Kingsland Homestead

Location: 143-35 37th Avenue
Phone: (718) 939-0647
Description: Kingsland Homestead, a late 18th-century house in Flushing, stands in the shade of the Weeping Beech tree, a designated City landmark, planted in 1847. Located steps away from the 17th-century Bowne House, where Quakers were first permitted to meet in New Amsterdam, Kingsland is the headquarters of the Queens Historical Society. Charles Doughty built Kingsland around 1785, and in 1801, ownership passed to his son-in-law, British sea captain Joseph King, giving the property its name. In 1968, the three-year-old Kingsland Preservation Committee had the homestead and, threatened by area construction, transferred it to its present location.

Bowne House

Location: 37-01 Bowne Street
Description: Built circa 1661, the Bowne House is a microcosm of social, cultural, and political history. It is one of the oldest surviving structures in New York City and the oldest in Queens. The Bowne House is a fine example of mid-17th-century Anglo-Dutch architecture with an exceptional collection of furnishings, but its true magic is its story. The house was built by John Bowne, a prominent Quaker and advocate of religious freedom, who emigrated from England to Boston in 1649 and eventually settled in Flushing, Queens. The contributions of this family to New York City’s heritage began with the courageous actions of John Bowne (1627-1695), who used the house as the first indoor meeting place for the Society of Friends, at a time when religious diversity was forbidden by law. The house and grounds are currently closed for restoration.