The Story of Stephen A Halsey
Known as the “Father of Astoria,” Stephen A. Halsey was a wealthy fur trader who bought most of the land along the East River known as Hallet’s Cove. He incorporated the village in 1839 and famously changed the name to Astoria, after his mentor and millionaire John Jacob Astor.
Halsey’s hope was that Astor would invest in the new community and while that never really happened, Halsey did lay out the streets, built infrastructure and promoted settlement in the village.