The Officers’ Club, originally known as The Officers’ Mess Hall and Club, was built in 1887 in the castellated Gothic Revival Style so as to replicate the emblem of the Army Corps of Engineers. The three story wood framed structure is in an irregular U-shaped plan with a central entrance flanked by octagonal corner pavilions and crowned by decorative crenellation. "The Castle" was designated a New York City Landmark in 1974.

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In 1986 the Officers’ Club was placed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places, by which time the Bayside Historical Society had undertaken the task of restoring the building. It has become the Bayside Historical Society's headquarters and home to exhibits, cultural programs, events, and archival collection.

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Since 1987 the building has been in an almost continual state of restoration. With the the assistance of New York State Senator Frank Padavan, a retired U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Officer stationed at Fort Totten, The Society has been successful in raising funds for a full restoration of the exterior, the ballroom, library, and many of the smaller interior rooms. We invite you to visit "The Castle" and explore the building and the many activities and exhibitions the Bayside Historical Society offers to the public.