$25

39th Annual Holiday Tour!

Date: December 13th, 2026
Time:12:00 pm.
Price: Non-Members $25, Members $20, Children under 12 $15
Location: In person at Kingsland Homestead, 143-35 37th Avenue

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The Annual Holiday Historic House Tour is Back!

Take a trip through Colonial and Victorian era Queens with the 39th Annual Holiday Historic House Tour!

On Sunday, December 13, five Queens historic landmarks will open their doors to the public for the 39th Annual Holiday Historic House Tour hosted by the Queens Historical Society and sponsored by ConEdison. Guests will be able to visit these five historic Flushing locations all in one day via Trolley provided the New York Trolley Company!

Tickets for the 39th Annual Holiday Historic House Tour’s can be purchased at www.queenshistoricalsociety.org.

The program, which will run from 12 pm until 4 pm, will take guests on tours of the following participating sites including Kingsland Homestead (1775), Bowne House (1661), Voelker Orth Museum Bird Sanctuary & Victorian Garden (1891), the

Quaker Meeting House (1694) and Lewis Latimer House (c. 1889). Each home will be beautifully decorated for the holidays and also offer special holiday refreshments and entertainment.

“Con Edison history is intertwined with the wonderful history of New York City,” said Richard David, Queens Regional Director at Con Edison. “We are proud to have provided safe, reliable energy to this vibrant center of culture, education, and innovation for more than 200 years. We continue to power progress and economic growth in Queens and throughout the City that we are privileged to serve.”

The Kingsland Homestead, (the headquarters of the Queens Historical Society) was built by Charles Doughty, the son of a wealthy Quaker, in 1775. The colonial-era estate (located at 143-35 37th Avenue), was named so after Doughty’s son-in-law, a British sea captain named Joseph King, who bought the property and expanded it in 1785 and 1801.

“The Queens Historical Society is excited for the trolley tour at our annual Holiday Historic House Tour now celebrating its 39th year,” said Jason D. Antos, Executive Director of the Queens Historical Society and official Queens Borough Historian, “We look forward to celebrating the holidays and Queens history with everyone. We invite you and your families to come to the homestead and enjoy our famous holiday cookies and music by the Mendelssohn Choir.”

The Voelker Orth Museum, Bird Sanctuary and Victorian Garden (149-19 38th Avenue), was built in 1891 and was the home of a German immigrant family. Its distinguished garden contains many of the popular plants and berry bushes of the late 19th century. They are maintained with time-honored gardening techniques, such as hand-pruning, with no pesticide use. They also produce their own honey via the museum’s on-site bee hive.

“Willkommen! The Voelker Orth Museum, Bird Sanctuary and Victorian Garden offers a hearty welcome to Holly Tour visitors,” said Deborah Silverfine, Executive Director of Voelker Orth. “There’s lots of holly in the garden and the house is decked out for the season. The 1890s house was home to three generations of a German immigrant family. Conrad Voelcker came with his young family to the neighborhood for a better life in the suburbs, commuting to his newspaper publishing company on the Long Island Railroad. His granddaughter, Elisabeth, bequeathed the home to become a museum. The Christmas season was a special time for them – bringing friends and family to their Flushing home, and reconnecting with relatives overseas. The Holly Tour keeps that spirit alive. There’s house tours and an old-fashioned sing-along in the parlor with Kenneth Gartman at the 1930 Sohmer piano. We’ll have hot mulled cider and a cookie sampler featuring pfeffernusse cookies. Take some time to create holiday ornaments in our workshop annex. There’s a holiday gift sale featuring Voelker Orth honey and jewelry made by Queens artisans.”

The Bowne House, (37-01 Bowne Street), was built by English-born religious freedom advocate John Bowne in 1661. It is the oldest standing house in Queens. Nine generations of the Bowne and Parsons family lived there until 1945, when the house became a museum. The Bowne House features a unique blend of Dutch and English construction. The Bowne House has also been honored as an official Underground Rail Road site.

“Join us at Bowne House for a charming tour through the oldest house in Queens! Holly Tour attendees will learn about early American holiday traditions while walking through period rooms adorned with seasonal decorations. Plus, enjoy our “Presents of Christmas Past” pop-up exhibit of Victorian-era toys. Warm beverages and treats will be served.” said Elise Helmers, Executive Director of the Bowne House.

The Lewis Latimer House Museum (31-41 137th Street) was the home of inventor Lewis Latimer who worked on many important inventions, including the development of the telephone alongside Alexander Graham Bell. Latimer helped to develop a more efficient transmitter that improved the quality of the sound, and his drawings were crucial for securing the telephone patent. Latimer also worked with Thomas Alva Edison on the development and commercialization of the incandescent light bulb. Furthermore, Latimer worked with Hiram S. Maxim, significantly improving the production of carbon filament. His invention of a method to manufacture carbon filament to make lightbulbs mass-producible was patented in 1882. In addition to helping others, Latimer designed his own inventions including an early air conditioning unit and an improved railroad car bathroom. In total, the United States government awarded him patents for seven of his own inventions. Lewis Latimer died on December 11, 1928 at the age of 80 in Flushing and was a pioneer in the field of technology, who made important contributions such as the lightbulb and the telephone, which continue to shape modern life.

“The holidays are here and so are the sparkling lights! Make the Lewis Latimer House one of your stops on this year’s Holiday Tour to learn about Lewis Latimer, the self-taught patent expert, poet, artist, and Black inventor who helped make electrical lighting more affordable and accessible. Tour participants can enjoy hot beverages and winter treats, along with guided tours.” said Ran Yan, Executive Director of the Lewis Latimer House and Museum.

Lastly, is the Quaker Meeting House, (137-16 Northern Boulevard), constructed in 1694 with funds from John Bowne and his family. It is the second oldest house of worship in the United States and was the first house of worship Flushing. It is New York City’s oldest structure in continuous use for religious purposes. Visitors will be able to walk around the property, view the interior and also explore the historic cemetery.

“The Quaker Meeting House is ready to welcome you for this wonderful annual treat,” said David Lowry the Clerk of the Flushing Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends.

VIPs planned to be present include, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, City Councilmembers Sandra Ung, Wong, Vickie Paladino and Shekar Krishnan, Congresswoman Grace Meng, State Senator John Liu, Assemblymembers Ron Kim and Sam Berger and members of the 109th Precinct and community civic groups.

PHOTO OP: 11:45am at Kingsland Homestead in front of trolley.

Tickets for the 39th Annual Holiday Historic House Tour’s can be purchased at www.queenshistoricalsociety.org

Tickets cost $25 per person, $20 for members and $15 for children under 12 years of age.

For more information, contact QHS Executive Director, Jason D. Antos, at 718-930-4070 or at jantos@queenshistoricalsociety.org.

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