Friends Meeting House, Queens
FLUSHING FREEDOM MILE benvenuto 환영합니다 欢迎 velkommen ДОБРО ПОЖАЛОВАТЬ Friends Meeting House The Friends Meeting House was the first house of worship in the village of Flushing. It is New York City's oldest house of worship in continuous use, and the second oldest in the nation. The house was built in 1694, and provided Flushing's Quakers with their first permanent place of worship. Until that time, Quakers attended services in the kitchen of John Bowne's house, a few blocks away. Bowne himself is buried in the graveyard behind the meeting house. The Friends Meeting House has served its original purpose for more than 300 years-interrupted only briefly during the American Revolution, when the British used it as a prison, a hospital, and a stable. The meeting house was built with 40 foot timbers of Oak trees from the area. The two sets of doors were originally used as separate entrances for men and women. The transquil, pastoral landscape surrounding the Friends Meeting House in this 19th century photograph stands in stark contrast to the traffic and congestion of 20th century Northern Boulevard. (top) The Friends Meeting room is simple, with benches facing each other. Elders and traveling Quakers sat on the raised benches. At worships, all who feel led are invited to speak. (bottom) During the American Revolution, the Friends Meeting House was taken over by British troops, and used as a hospital for wounded soldiers. (right) Submitted by @lampbane