It represents one of the least traditionally urban communities in New York City, with many areas having a distinctly upscale suburban feel, similar to that of Nassau County towns located nearby. George Douglas purchased land in the area in 1835, and his son William Douglas later donated a Long Island Rail Road Stop.

Gilbert Ray “Gil” Hodges (1924-1972) helped win championships for his teams both as a player and as a manager. He was born in Indiana and excelled at baseball at an early age. He was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1943 but only managed to play one game that year, leaving to serve in the Marines for World War II. Hodges returned to the team in 1947 and played a number of positions before finding success at first base. During his peak offensive production from 1949 to 1957, Hodges averaged 32 home runs and 108 RBI per season. It was during these seasons that the Dodgers won five National League pennants and the 1955 World Series title. One notable achievement for Hodges occurred on August 31, 1950, when he became just the second modern-era National League player to hit four home runs in one game. Hodges moved with the team to Los Angeles in 1958 and helped it win its first National League pennant and World Series on the West Coast in 1959. His abilities and playing time diminished after that; he played two more years with the Dodgers and then with the new New York team, the Mets, in 1962 and 1963. He is credited with hitting the first home run for the Mets. Hodges retired early in the 1963 season with 370 homers (third most for a right-handed hitter at the time), 1,921 hits, 1,274 RBI and three Gold Glove Awards at first base – even though the award was not created until 1957. He was quickly chosen by the last-place Washington Senators to manage the team. He brought the Senators out of recent 100-loss seasons to a more respectable 76-85 record in 1967 with limited resources. This success was noted by the New York Mets, who hired him after the 1967 season to help their expansion team. It didn’t take long for Hodges to turn a team that hadn’t won more than 66 games in a season to “The Miracle Mets” of 1969 that won 100 games and the World Series title. The Mets had winning seasons in 1970 and 1971 but, tragically, Hodges had a heart attack and died just before his 48th birthday on April 2, 1972. Hodges’ uniform number 14 was retired on June 9, 1973, at Shea Stadium. He was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 1982. After years of consideration, his number 14 was retired by the Los Angeles Dodgers and he was finally inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Golden Days Eras Committee in 2022. In 1978, The Marine Parkway Bridge was renamed the Marine Parkway - Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge, marking the first time a bridge was named for a major sports figure. Appropriately, it spans the Rockaway Inlet from Jacob Riis Park in Queens to Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn.

Barry Lewis was best known as the quintessential New York City historical and architectural walking tour guide. He co-hosted with David Hartman the TV special, “A Walk Down 42nd Street,” which aired on the New York PBS station WNET in 1998. The special bloomed into a series that was shown on PBS stations throughout the country. He had a deep expertise in European and American architectural history from the 18th to 20th centuries. Information, stories, and passion for his subject matter flowed out of him as he walked the streets of New York. In addition to lecturing at institutions like the New York Historical Society, he taught Modern Architecture & Design I & II at the New York School of Interior Design for 25 years. His courses were wildly popular, and he won NYSID’s William Breger Faculty Achievement Award for extraordinary teaching in 2001. He was also recognized by the Landmarks Preservation Society and the American Institute of Architects.

Albert Johnson (1974-2017), known by the stage name Prodigy, gained fame as a member of hip-hop duo Mobb Deep. Meeting Havoc while at the High School of Arts & Design, the two started recording together in Queensbridge. The duo's work reflected the climate of New York City in the late1980s and early 1990s, and they were among those responsible for the revival of the East Coast hip-hop scene.

Martin M. Trainor (1924 – 2009) was a resident of Woodside, Queens best known as the Chairman and co-founder of the neighborhood’s community services organization "Woodside on the Move", and former president of Community Board 2. He was also a member of the Anoroc Democratic Club, St. Sebastian’s Church, and the local Knights of Columbus. He was an attorney and senior partner at the law firm of Menagh, Trainor, Mundo and Falcone, where he represented many local New York City unions and their members, in particular, Local #3 I.B.E.W.

