6. The Cornell-Appleton House, one of Queens’ oldest homes, was the residence of a Titanic survivor

Cornell Appleton House
The Cornell-Appleton House still stands today after its construction centuries ago.

The Cornell-Appleton House is considered by many to be one of the oldest residences in Queens, and certainly the oldest in Bayside. Located at 214-33 33rd Rd., the home may have been built in 1790, though some speculate it could have been constructed later, such as in 1852 according to some estimates. Robert Clifford Cornell is the first namesake of the home, serving as a judge in the Court of Domestic Relations. He was married to Malvina Lamson, the sister of Charlotte Appleton.

Lamson’s other sister Lady Elizabeth Drummond passed away in Paris, and in order to pay her respects, she boarded the RMS Titanic in Southampton with her sisters. All of them survived the disaster and were picked up by the RMS Carpathia. Cornell later passed away in 1918 during the Spanish flu epidemic.