Hamilton Grange

Recently I visited Hamilton Grange, the home of Founding Father and first Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. 

You might know it as the "little place in Harlem" where Hamilton and his wife Eliza "figured it out."

Located on a steep hill on 141st street, it now sits in St. Nicholas Park, surrounded by trees and lawns, a big standout to the urban landscape surrounding it.

The house has an interesting history. Hamilton built it at the turn of the 19th century, finally moving in with his family in 1802 -- after his public career was over. He only actually lived in the house, the only one he ever owned, for two years before his fatal duel with Vice-President Aaron Burr in 1804.

Also, it's original location was not on 141st street -- it was on 143rd before it was moved to 142nd street in 1962 and then, finally, moved again in 2008 to current location. Otherwise, the house remains completely intact.   

The house is beautiful but simple, built in the Federal Style that was elegant, tastefully furnished, but not overly lavish or ornate like Baroque European architecture. 

Hamilton Grange is certainly worth a visit, it's a living piece of history to perhaps the single most important American who ever lived.

A few pointers: you can only see the house on the regularly scheduled tours that start every half-hour in the late morning and early afternoon. The tours are free but the house is relatively small so the size of the tours are too -- only about 14 people can go at a time. So you should show up early and put your name on the list for the tour unless you want to wait for another hour. However, there is also a great visitors center in the basement of the house that has a couple of short films and big exhibit about Hamilton's life and career.

And if you're wondering if there's a lot about the musical at Hamilton Grange, I hate to dissapoint you but, no. Besides one t-shirt with the words "It's Quiet Uptown" for sale (one of the show's songs), and book about locations where the show takes place, the musical barely has a presence at the museum. This is about the man, his life, and his impact on our country -- and what a life it was!