Florence Mills House
Encyclopedia
Florence Mills House at 220 West 135th Street was believed to be where Florence Mills
, 1896–1927, lived from 1910 to 1927. She was a leading African-American actress and entertainer during the 1920s. She lived at this address, or a similar address a few blocks away, during her most productive years. The 220 West 135th Street building that existed in 1927 no longer stands and has been replaced. The site was designated a National Historic Landmark
in 1976. The designation was withdrawn in 2009.
In January 2009 the NPS withdrew the NHL designation.
Florence Mills
Florence Mills, born Florence Winfrey , known as the "Queen of Happiness," was an African American cabaret singer, dancer, and comedian known for her effervescent stage presence, delicate voice, and winsome, wide-eyed beauty.-Life and career:A daughter of former enslaved parents, Nellie and John...
, 1896–1927, lived from 1910 to 1927. She was a leading African-American actress and entertainer during the 1920s. She lived at this address, or a similar address a few blocks away, during her most productive years. The 220 West 135th Street building that existed in 1927 no longer stands and has been replaced. The site was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1976. The designation was withdrawn in 2009.
Incorrect address
It is apparent that the actual address of her home was 220 West 133rd Street, and that a mistake was perpetuated from a photo of the house being mislabelled as being on West 135th Street in a New York Evening Journal article at the time of her death. The 220 West 133rd Street building has also been demolished and replaced. The mistake in landmarking the West 135th Street address is acknowledged implicitly by the National Park Service, in stating that "For a number of years, this four-story row house was thought to be Mills home for most of her tragically short life."In January 2009 the NPS withdrew the NHL designation.