Cornelius Van Wyck (1702-1769) was part of a third generation Dutch family who played an active part in the early settling of Central Queens. He was the eldest son of Johannes Van Wyck, whose father had emigrated from Holland in 1660. In 1735, Cornelius built a home on what was then the Van Wyck family’s 125-acre farm. Today, it is one of the last remaining eighteenth-century buildings in Queens and is considered among the best examples of the period’s Dutch Colonial-style architecture. Located on the shore of Little Neck Bay in Douglaston, the Cornelius Van Wyck House was designated a historic site by the New York Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1966. Van Wyck married Mary Hicks, and together the couple had three sons — Stephen, Cornelius II, and Gilbert. Stephen and Cornelius II were delegates for Queens County to the Continental Congress. Their third son, Gilbert, remained a loyalist during the American Revolution. Their wood frame home was originally a three-room structure. Between 1735 and 1770, the home was expanded several times. The residence passed down to Van Wyck’s son, Stephen, and the family later sold the house to Wynant Van Zandt in 1819. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. \*Cornelius Van Wyck is likely Cornelius Johannes Van Wyck. Historical records also indicate the possibility of his death being in 1759 (see citations below).

Kingsland Homestead is the former home of Captain Joseph King (1757-1843), a British sea merchant and commercial farmer who settled in Queens. Located in Flushing, the two-story home with attic was dubbed “Kingsland” by Captain King when he purchased the property in 1801 from his father-in-law. The Dutch Colonial style farmhouse consists of twelve rooms, and it is considered one of the earliest examples of the residential style of construction common in Long Island in the 18th and 19th centuries. Kingsland Homestead was designated as a historic landmark in 1965. The home was originally built around 1785 for Charles Doughty, himself the son of Benjamin Doughty, a wealthy Quaker who purchased the land in Flushing. King married Charles Doughty’s daughter and bought the farmhouse from him, settling there to raise livestock and to grow corn and wheat for sale. Together with his wife, the couple had two children, Mary Ann and Joseph. King’s family and his descendants continued to live in the farmhouse until the 1930s when hardships of the Great Depression forced them to sell. In 1965, the home was declared a New York City historic landmark, the first structure in Queens to receive this honor. Three years later, when plans for a shopping center put the home at risk of demolition, it was moved from its original site (at 40-25 155th Street near Northern Boulevard) to its current location about one mile west at Weeping Beech Park in Flushing (at 143-35 37th Avenue). The structure now serves as the home of the Queens Historical Society.

Ortner Vernon Murray (1938-2020), affectionately known as "Von" was born in Manzanilla, Trinidad. After marrying Jocelyn Verspry the young couple started a life together leaving Trinidad for the United States to pursue the "American Dream" like so many others. Originally moving to Brooklyn, he found the neighborhood of Corona and decided to make it his family's home. Shortly after, he opened a shoe repair business with his brother where he taught himself to makeand repair women's shoes and bags. The early 1970's were especially difficult, however, he felt it was his duty as a business owner and a member of Corona to invest in his community by becoming a voice and a role model. Known as "Uncle Von" or "Mr. Von" by many who called upon him, he was a spirited local entrepreneur who built a business one brick at a time. Those that knew him well named him "Mayor" of Northern Blvd. He was responsible for the formation of the Northern Blvd Merchants Association and was an excellent strategist and negotiator when it came to protecting the rights of fellow business owners. He negotiated deals with various Queens Borough Presidents' for the betterment of the Northern Blvd strip by having street meters removed and improvements made to the roadway and sidewalks. In the 1980s, Von was a huge advocate for the neighborhood children and elderly who required additional services from the City of New York. He served as chairman of the board of ELMCOR and VON’s Inc. became the first Black owned business in the United States to secure a NIKE account as a distributor. The inspiration of who Von was and grew to be as a community leader was shown as he was recognized by the Queens Borough President's Office on two separate occasions by receiving Letters of Proclamation. Mr. Von operated his business with great pride and passion for over 40 years in the same location in Corona. His blood sweat and tears went not only into the business but to the people and community. Even though he retired in 2010 and sold the business and buildings, he remained a fixture and leader of Corona/East Elmhurst.

Edwin Hoyt (1804-1874) was a businessman who lived in Astoria in the 1800s. he was the millionaire senior partner in Hoyt, Sprague, and Co., a dry goods business, with Governor William Sprague of Rhode Island. Hoyt’s son, Edwin Chase Hoyt, and Governor Sprague’s son both married daughters of Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury under President Abraham Lincoln, and later Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. When Hoyt died on May 15, 1874, at the age of 70, all prominent dry goods businessmen kept their doors closed on the morning of his funeral out of respect for the deceased.

