6. The Allen-Beville House is one of Queens’ last remaining farmhouses

Allen-Beville House

The Allen-Beville House is one of the oldest homes in Douglaston and one of the borough’s last remaining farmhouses. The home was constructed between 1848 and 1850 in the Italianate and Greek Revival style, located on Center Drive. The land was acquired by Benjamin Allen, a farmer of some wealth who lived in a large home in Flushing Township. The Douglaston home was valued at about $20,000 a decade after it was built, and Allen lived in the home with his wife and children, as well as a few laborers. Beginning in 1866, he became a vestryman for the nearby Zion Episcopal Church after his retirement. He would open up part of the home for children in the neighborhood.

The home was an architectural standout around the time it was built, standing at 2.5 stories with an octagonal cupola and porches with Doric columns. Windows are flanked by supporting brackets, and there are two grand entrances with Queen Anne doors. William P. Douglas, the namesake of Douglaston, purchased the home in the late 19th century. It was originally used as a guest house and later served as inspiration for the Douglaston Club. The home was later sold to the Douglas Manor Company and then purchased by the Beville family in 1946. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 and was sold in 2006 for $2.5 million.