Playing “I Spy” While Touring the Hamilton Grange National Monument in New York City
The island of Manhattan has a dozen National Park sites that hold historical significance and one of the most popular sites (thanks to the Broadway show Hamilton) is Alexander Hamilton’s Grange National Monument, the only home Hamilton owned, located in uptown Manhattan. We recently spent the morning touring the property and learning all about Alexander Hamilton’s family and career.
The Grange, inspired by Hamilton’s father’s family home in Ireland, was built in 1802 as a “summer home” for Hamilton and his family, built outside of downtown New York City to avoid the Yellow Fever disease that had been spreading, in a Federal style of architecture. Hamilton only enjoyed the home for two years before his death in 1804.
In 1833 his wife Eliza sold the property; it was used for a variety of purposes until 1889 when it was moved down the street to a church property to make way for the formal grid for New York City streets. The home was used as a chapel while the church was being built and was later donated to the National Park Service in 1962. In 2008 the house was moved, in one piece, to St. Nicholas Park, and after three years of restoration, was reopened to the public in 2011.
Guided tours include exploring the living room, dining room, and study on the first floor, which include several artifacts original to the Hamilton family and many other period replica pieces. The second floor (not open to the public) includes five rooms that were part of the original configuration. The servants quarters and kitchen are located in the basement, which was reconfigured as the Visitor Center.
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Playing I Spy While Touring the Hamilton Grange:
- Start with the timeline of Alexander Hamilton’s life and career in the Visitor Center exhibit hall- follow the decades of his life and learn about his achievements and writings.
- Watch one of the introductory films in the Visitor Center, including the life of Alexander Hamilton and the process of moving the Grange. Each film is under 15 minutes.
- Peek inside the touchable replica of the Grange in the Visitor Center.
- Follow the Hamilton family tree and see all of Alexander and Eliza’s descendants.
- Look for the piano forte, which belonged to Angelica, in the Parlor Room.
- Light up the mourning scarf (tradition of the time period) that honors the life of Alexander Hamilton in 1804 in the Visitor Center.
- Find the upside down silverware on the dining room table (flipped upside down as a means of showing off providence and wealth).
- Look for the actual books from Alexander Hamilton’s collection on display in his study– they are the only authentic artifacts in the room.
- Compare your profile to the marble bust and massive portrait painting, both on display in the main foyer.
- Walk around the property and St. Nicholas Park (which included a playground at the foot of the hill).
Looking for other National Park sites in New York City? See our features of Federal Hall National Monument, African Burial Ground National Monument, Ellis Island, St Paul’s Chapel, and the Statue of Liberty, and our full Manhattan City Guide.