Walter Carl Becker was an American musician, songwriter, bassist and record producer, best known as one half of the acclaimed jazz-rock band Steely Dan. Becker was a native of Forest Hills, growing up at 112-20 72nd Drive. In 1971, he and his songwriting partner, Donald Fagen, formed Steely Dan, creating music that was highly regarded by critics and fellow musicians alike, and that sustained a devoted audience for more than 40 years. In 2000, Steely Dan won four Grammys, including Record of the Year. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

This obelisk also honors those who died in World War I. It was erected by the members of the Oxford Civic Association, Inc. and friends of the “Boys who made the Supreme Sacrifice” in The Great War 1917 – 1918, erected in 1929. The names on the Plaques: George J. Wellbrock Thomas Hurley James G. Gaffney Lawrence F. Condon Herman Selner Valentine E. Gross

Lorraine Hansberry (1930 – 1965) was a playwright, writer, and activist. Her play, “A Raisin in the Sun” (1959), was the first drama by an African American woman produced on Broadway. Hansberry was born in Chicago in 1930, the youngest of four children to a real estate entrepreneur and a schoolteacher. Her parents were members of the NAACP and the Urban League. She was the niece of Pan-Africanist scholar and college professor Leo Hansberry. In 1938 her family moved to a white neighborhood where they were attacked by neighbors. The Hansberry’s refused to move until a court ordered them to do so, and the case made it to the Supreme Court as Hansberry v. Lee, ruling restrictive covenants illegal. The case was the inspiration for her Broadway play, A Raisin in the Sun, which also became a movie starring Sidney Poitier. Hansberry attended the University of Wisconsin but left after two years and moved to New York to work as a writer and editor of Paul Robeson’s newspaper Freedom. She was a Communist and committed civil rights activist. She met her husband and closest friend, Robert Nemiroff, at a civil rights demonstration. Despite her marriage to a man, Hansberry identified as a lesbian, but she was not “out,” though it seems like she was on the path to a more open life before her death, having built a circle of gay and lesbian friends. In 1964, Hansberry and Nemiroff divorced but continued to work together, and he was the executor of her estate when she died of cancer in 1965. Nemiroff donated all of Hansberry's personal and professional effects to the New York Public Library but blocked access to all materials related to Hansberry's lesbianism for 50 years. Nemiroff passed away in 1991, and in 2013, Nemiroff's daughter released the restricted materials for research.

Bishop Moses Taylor (1924-2004) was founder of The Long Island City Gospel Tabernacle and the Center of Hope International (COHI), which provides various services to the needy. Taylor, was born in 1924, and came to the Queensbridge Houses/Long Island City community in 1961. He began the Long Island City Gospel Tabernacle with just 12 members, and later opened up the Center of Hope International Church at 12-11 40th Avenue in Long Island City. He was involved in many philanthropic endeavors including an award-winning bread pantry in LIC and the Astoria Outreach Ministries.

Queens has always had people who care deeply about the world around them, from neighbors working to save local parks and wetlands to scientists whose ideas changed how we think about the environment. This collection celebrates those community heroes and big thinkers who helped protect nature and make Queens a greener place to live.

