Many halls will be decked with many boughs of holly during the 27th Annual Holiday Historic House Tour on Sunday, December 7, 2014. Sponsored by the Queens Historical Society, seven landmarked sites will offer seasonal refreshments, organize time-honored activities, and provide glimpses at Christmas celebrations from as far back as the 17th century.

Visitors can begin at any of the venues — Kingsland Homestead; Voelker Orth Museum; Lewis H. Latimer House Museum; Friends Meeting House; Flushing Town Hall; Bowne House; and Louis Armstrong House Museum — and visit as many places as desired between 1 pm and 5 pm. A van will run continuously between Louis Armstrong House Museum and Flushing Town Hall; another will run to the other sites.

Here’s what is happening at each historic site this year:

Kingsland Homestead (1785) was occupied by the King/Murray Family until the 1930s. In 1968, the house was moved from its second Flushing site to its current location. Currently the headquarters of the Queens Historical Society, Kingsland offers school programs, tours, and lectures to the public documenting local history. For the holiday house tours, musical performances will take place throughout the day along with a special holiday gift sale. Visitors can enjoy the current exhibit: Remembering Yesterday: Queens and Its World’s Fairs. The Kingsland Homestead is located at 143-35 37th Avenue, Flushing, NY 11354, 718.939.0647.

Voelker Orth Museum, Bird Sanctuary & Victorian Garden dates back to 1891. Purchased by an immigrant who published German-language newspapers, it was home to three generations of one Queens family. For this festive event, visitors will enjoy piano performances all afternoon and a special gift-and-plant sale in this dressed-for-the-holiday Victorian house. The Voelker Orth Museum is located at 149-19 38th Avenue, Flushing, NY 11354, 718.359.6227.

Lewis H. Latimer House Museum was constructed from 1887 to1889. Latimer, an African-American inventor, lived there from 1903 until his death in 1928. This son of fugitive slaves played a vital role in the development of the telephone and the incandescent light bulb. Open house and traditional holiday refreshments will be offered throughout the day along with a glass painting demonstration. The Lewis H. Latimer House Museum is located at 34-41 137th Street, Flushing, NY 11354, 718.961.8585.

The Friends Meeting House was built in 1694. It is the first house of worship in Flushing and NYC’s oldest structure in continuous use for religious purposes. The house will be open for tours, including a walk around the property to view the historic cemetery. The Friends Meeting House is located at 137-16 Northern Boulevard, Flushing, NY 11354, 929.251.4301.

Flushing Town Hall was built in 1862 and was the area’s cultural and political focal point for many years. The building features an old jail cell and a rich and varied history that includes murder trials, operas, visits by Teddy Roosevelt and Ulysses S. Grant, and a performance by PT Barnum and Tom Thumb. Fredrick Douglass once spoke to the community from the portico. Now a performing and visual arts space, it is home to the Flushing Council on Culture & the Arts. For the holiday house tour, Flushing Town Hall will host its first holiday market. Works from local artists will be sold and various genres of art and crafts will be represented. Flushing Town Hall is located at 137-35 Northern Boulevard, Flushing, NY 11354, 718.445.1920.

The Bowne House was built in 1661 by John Bowne. This city, state, and national landmark was lived in by nine generations of the family. It is known for its connection to the principle of freedom of conscience in America. The museum has been closed since 1999 as it is undergoing a $3 million restoration and preservation project. For the holiday tours, visitors can enjoy the parlor decorated for the holidays and sneak a first peek of the newly restored exterior. The Bowne House is located at 37-01 Bowne Street, Flushing, NY 11354, 718.359.0528.

The Louis Armstrong House Museum was built in 1910. It is a national and city landmark. Jazz legend Louis Armstrong and his wife, Lucille, purchased the house in 1943 and it became their permanent home. Holiday house tours will feature rare audio clips from Satchmo’s personal recordings. Visitors will hear his magical voice reading “Twas the Night before Christmas, A Visit from St. Nicholas.” This was the last recoding ever made by the trumpeter before he died later that year in 1971. New this year, the museum will recreate an outdoor Christmas tree in the garden in keeping with Lucille’s tradition. Free candy canes included! Louis Armstrong House Museum is located at 34-56 107th Street, Corona, NY 11368, 718.478.8274.
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