Established: April 27, 1962
Location: 414 West 141 Street, (In St. Nicholas Park), New York, New York 10031
Overview: Hamilton Grange is open Wednesdays through Sundays. The home itself has been moved twice. Its first move in 1889 secured its safety from the impending street grid. Used from 1889 until 1924 by the St. Luke’s Episcopal Church as a schoolhouse, rectory, and chapel, it was protected formally for the first time as a historical site in 1924 when it was conveyed to the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society. When the National Park Service acquired the home in 1962, the founding legislation included a provision that the house should be moved to a more suitable location in order to interpret its first owner’s bucolic vision for the estate. Accordingly, the home was moved in 2008 and restored to its original appearance.
The Grange, named after his grandfather's estate in Scotland was the home of Alexander Hamilton, American statesman and first Secretary of Treasury. Hamilton Grange National Memorial preserves the home of founding father Alexander Hamilton.
Born and raised in the West Indies, Hamilton came to New York in 1772 at age 17 to study finance at King’s College (now Columbia University). Hamilton became a supporter of the cause of the American patriots during the political turmoil of the 1770s. Commissioned as a Captain of Artillery at the beginning of the American Revolution, he soon became an aide-de-camp to George Washington.
After the war, as a member of Congress, Hamilton was instrumental in creating the new Constitution. As co-author of the Federalist Papers he was indispensable in the effort to get the Constitution adopted. As the first Secretary of the Treasury (1789-1795) he devised plans for funding the national debt, securing federal credit, encouraging expansion of manufacturing and organizing the federal bank.
Hamilton commissioned architect John McComb Jr. to design a Federal style country home on a sprawling 32 acre estate in upper Manhattan. This house was completed in 1802 and named “The Grange” after the Hamilton family’s ancestral home in Scotland, but served as his home for only two years. On July 11, 1804, Hamilton was fatally wounded in a duel with his political rival Aaron Burr.
Exhibits/Tours: The visitor center is open 10 am to 4 pm Wednesday through Sunday. The visitor center includes an exhibit gallery that follows the major events of Hamilton's life, as well as a brief film. The home is open for self-guided and guided tours throughout the day. The grounds of the home also offer a quiet place for relaxation and contemplation.
Information: (646) 548-2310
Web Site: www.nps.gov/hagr
