Louis Armstrong House


The Louis Armstrong House, formally known as 34-56 107th Street, is a historic house museum in Corona, Queens, New York City. 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 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 Department of Culture Affairs after Lucille Armstrong died in 1983. This brick house was designed by architect Robert W. Johnson and built by Thomas Daly in 1910. 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.
In addition the interior of the house was renovated to their taste. 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 have found a home of their own on dressers, night stands, shelves and walls.