18 The QUEE NS Courier • OCTOBER 15, 2015 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com Elmhurst residents fighting to preserve historic Bernardus Bloom Farmhouse BY ANGELA MATUA [email protected]/@AngelaMatua When Marialena Giampino began researching the Bernardus Bloom Farmhouse in Elmhurst, she never expected to find more than 300 years of history. Giampino, who is the communications officer for the Newtown Civic Association (NCA), started looking into its history as part of a new initiative Alpha Care Supply Accessibility Solutions Specialist Serving NYC Metro Area for 20 years Ramps of every type and application Stairlifts - Interior and Exterior Wheelchair Vertical Platform Lifts ADA Bathroom Remodels Residential Elevators Fully Insured and Properly Licensed Call Alpha Care Supply for all your ADA & Accessibility needs 516.568.3010 www.aplhacaresupply.com 21 Stringham Avenue, Valley Stream, NY 11580 New and Used Rentals Martin Levy 718-268-1700 103-20 Metropolitan Avenue Forest Hills [email protected] Call or stop by to see how much you can save. 149127 Protect your world Auto • Home • Life • Retirement Call me today to discuss your options. Some people think Allstate only protects your car. Truth is, Allstate can also protect your home or apartment, your boat, motorcycle - even your retirement and your life. And the more of your world you put in Good Hands®, the more you can save. Insurance subject to terms, qualifications and availability. Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Co., Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Co., Allstate Indemnity Co., Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Co. Life insurance and annuities issued by Lincoln Benefit Life Company, Lincoln, NE, Allstate Life Insurance Company, Northbrook, IL. In New York, Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York, Hauppauge, NY. Northbrook, IL. © 2010 Allstate Insurance Co. by the NCA to get several historical structures in Elmhurst landmarked or find grants to preserve them. Armed with only one book, “Elmhurst: Small Town to Mega Suburb” by Vincent Seyfried, and an old photograph, Giampino used the internet to fill in the blanks. She poured through old records and visited ancestry.com and online digital collections to learn more about the 40-acre property that has ties to the neighborhood dating back to 1700. “We were all very excited and want to preserve the remaining last remnants of a long, almost forgotten history of the town of Newtown,” Giampino said. The farmhouse, which was purchased by L&Z Realty on Aug. 20 for $2 million, first belonged to John Brinckerhoff. It was comprised of three lots in what was then the Newtown Township – a collection of neighborhoods from the East River to the Flushing River, according to the Newtown Historical Society’s website. Located at 90-11 56th Ave., the house is situated in Elmhurst, which became part of Newtown when it was founded in 1652 by a group of Englishmen. Newtown was renamed Elmhurst in 1896, two years before Queens was incorporated into the City of Greater New York. In 1742, Bernardus Bloom purchased the land from Brinckerhoff and it stayed in his family until 1852. Bloom was an established figure in Newtown as a tavern keeper, blacksmith and a colonel in the militia during the revolutionary war. Bloom was appointed the first headmaster of the ninth post office in Queens, according to the book “History of Queens” by W.W. Munsell. He later passed down the home and his blacksmith business to his grandson, who shared his name. The next owners, the Suydam family, made several alterations to the house but according to it hasn’t changed much since then. According to her findings, the home’s foundation contains several materials including stones, brick and old cement blocks, indicating that it has been altered by each owner. State Senator Tony Avella offered his support and recently sent a letter to the Landmark Preservation Commission (LPC) asking for an expedited evaluation of the house to eventually grant it landmark status. “As you may know, there is growing community support to landmark the property,” Avella said in the letter. “However, the community is concerned about possible demolition or alteration to the building that may happen before the landmark evaluation process has been initiated.” The house has sustained damage as a result of a fire on Sept. 8. According to Giampino, the third floor suffered the most extensive damage, and authorities from the FDNY have told her that the fire was probably caused by squatters. L&Z Realty purchased the property with plans to erect several homes on the land. Giampino has tried several times to reach out to the owners, Kui Lin and Bo Jin Zhu, but has not received a response. The owners of L&Z Realty could not be reached by The Courier for comment. Giampino has big plans for this house, which is nicknamed the Horse Brook house after a stream that ran along what is now Justice Avenue. She said the NCA wants to transform it into a museum for the Elmhurst community. She envisions a space where children can learn about Queens history on field trips and a location for exhibitions and cultural events. Giampino is asking local residents to reach out to elected officials to gain their support and eventually turn the house into a landmark. She sent her findings to the LPC and is hoping to save the home from demolition. “We all think it would be a great idea to take this last remaining residential home from the beginning of the Elmhurst community and turn it into a living museum basically, that tells us about our past and our colonial beginnings and basically up to what it’s come to today, which is the most cultural neighborhood in the U.S.,” Giampino said. Photo courtesy of Newtown Civic Association Residents are trying to preserve the Bernardus Bloom Farmhouse in Elmhurst.
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