Louis Armstrong House Explained

Louis Armstrong House
Nrhp Type:nhl
Location:34-56 107th Street, Queens, New York
Coordinates:40.7556°N -73.8619°W
Built:1910
Architect:Robert W. Johnson
Designated Nrhp Type:May 11, 1976
Added:May 11, 1976
Refnum:76001265
Designated Other2 Name:New York City Landmark
Designated Other2 Date:December 13, 1988
Designated Other2 Abbr:NYCL
Designated Other2 Link:New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
Designated Other2 Number:1555
Designated Other2 Color:
  1. ffe978

The Louis Armstrong House is a historic house museum at 34-56 107th Street in the Corona neighborhood of Queens in New York City.[1] [2] It was the home of Louis Armstrong and his wife Lucille Wilson from 1943 until his death in 1971. Lucille gave ownership of it to the city of New York in order to create a museum focused on her husband.

The house was designated a New York City Landmark in 1988[3] and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976. It now serves as a museum that presents concerts and educational programs, and makes materials in its archives of writings, books, recordings and memorabilia available to the public for research.

Background

The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation gave the house to the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs after Lucille Armstrong died in 1983. The brick house was designed by architect Robert W. Johnson and built by Thomas Daly in 1910.[4] Some changes were made to the exterior and interior of the house when the Armstrongs moved in. The porch that was once in the front of the house was taken down and the space was added to the living room. For the exterior of the house the garden was assembled and the garage was constructed by the Armstrongs.[5]

In addition the interior of the house was renovated to their taste.[6] Ornate bathrooms, and the kitchen was not originally part of the house. Paintings and souvenirs were given to Louis Armstrong on tour from Asia, Europe to Africa. These gifts[7] have found a home of their own on dressers, night stands, shelves and walls.

Museum

The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission held a hearing in November 1985 about whether to designated the Louis Armstrong House as a Landmark. At the hearing, a letter and a statement were read in support of the designation, and five witnesses spoke in favor.[8] The house was designated as an individual landmark on December 13, 1988.[9]

Louis Armstrong Center

After a 2017 groundbreaking,[10] in 2023, the Louis Armstrong Center opened across the street from the Armstrongs' house and represents the largest archives for a jazz musician with more than 60,000 items.[11] It also features a 75-seat performance space.[12]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Louis Armstrong House. September 15, 2007. National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131029184358/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1649&ResourceType=Building. October 29, 2013.
  2. Web site: [{{NHLS url|id=76001265}} National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Louis Armstrong House]. PDF. Lynne Gomez Graves . February 3, 1976. National Park Service. and  
  3. Dolkart, Andrew S. & Postal, Matthew A.; Guide to New York City Landmarks, 3rd Edition; New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission; John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2004. ; p.283.
  4. Web site: Louis Armstrong House Museum - History . November 17, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130613212848/http://www.louisarmstronghouse.org/about/history.htm . June 13, 2013 . dead .
  5. Web site: Queens College: Louis Armstrong House . CUNY.edu . October 7, 2022.
  6. Web site: Louis Armstrong's house in Queens opens as museum. Miriam. Hill. November 2, 2003. The Baltimore Sun.
  7. Flagler . Renee . The Louis Armstrong House Museum - ProQuest . Network Journal . Jan–Feb 2012 . 1 . 1 . 41 . en.
  8. Web site: Landmarks Preservation Commission . December 13, 1988 . The Louis Armstrong House .
  9. Web site: Designation Reports - LPC . 2022-03-23 . www1.nyc.gov.
  10. News: Parry . Bill . 2023-06-18 . New Louis Armstrong Center set to open to public on July 6 in Corona . QNS.com . 2023-06-30.
  11. News: Weaver . Shaye . 2023-06-15 . See photos of the super cool new Louis Armstrong Center . en-US . Time Out . 2023-06-30.
  12. News: Glassberg . Lauren . 2022-02-21 . Music great Louis Armstrong's mark in Corona, Queens neighborhood continues to grow . en . ABC 7 New York . 2023-06-30.