For nearly two centuries, the First Reformed Church of Astoria has stood as a defining feature of Astoria’s skyline—its simple brick façade and steeple a constant presence as the neighborhood grew from Hallet’s Cove into the vibrant community we know today. Founded in 1837, it is one of the oldest surviving structures in the area, a rare physical link to Astoria’s earliest days. The congregation is over 200 years old, and the church we all know today -  which is at risk of demolition - was built in 1888 after the original 1837 church burned in a fire. The community came together in 1888 to save and rebuild this church, we need do the same today. 

As noted by Instagram account @bygone_newyork, the church grounds may also contain the graves of Astoria’s earliest founders—making this site not just historically significant, but potentially one of the most important resting places tied to the neighborhood’s origins. Beneath the surface could lie the people who quite literally built Astoria.

Following a devastating five-alarm fire that began in the rectory and spread into the church, this nearly 200-year-old landmark is now at risk of being lost. What remains is not just a damaged structure, but a cornerstone of Astoria’s historic landscape—one that cannot be replicated once it’s gone.

We are calling on local leaders to step in and help preserve as much of this site as possible. Protecting it means safeguarding a tangible connection to Astoria’s founding and honoring the history embedded in the very ground it stands on.

Once it’s gone, a piece of Astoria’s story—and skyline—goes with it.