a resource of information on the origin & future of Richmond Hill, NY USA

updates to richmondhillhistory.org

P.S. 56 CELEBRATION
100th Year Anniversary
Saturday, May 17th, 10:00 A.M. -- 2:00 P.M.
P.S. 56 (once the Richmond Hill High School Annex & P.S. 51) is preparing to Celebrate their 100th Year Anniversary! The organizers are seeking all P.S. 56 Alumni/ae and Staff, and all classes from 1908 through 2008! We are collecting memories, photos, report cards, graduation albums, school and text books, historical records, and memorabilia for our school display.
Location: 86-10 114th Street Richmond Hill, NY 11418
For any questions, please contact Kate Mooney at 718-441-7756 or email kvmooney@gmail.com

FRED GRETSCH, JR.
Noteworthy Person of Richmond Hill
"That Great Gretsch Sound"
Fred Gretsch, Jr. is considered a "pioneer" musical instrument manufacturer that led the way to modern technical advancements that are still used today. His family name bears the highly proclaimed "Gretsch Guitars" and "Gretsch Drums". He attended and graduated Richmond Hill High School in 1922.
Read more about Fred Gretsch, Jr. here.

LAVERN BAKER TRIBUTE
Maple Grove Cemetery
Sunday, May 4th
Do you remember this rhythm and blues singer? Her song "Jim Dandy" was named one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. LaVern Baker is buried at Maple Grove Cemetery, in an unmarked grave. Through the efforts of Nancy Cataldi, a gravestone has been purchased with donated funds and will be dedicated at this event.
A special celebration, with music and festivities, will take place in LaVern Baker’s honor at the Center including the "Spirits Alive" actors. More information to come. Read about LaVern Baker here.
For more information on the Maple Grove Cemetery, visit their website.

OPEN MEETING
"Queens Noir"
Friday, April 18th, 7:00 PM
The Richmond Hill Historical Society's Open Meeting will feature "Queens Noir". Authors discuss their book, an anthology of mystery stories set in Queens locations. Location: Church of the Resurrection. Free Admission.

VICTORIAN TEA AT FOREST PARK
Its Tea Time!
Saturday, May 31st, 2:00 PM
You are cordially invited to join us for Tea! A Victorian Tea with all the Victoriana elegance and ambiance that accompanies such a tea party. Food delights, music, games, and more. Details to follow in future updates.

 

 

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Spirits Alive!
Slideshow

Many thanks are due to Joseph DeMay Jr. who has created another beautiful powerpoint slideshow of the 2006 Maple Grove Cemetery "Spirits Alive!" Walking Tour.

To view the online powerpoint slideshow click here.

Mr. DeMay has contributed a great deal to the Richmond Hill Historical Society and is now a Board Member of the Society as well as the webmaster for the website www.oldkewgardens.com. The website contains a great deal of historical information regarding Kew Gardens including other slideshows of the "Spirits Alive!" Walking Tours here.

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Maple Grove Cemetery
New Historic Book Available
This exciting book on the history of Maple Grove Cemetery contains more than 200 photographs and interesting text that follows the 130 year history of the cemetery to today's current time. This is the second book written by authors Nancy Cataldi and Carl Ballenas for Arcadia's Images Of America series. Their first book, "Images of America: Richmond Hill", was about the history of Richmond Hill.

The book contains four chapters, the first being the "Creation of a Historic Cemetery". The second chapter is titled: "Memorials and Aesthetic Beauty" and showcases some of the lovely monuments and sections of the cemetery. The third chapter, "The Remarkable Dash Between Life and Death", introduces the interesting stories of the people buried there, some well known in the world, and others that have been forgotten. The last chapter is titled: "Today's Community Spirit" and details the resurgence of the cemetery as the heart of the community. Since the cemetery is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this chapter defines the hard work of the cemetery and it's involvement in making a difference in the neighborhood through partnerships with local groups. It is a complete and informative book that shows how historically significant Maple Grove Cemetery is.

Order Information:
Books are available to order through Maple Grove here.