Astoria Park hosts a number of monuments, big and small. The largest and most obvious is the Long Island War Memorial on Shore Boulevard. This classical-style, granite monument was designed by the architectural firm of Ruehl and Warren, and honors Long Island residents who gave their lives during World War I . On the monument is inscribed a dedication to those fallen soldiers.
The artful female victory figure (sculpted by Gaetano Cecere) is one of the most beautiful parts of the monument - in her hands are both a sword and laurel, symbols of war and peace. The monument also provides a bench on which to sit, allowing for beautiful views of the East River and beyond. It was erected and dedicated in 1926.
Just south of the War Memorial is the Veterans' Memorial, which was established in 2004, and unveiled on Armed Forces Day of that year. There's a walkway leading up to a flagpole (you'll often see a weather-proof wreath hung on the flagpole), and the walkway itself is outlined in red concrete pavers.
Some of these pavers are etched with the names of local soldiers (there's room for more names, too). Small American flags attached to dowels are usually placed along the edge of the walkway.
As you walk along Shore Boulevard, you'll come across a sign near the Hell Gate marking the tragic event of the General Slocum Disaster. On June 15, 1904, this steamboat caught fire and in order to escape the conflagration, many passengers jumped into the rough, deadly waters of the Hell Gate. Some donned life jackets, but those were useless, as the cork used in them was so old it had turned to dust and actually took on water, thereby pulling the wearer underwater and drowning them.
Numerous rescue boats came to the aid of the General Slocum, but it wasn't enough; some of the rescue vessels even caught fire. In only 20 minutes, 1,021 people died, including many children. Bodies washed up on the shores of Astoria - a horrifying sight. Before 9/11, it was the General Slocum disaster that held the record of the most deaths in NYC history.
There is a fountain in Tompkins Square Park recognizing this disaster, but the sign in Astoria Park is important as a reminder or what happened all those years ago, right on those shores.
Fall of 2001 in New York City was beyond tragic for New York City. In addition to the 9/11 attacks, there was a major airline disaster that following November. On November 12, an American Airlines jet, flight 587, was heading from JFK to Santo Domingo, DR, crashed it Belle Harbor, Queens shortly after takeoff. Everyone - 251 passengers and 9 crew - were killed (along with 5 people on the ground).
A year later, a grove of trees - six oak and six serviceberry trees - was planted in Astoria Park by friends and family of the people who perished on that flight. The grove can be found on the north end of the park, and there is a sign commemorating the event and those that died.
Finally, one can't visit Astoria Park without witnessing the massive Triboro Bridge... renamed the Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Bridge in 2008. It's a gorgeous industrial structure and serves Astoria well. As its original name states, it serves the "tri-boroughs": Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx.