Father Divine's headquarters landmarked.The Landmarks Preservation Commission today unanimously designated as a New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. landmark the James W. and Lucy S. Elwell House, at 70 Lefferts Place in Brooklyn. Located between Grand and Class on avenues, the villa was completed in the mid-1850s and is one of the few single-family homes remaining in the neighborhood, formerly a commuter suburb of Manhattan during the mid 19th century. The house was built circa 1854 by James W. Elwell, owner of a Manhattan-based shipping and freight business. It was purchased in 1939 by the followers of Reveren d Major Jealous Divine, also known as Father Divine Father Divine See Baker, George. . Father Divine was the leader of the International Peace Mission Movement The International Peace Mission movement was the religious movement started by Father Divine, an African-American who claimed to be God. History Early history... The movement bought land in Kingston, New York... , which appeared in Brooklyn around 1919, and embraced racial equality, peace and non-violence. His oratory oratory, the art of swaying an audience by eloquent speech. In ancient Greece and Rome oratory was included under the term rhetoric, which meant the art of composing as well as delivering a speech. talent and practice of hosting lavish banquets for the public at little cost during the Great Depression propelled the movement's expansion from about 30 to 40 people in 1924 to tens of thousands in the late 1930s. "This elegant home has defined the character of this neighborhood for a century and a half, and we are thrilled that it will continue to have a presence for generations to come," said Commission Chairman Robert B. Tierney. "It is an architectural, historic and cultural treasure and deserves to be protected." Crowned by an intricate cupola cupola /cu·po·la/ (koo´pah-lah) cupula. cu·po·la n. A cup-shaped or domelike structure. cupola cupula. , the 2 1/2 story house still has many of its original Italianate features, including a low-pitched roof with wide, overhanging eaves and decorative wood brackets, attic windows, a pronounced front pediment pediment, in architecture, the triangular gable end on a building of classic type or a similar form used decoratively. It consists of the tympanum, or triangular wall surface, enclosed below by the horizontal cornice and above by the raking cornice, which follows the , and paired arched windows on the second story of the front facade. The Landmarks Preservation Commission is the largest municipal preservation agency in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . Since its creation in 1965, the Commission has designated nearly 23,000 buildings in all five boroughs, including 1,148 individual landmarks, 107 interior landmarks, nine scenic landmarks and 85 historic districts. |
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