Lewis H. Latimer House Museum Designated: March 21, 1995 34-41 137th St, Queens 34-41 137th Street was the home of the African-American inventor, Lewis H. Latimer, renowned for his work in the field of electric lighting. In 1881, Latimer received a patent for an improved method for the production of carbon filaments used in lightbulbs. The house was built in a Queen Anne style frame house, and it offered a comfortable meeting place for prominent African-American civic and cultural leaders. Watch the virtual tour of Latimer House