The Fitzgerald/Ginsberg Mansion is one of the last great Tudor Revival mansions of the 1920s still standing in Flushing. It was built in 1924 for Charles and Florence Fitzgerald, two affluent New Yorkers, who then sold it to Ethel (Rossin) Ginsberg (b. 1905) and Morris Ginsberg (1902-1947) in 1926. While less is known about the Fitzgeralds, the Ginsbergs were a prominent family that made its fortune manufacturing materials for builders. The residence was owned by the Ginsberg family for more than seventy years. Designated as a historic landmark in 2005, it is considered a picturesque example of the Tudor Revival style once prevalent in the wealthy outer neighborhoods of New York City. In 1924, Charles and Florence Fitzgerald engaged the architect John Oakman (1878-1963) to build the mansion. Oakman had designed civic works, including hospitals, power stations, and college buildings, but he specialized in picturesque single-family homes. For the Fitzgeralds, he designed a Tudor-style mansion, also known as the “Stockbroker’s Tudor,” which was particularly popular in the early twentieth century. The two-story dwelling was built on a plot of land purchased by Florence Fitzgerald. At the time, it sat adjacent to Flushing’s Old Country Club (which has since been demolished) and was set back from the street on a winding drive. The Fitzgeralds moved from their residence on Malba Drive in northern Queens to their new home, located about two miles south in the Broadway Flushing neighborhood. Two years later, the Fitzgeralds sold the home to Ethel and Morris Ginsberg. Morris was one of seven children born to Russian-immigrant parents Hyman and Dora (Greenwald) Ginsberg. His father was the owner of D. Ginsberg and Sons, a prominent Queens manufacturer of sash, door, and trim. In charge of the business side of the firm, Morris began work for his father at a young age, and he went on to serve as vice president for 20 years before becoming chairman of the board in 1946. By that time, the company was known as the Empire Millwork Corporation. Morris was active in community and philanthropic activities in and around Flushing, including serving as chairman of the Queens division of the Federation for the Support of Jewish Philanthropic Societies and the United Jewish Appeal, as well as a Vice President of the Woodside National Bank. Ethel and Morris had two children, William and Alane, and Morris died in 1947 at the age of 45. In 2003, the Ginsberg family sold the home, and it now houses the Assembly of God Jesus Grace Church. The site was declared a New York City landmark on September 20, 2005. It stands in its original location at 145-15 Bayside Avenue in Flushing.

Rev. Edward F. McGoldrick (1857-1930) was the founder and first pastor of St. Andrew Avellino Roman Catholic church in Flushing. The parish was established in 1914 in response to a growing Catholic population in Upper Flushing, and for its first two years, Mass was celebrated at the Ritz Theatre on Broadway and 14th Street (now Northern Boulevard and 154th Street). The first church -- a small wooden structure with a capacity of 567 -- was built several blocks down Broadway in 1916; the present cathedral-like building was dedicated in December 1940. The parish's school (now the St. Andrew Avellino Catholic Academy) was opened in 1925. Fr. McGoldrick also sought to bring a public library to the residents of Upper Flushing. In 1921 he joined the Queens Public Library's Board of Trustees to advocate for a new branch in that community, and in 1929 the Broadway- Flushing Community Library was opened. Just one year later Fr. McGoldrick passed away, and in 1933 the branch was renamed in his honor. A plaque displaying Fr. McGoldrick's photo and describing his role in establishing the library was installed at the branch in a public ceremony in November 2017.

Teddy White was born on July 25, 1971 to Edward and Regina White, in Boulevard Gardens in Woodside, Queens. His family grew to include brothers Jimmy, Chris and Billy, and a sister, Sue. Teddy attended kindergarten at Public School 151 and then went to the Corpus Christi School for eight years. After grammar school he continued at Monsignor McClancy High School from which he graduated in 1989. On April 18, 1998 Teddy White married his lovely wife Jennifer, and a daughter, Taylor, was born to the couple on December 16, 1999. The young family bought an apartment at Boulevard Gardens and settled there. Mr. White joined the New York City Fire Department and was assigned to Engine Company 230 in Brooklyn. On September 11, 2001 Teddy White and the members of Engine Company 230 responded to the emergency brought on by the attacks on the World Trade Center. Mr. White died while attempting to save lives when the twin towers collapsed. He was survived by his wife, Jennifer, his daughter, Taylor, his parents, Edward and Regina, and four siblings.

This collection explores a sampling of the diverse musicians who've lived and practiced their art in Queens.

