Hamilton Grange National Memorial
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| Hamilton Grange National Memorial | |
|---|---|
| (U.S. National Historic Landmark) | |
| | |
| Location: | Upper Manhattan, New York City, NY |
| Coordinates: | |
| Built/Founded: | 1802 |
| Architect: | John McComb Jr. |
| Architectural style(s): | Federal style |
| Designated as NHL: | December 19, 1960 [1] |
| Added to NRHP: | October 15, 1966 [2] |
| NRHP Reference#: | 66000097 |
| Governing body: | National Park Service |
Hamilton Grange National Memorial, at 287 Convent Avenue in New York City, is where the National Park Service preserves the home of Alexander Hamilton: military officer, lawyer, member of the United States Constitutional Convention, American statesman, first United States Secretary of the Treasury, and Founding Father. Born and raised in the West Indies, Hamilton came to New York in 1772 at age 17 to study at King's College (now Columbia University).
"The Grange" was named after Hamilton's grandfather's estate in Scotland. (A grange was originally a place where food was grown for a monastery.) Hamilton's mother, Rachel Faucett Lavien, also lived for a time and is buried at an estate named Grange on the island of St. Croix.[3] The Grange was the only home ever owned by Hamilton. It is a two-story frame Federal style house that has been moved from its original location. Hamilton commissioned architect John McComb Jr. to design the country home on a 32 acre (0.13 km²) estate in upper Manhattan. It was completed in 1802, just two years before Hamilton's death.
The house was moved from 237 West 141 Street about four blocks west to its present site in 1889. The original entrance, porches, and other features were removed at that time.
The property was designated a National Historic Landmark on December 19, 1960.[1],[4],[5] Congress authorized the National Memorial on April 27, 1962. At the time it was determined that the current setting is inappropriate — a country house should be viewed as freestanding, but because of today's adjacent buildings only the façade is properly displayed. However, the house was not relocated in 1962 due to overwhelming local opposition to moving it out of the neighborhood. The Grange was administratively listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.
[edit] Upcoming Move
Starting May 9, 2006, Hamilton Grange was closed to the public to allow for extensive architectural and structural investigations. These are part of a long term plan to move the house to nearby St. Nicholas Park, which is in the current neighborhood as well as being within the boundary of land once owned by Hamilton. The new location would allow for features lost in the 1889 move to be reconstructed, as well as provide a more appropriate open setting for the Grange.
The Hamilton Heights neighborhood of Harlem derives its name from Hamilton and the Grange.
[edit] References
- The National Parks: Index 2001–2003. Washington: U.S. Department of the Interior.
- ^ a b Hamilton Grange (Alexander Hamilton House). National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service (2007-09-14).
- ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-01-23).
- ^ Exhibit on Rachel Faucett Lavien in Fort Christiansvaern, Christiansted National Historic Site. Observed March 1, 2007.
- ^ ["Hamilton Grange National Memorial", April 1975, by Ricardo Torres-ReyesPDF (334 KB) National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination]. National Park Service (1975-04).
- ^ [Hamilton Grange National Memorial--Accompanying photo, exterior, from 1975.PDF (32 KB) National Register of Historic Places Inventory]. National Park Service (1975-04).
[edit] External links
- Official NPS website: Hamilton Grange National Memorial
- Hamilton Grange (Alexander Hamilton House) NHL information
- Alexander Hamilton Historical Society (AHHS)
- Hamilton Grange National Memorial is at coordinates Coordinates:
