Poppenhusen Institute, Victorian educational institute in College Point, New York, United States.
Poppenhusen Institute is a five-story building at 114-04 14th Road featuring Victorian architectural elements with carefully crafted woodwork details. The solid structure displays the typical craftsmanship of the late 1800s with its distinctive facade features.
German immigrant Conrad Poppenhusen founded this institute in 1868 as an educational center for the local community. Over the decades the building also served as a courthouse, bank, and library, showing its role as a central gathering place.
The building served as a gathering place for German-speaking residents in the late 1800s, hosting community singing groups and social events. It shows how deeply German immigrants shaped the neighborhood's identity.
The institute currently offers evening classes for around 400 students each year, continuing its educational mission. Various programs and activities run throughout the year, showing the building remains actively used by the community.
Inside the building, two original jail cells from the former sheriff's office remain preserved and tell the story of its past. These physical remnants show how the place once served as a courthouse and law enforcement center.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.