Quaker Meeting House (Photo: Queens Historical Society)
Dec. 6, 2017 By Tara Law
Visitors will be able to take a close look at seven of the borough’s most historic homes on Sunday.
The 30th Annual Queens Historic Holiday House Tour is taking place and will pay tribute to the centennial of women’s suffrage in New York by highlighting the women who lived in some of the borough’s landmark homes.
The tour of seven historic buildings in Corona and Flushing will take place on Sunday, Dec. 10 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Guests will be able to share in holiday snacks, visit markets, view performance, and participate in family friendly activities such as gingerbread house decorating.
A shuttle will be available to take attendees from house to house, although attendees are able to walk. There is no set itinerary since one ticket provides access to all seven houses.
Each stop on the tour will highlight part of women’s history in Queens as well as celebrate the holiday season.
The Quaker Meeting House (137-16 Northern Blvd, Flushing) will pay homage to the Flushing Female Association, which established the area’s first free school in 1814. The school existed for more than 100 years, and primarily served the African American community. The tour of the house will also include live performances, folk singing and hot apple cider.
The Louis Armstrong House (34-56 107th St., Corona) will feature stories about the jazz musician’s wife, Lucille Armstrong, and her role in the Queens community. The house will be brightly decorated for the holidays in honor of Lucille’s decorative style. Louis’ personal recordings will be shared, including a recording of his voice reading “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”
The tour will also make stops at the Bowne House (37-01 Bowne St., Flushing); Flushing Town Hall (137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing); the Kingsland Homestead (143-35 37th Ave., Flushing); Lewis Howard Latimer’s 19th century Victorian house (34-41 137th St., Flushing); Voelker Orth House (149-19 38th Ave., Flushing).
Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door, and $5 for children under 12.
Tickets are available at Queens Historical Society’s website. Click here.
The tour is being sponsored by The Kindler Foundation, Con Edison, the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel, the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce and the Queens Historical Society.
Louis Armstrong House Museum (Queens Historical Society)