Louis Armstrong (1901-1971) is widely regarded as one of the most innovative and influential figures in jazz, known for both his trumpet improvisations and his distinctive singing voice. He also broke down numerous racial divides in the music and entertainment worlds, becoming the first Black performer to get featured billing in a major Hollywood film ("Pennies From Heaven," 1936) and the first Black host of a national radio show (Fleischmann's Yeast Show, 1937). Born in New Orleans in 1901, Armstrong grew up impoverished in a racially segregated city. He dropped out of school in fifth grade to work, and developed a close relationship with a local Jewish family that gave him odd jobs and nurtured his love of music. By the age of 11, Armstrong wound up in the Colored Waif’s Home for Boys, where he joined the band and studied the cornet in earnest. Upon his release from the home in 1914, he began working as a musician on Mississippi riverboats and other local venues. His reputation skyrocketed, and by the early 1920s he moved north, performing and recording with jazz bands in Chicago and New York. Throughout the 1920s and '30s, Armstrong made dozens of records with his own and many other ensembles, toured extensively, and began performing in Broadway productions and movies. After some business and health setbacks, and in response to changing musical tastes, Armstrong scaled his group down to a six-piece combo in the 1940s and resumed touring internationally, recording albums and appearing in movies. Some of his biggest popular hits came in the later years of his career, including "Hello Dolly" (1964) and "What A Wonderful World" (1967). His grueling schedule took its toll on his heart and kidneys and in 1968 he was forced to take time off to recuperate, but he began performing again in 1970. Armstrong died in his sleep in July 1971, just a few months after his final engagement at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. The original Louis Armstrong Stadium was constructed as the Singer Bowl for the Singer Sewing Machine Company's 1964-65 World’s Fair exhibit and renamed for Armstrong in 1972. Armstrong had lived in nearby Corona from 1943 until his death in 1971. In 1978, the stadium was refurbished and reconfigured when the United States Tennis Association moved the annual U.S. Open to Flushing Meadows from its previous home in Forest Hills. In 2018, the old stadium was replaced with a brand-new Louis Armstrong Stadium, featuring 14,000 seats and a retractable roof. A bronze plaque from the original stadium's dedication to Armstrong has been installed over the ticket window of the new construction.

Adelaide Connaughton (1958-2018) was an intern for then Assistant Queens District Attorney, Geraldine Ferraro when she was just 15. She went on to work for several elected officials, including the first lesbian Latina member of the New York City Council, Margarita Lopez. Prior to joining the staff of Council Member Lopez, she was a Lieutenant in the Fire Department's Emergency Medical Service and retired after 20 years of service. She was a Senior Entitlement Specialist for the Fortune Society, a non-profit providing formerly incarcerated individuals with the supportive services needed to thrive as contributing members of society. She also worked at the non-profit Safe Space, helping homeless LGBT youth to obtain supportive care. She fought for progressive causes important to the LGBT community and all New Yorkers and served on the Board of Governors of the Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC and the Executive Board of AIDS Center of Queens County (ACQC). She was also a founding Vice-President of the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club. From 2012 to 2018, Adelaide and her West Highland Terrier, Elvis, participated in a therapy dog program at two hospitals in the North Bronx. Elvis and Adelaide were the first dog/human team to receive an Auxiliary Award from NYC Health and Hospitals.

William T. Gunn, Jr. (1961-1992) grew up in Bellerose and joined the New York Police Department in 1982. He received many commendations during his seven years of service, including an award for meritorious police duty. On January 20th, 1989 he was shot and badly wounded by a dangerous fugitive who was wanted for questioning in connection with two separate murders. Detective Gunn fell into a coma and died on November 27, 1992.

Dr. Lloyd T. Delany (ca. 1923-1969) was associate professor of educational psychology at Queens College. In February 1969, he was named interim director of the college's SEEK (Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge) Program after its previous director, Joseph Mulholland, resigned. Students in the program, who were almost exclusively Black and Puerto Rican, protested the fact that its teaching and administrative staff were almost entirely white, and demanded greater autonomy over the curriculum and operations of the program. They engaged in large, on-campus demonstrations that closed the college for two days. In June 1969 Delany was named SEEK's director of counseling, but he tragically died of a heart attack only several months into that position. Delany was also active in civil rights causes outside of Queens College, having been a leading figure in the fight to integrate the Malverne public schools on Long Island. Delany Hall was built in 1925 and was known as the "D" Building until it was renamed in Delany's honor in 1993, following extensive renovations. It is currently the home of the college's SEEK and Africana Studies Programs.

Demetris Kastanas, known as “Mr. Greek TV,” was the owner of National Greek Television (NGTV), the first private Greek-owned and Greek-speaking TV channel in the U.S. Kastanas was born in Fthiotida in the village of Molos, and grew up in Greece, studying law while working at the Ioniki-Laiki Bank. He moved to the U.S. when he was 25 years old and first inaugurated a Greek weekly show on an American station on September 25, 1975. NGTV, now New Greek Television, was established in December 1987, when it began airing on the Time-Warner Cable system in Queens and Brooklyn. Kastanas ran the channel for 37 years, until he sold it to a group of Greek Americans in 2012. His channel and programs were a staple in many Greek American households in New York. Kastanas also founded Eseis, a bi-weekly magazine to address issues of concern to the Hellenic-American community. His work provided Greek Americans with a connection to their homeland through Hellenic news, folklore and music, and also helped new Greek immigrants assimilate into life in the United States.

