Roy Fox has been the caretaker of New York’s historical King Manor in Jamaica, Queens, for more than 30 years. The 84-year-old has now revealed how he secured the apartment and has lived there free of charge. The compact apartment, filled with over 4,000 books, has remain untouched since he moved in in 1989. The house was once owned by Rufus King, who was born in 1755 and one of the signors of the United States Constitution. His family lived at the site for three generations, and among the famous guests who have stayed there overnight is John Quincy Adams, who visited while he was running for president. The manor has since been turned into a museum, though Fox has been guaranteed the apartment until he dies. Saying that he’s never really worked a day in his life, Fox explained that there are 23 houses in the historic house system and rather than provide costly 24-hour-a-day security, private apartments were created and caretakers hired. “If you’re going to live in New York City, this is the way to live,” he said.
