6. There’s a Quaker House that Dates Back to the 17th Century

The Old Quaker Meeting House on 137-16 Northern Boulevard might seem unassuming from the outside, but the meetings that took place underneath its hand-hewn timber ceiling beams were momentous throughout American history. From producing the earliest documented support for religious freedom in America to helping shape the beginnings of the abolitionist movement, the Religious Society of Friends’ has remained steadfast in their struggle against religious intolerance, slavery, injustice, and violence over the past 300 years.

Built by John Bowne and other early quakers in 1694, The Old Quaker Meeting house still serves as one of the oldest active houses of worship in the United States, with notable guests including George Washington, John Woolman, and William Penn. It also earned national and city landmark status in 1970 for its 17th century ecclesiastical frame structure of medieval design, one of few in the nation and last of its kind in New York. Be sure to catch a tour of the meeting space every Sunday from 12-12:30pm and take a walk by John Bowne’s house around the corner (the second oldest building in New York City!).

The John Bowne House