Island City Lodge No. 586 Members Directory: Charter Members and Past Members
Browse past members of Island City Lodge No. 586, chartered in Long Island City in 1866. This growing directory will include charter members and historical member profiles, tracing connections to the Astoria lodge that still carries Island City’s number.
A Founder Who Became Master: William M. Berger of Advance Lodge No. 635
William M. Berger was a young New York merchant when he was raised a Mason in 1866 and became a charter member of Advance Lodge No. 635 in Astoria. By 1878, he was its Master—one of seven charter members who went on to lead the lodge.
From Hunters Point to Astoria: Charles Risdale and the Founding of Advance Lodge No. 635
English-born blacksmith Charles Risdale became a Mason at Hunters Point in 1866 and helped found Advance Lodge No. 635 in Astoria. His story connects Queens’ early lodges, Odd Fellows, and volunteer firemen—and traces a lodge lineage that survives today.
Hunter’s Point to Rockaway
From Hunter’s Point to the Rockaways, ferry service helps reveal where Queens is being redeveloped, revalued, and reconnected. The waterfront is no longer just an edge—it is increasingly treated as a front door.
Hunter’s Point: The Vanished Hill That Became Long Island City’s Gateway
Hunter’s Point began as a solitary hill at the mouth of Newtown Creek. Discover how Dominie’s Hook became a railroad terminal, industrial waterfront, and the gateway to Long Island City.