Apostle Houses

Apostle houses are unique to Garden City, New York. There were originally ten but now there are only nine. [ [http://www.gcnews.com/news/2005/0311/Community/008.html Apostle Houses Tell Me Why...] ] These homes were part of Alexander T. Stewart’s dream of a planned community with wide avenues, hundreds of trees and shrubs. His dream was complete with the building of these homes. Most of these homes that still stand today are residences except for one which houses the Garden City Historical Society. All of the Apostle houses are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The houses are designed with mansard roofs and cupolas. A mansard roof has two slopes on each of the four sides. A cupola is a vaulted roof or ceiling. Typically there are sixteen rooms: six bedrooms, five baths and two half baths. Characteristically, there are twelve foot ceilings and beautiful moldings. The Garden City Historical Society is in one of the nine homes. [ [http://www.gardencityhistoricalsociety.org/About.htm#The%20Stewart-era%20Apostle%20House The Garden City Historical Society - About Us] ] It is currently located on Eleventh Avenue.

Location

Many of the houses have undergone renovations since its original structure in 1800’s. One current house, built in 1872, located on 40 Hilton Ave, had a kitchen extension in the 1920’s. The third Apostle house, located at 15 Rockaway Avenue and the corner of Second Street, had many renovations and additions which include: central air, remodeled kitchen and basement.

The ninth apostle house, located on Sixth Street, was built in 1860 and is currently under redecoration of additional bedroom, modern bath, art studio and library.

References