Take a trip through 17th, 18th, and 19th century Queens with plenty of chances to warm up with hot apple cider.
Four historic Flushing landmarks will join forces to host the Holiday Historic House Tour on Sunday, Dec. 10, from 1 pm to 5 pm.
The participating sites — Bowne House, Kingsland Homestead, Quaker Meeting House, and Voelker Orth Museum — will be decorated as they were during their first holiday seasons. Plus, each one will offer time-honored activities and refreshments.
General admission is $20 per person, but $12 for children under 12 years of age. Attendees can walk or drive personal vehicles to visit the gems at their own pace or take a special free van which will circulate all afternoon.
Here’s a primer on what to expect during this 36th annual tour.
Bowne House at 37-01 Bowne St.
The borough’s oldest domicile was built by English-born religious freedom advocate John Bowne in 1661. The structure has a unique blend of Dutch and English construction techniques on the outside and more than 5,000 time-honored items on the inside, including an early dollhouse, an old china cabinet, and a room where the fiercely abolitionist family hid escaped slaves from bounty hunters.
John Bowne didn’t sign it, but he hosted meetings that led to the Flushing Remonstrance, a 1657 petition to New Netherlands Director-General Peter Stuyvesant requesting freedom for Quaker worship at a time when Dutch Reformism was the only permitted religion. The Flushing Remonstrance was a model for parts of the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights.
Kingsland Homestead at 143-35 37th Ave.
British sea captain Joseph King bought a 16-year-old Victorian homestead from a wealthy Quaker man in 1801. The two-story Long Island half house has a gambrel roof, a crescent-shaped window in a side gable, a Federal-period chimney piece with an iron Franklin stove, and a Dutch-style, two-level front door. Everything is arranged to reflect life in 1870, when 10 people – two young couples and their children – lived there.
Quaker Meeting House at 137-16 Northern Blvd.
John Bowne was among a group of Quakers who constructed this two-story house of worship in 1694. The architecture reflects Quaker simplicity although a steep roof shows some Dutch influence. On Dec. 10, visitors will be able to walk around the grounds and historic cemetery, where a few noted abolitionists and prominent New York businesspeople are buried.
Voelker Orth House at 149-19 38th Ave.
Dating to 1891, this two-story Victorian gem provided shelter to three generations of a family with German roots. On Dec. 10, it will be dressed in a traditional German-American style and guests will enjoy pfeffernüsse (tiny spice cookies) and hot mulled cider.
Top and bottom images: Voelker Orth House; middle image: Bowne House