The following was received from Helen Day, president of the Richmond Hill Historical Society: Ivan Mrakovcic, president of the Richmond Hill Historical Society, passed away on February 27, 2020, after a valiant battle with brain cancer. Ivan was one of the founding members of the Richmond Hill Historical Society in 1997 with the late Nancy Cataldi and other like-minded individuals who looked to preserve historic Richmond Hill. Ivan loved this community and worked tirelessly in so many ways to preserve its historic character and charm, leading the charge for the historic preservation of Richmond Hill after Nancy’s passing in 2008. Ivan’s perseverance resulted in the establishment of a Historic District in North Richmond Hill on the New York State and National Historic Registers in March 2019. Ivan was much more than our president; he was our dear friend and neighbor, like a brother and definitely a kindred spirit, who will always be with us. As one of our board members said, we were so lucky to have known him and to have had him be part of our lives. That is a great testimony for anyone. Ivan left a legacy of accomplishments that will always be remembered, and we have many memories that bring a smile to our hearts.

Christopher Emmanuel "Manny" Balestrero (1909–1998) was a bass fiddle player who worked as a musician at the famous Stork Club, a New York City nightclub. However, he is most well-known for the harrowing experience he endured in 1953 when he was arrested in a case of mistaken identity outside his Jackson Heights home and charged with the armed robbery of an insurance office. Balestrero, a family man with a wife, Rose, and two young sons, struggled to prove his innocence. A key point of suspicion against him was the argument that he needed money for his wife's $300 dental work. During his trial, a juror's outburst resulted in a mistrial. Shortly afterward, the real thief, Charles J. Daniell, was caught before Balestrero's second trial began. Daniell confessed to forty robberies, including the two for which Balestrero was accused. Balestrero sued the city for false arrest, asking for $500,000 but accepting a settlement of just $7,000. He earned $22,000 from the Alfred Hitchcock movie, The Wrong Man, which was based on his story and starred Henry Fonda. The film, which Balestrero reportedly liked, was shot at the actual locations where the events occurred. The money from the film went to repaying loans for Rose's care, though she never fully recovered and died in 1982. Manny died in 1998. A street sign reading "Manny 'The Wrong Man' Balestrero Way" is located at 73rd Street and 41st Avenue, not far from his former Jackson Heights home.

Joseph William Ricevuto (1933 – 2021), a longtime Jackson Heights resident and civic leader, was a beloved member of the community. Ricevuto was born and raised in the Bronx and moved to Jackson Heights in 1960. He served in the United States Army and fought in the Korean War. He later established William Hair Stylist barbershop on the corner of 37th Avenue and 86th Street, where he worked until retiring in 2002, and cut hair on a part time basis thereafter. He was known for his years of civic leadership in the Jackson Heights community. He was the long-time president and organizer of the Men and Women's Club of Jackson Heights, a group that helped address the isolation older adults often suffer by bringing them together regularly for a warm meal and conversation. Ricevuto was also the president of the Jackson Heights Beautification Groups Garden Club. As president, he planted flowers along Jackson Heights' 37th Avenue year after year, thereby beautifying the neighborhood's commercial corridor. Ricevuto regularly participated in the March of Dimes, raising thousands of dollars to support women and infant health. He loved to entertain children, which is why he marched in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade dressed as a clown for many years. Ricevuto was a devout Roman Catholic and was active as a lay leader in the Church. He was a proud member of the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic War Veterans and the Holy Name Society. He also served as an usher at St. Joan of Arc Church, his local parish in Jackson Heights.

Natalie Katz Rogers (1919–2023) was the founder of Queens Centers for Progress, a nonprofit organization established in 1950 to advocate for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A champion for those with these disabilities, she served on the board of directors for the Cerebral Palsy Association of New York State. Rogers advocated for policies at the state and federal levels that would empower individuals with disabilities and helped expand the range of services available to them. Rogers began advocating for children with cerebral palsy after visiting a ward of patients at Queens General Hospital in 1950. Recognizing the specific needs of these children, Rogers and several concerned parents worked together to establish United Cerebral Palsy of Queens, which is now known as Queens Centers for Progress. In addition to her work in advocacy, Rogers was an aerodynamic engineer for TWA during World War II and served as Mayor of the Village of Ocean Beach on Fire Island from 1998 to 2006.

Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937) was an Italian scientist who pioneered the wireless telegraph and subsequently developed the modern radio.

George Washington Carver (1864-1943) was well-known for being ahead of his time in the world of natural science. He sought to find cash crop alternatives to discourage straining labor of cotton picking. In addition, he invented tools and methods to make agriculture more efficient. As a Black man born in the early 1860s, Carver faced significant barriers to obtaining his education and pursuing his research interests. He developed his understanding of agricultural labor for three years on his own plot of land before becoming the first Black student at Iowa State University. After graduating Iowa State in 1896 with a Master of Science Degree, he went on to teach agriculture at Tuskegee Institute. Carver taught for 47 years passing down lessons such as crop rotation and other farmer techniques. Carver was a prodigy in learning, specifically curious as to the different uses of produce like peanuts, and the invention of new products. His many contributions include glue, the Jesup Wagon, a vehicle to carry agricultural exhibits to town, instant coffee, shaving cream, and 325 uses for peanuts. George Washington Carver High School for the Sciences in particular was established after the closing of Springfield High School by the NYC school board in 2007. Springfield High School became an educational campus housing George Washington Carver, as well as Excelsior Preparatory High School, and Queens Preparatory Academy. G.W.C. High School is most known for maintaining Springfield’s veterinary program.

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Captain Malcolm A. Rafferty (1861 - 1903) was a hero of the Battle of San Juan Hill during the Spanish-American War. A Long Island City native, he returned home after the war and worked for the Barber Asphalt Company. He died of malaria in Trinidad in 1903.

Gwen Ifill (1955-2016) was a trailblazing journalist who covered the White House, Congress and national election campaigns. She was the first Black woman to anchor a national TV public affairs show, Washington Week. Though she held positions with The Washington Post, The New York Times and NBC, she spent most of her career at PBS. She worked at PBS NewsHour for 17 years, and along with Judy Woodruff, was on the first all-woman anchor team on network nightly news. Ifill was born in Jamaica, Queens, and lived in several different cities throughout New England, Pennsylvania and New York, due to her father’s work as a minister. She attended Simmons College in Boston and majored in communications. Her first journalism experience was as an intern at the Boston Herald newspaper in her senior year of college, and she subsequently began working at the newspaper full-time in 1977. Until her untimely death from cancer at the age of 61, Ifill had a prolific career as a journalist for more than 30 years. The former Railroad Park was renamed Gwen Ifill Park on June 16, 2021.

Henry Waichitis, undated photo

Saint Mel of Ardagh (d. 487 or 488) was a missionary and bishop who was active in the early part of the fifth century. One of the earliest Irish saints, he was believed to be a disciple and nephew of Saint Patrick, and his ministry was an important part of the early establishment of Christianity in Ireland. Thought to be a native of Britain, Saint Mel was the son of Conis and Darerca, who is considered to be the sister of Saint Patrick. According to legend, she was the mother of 19 children, the majority of whom entered religious life. It is said that Mel traveled with Saint Patrick into the Irish countryside, preaching and evangelizing the Christian Gospels. While at Ardagh, a village in modern-day County Longford, Patrick established a church and ordained Mel as the local bishop, also making him the abbot of an adjoining monastery. According to traditional narratives, Mel continued to travel, performing manual labor to support his missionary work and giving back much of what he earned to help those in need. He is believed to have professed Saint Brigid as a nun, also giving her abbatial powers on par with those of contemporary bishops. An often-cited legend around Saint Mel tells of his living on a farm during a portion of his ministry with a woman, possibly his aunt, Lupait. This gave rise to gossip, prompting a visit from Saint Patrick. Mel and Lupait produced miracles to prove the innocence of their relationship, with Mel pulling a live fish from his plowed field and Lupait carrying hot coals without being burned. Revered to this day as the patron saint of the Roman Catholic diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois, Saint Mel died in County Longford, leaving behind a monastery that flourished for centuries. Saint Mel Catholic Academy opened in 1960 and is located at 154-24 26th Avenue in Flushing.