Rufus King Park in Queens near New York, New York is located at 150th Street and Jamaica Avenue. This is the location of King Manor which is just part of the eleven acres that Rufus King Park encompasses. Many of the homes and buildings located on this piece of land are from the 18th and 19th centuries. The name of the park is in honor of Rufus King who was one of the signers of the Constitution of the United States. He purchased the property which was a farm in 1805. On the property was a Dutch styled house that dated back to the 18th century. It featured a half house in the style of Long Island. In the time that he owned the home, he made many adjustments and changes to it including adding a kitchen to the back of the home, adding a Federal dining room as well as adding two bedrooms.
Visitors to King Park today are able to enjoy a range of unique displays on the property. The home remained in the ownership of the King family through 1896 when it was purchased by the Village of Jamaica. It was then transferred to the city a few years later. Today, it has gone through massive renovations to bring it back to the grandeur it held in its King era.
Visitors are welcome to come and see the King Manor Museum, tour the buildings and to see the various interactive exhibits throughout. Many of the rooms feature artifacts and settings that are specific to that time period. Hours of operation differ daily but tours are welcome.
