Visiting Hamilton Grange National Memorial
If you’re in New York City but couldn’t score tickets to see Hamilton the musical, then consider visiting Hamilton Grange National Memorial instead!
Hamilton Grange was the country home of Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the United States. Constructed in 1802, the home is now a National Memorial under the US National Parks Service.
Visiting Hamilton Grange National Memorial is an excellent addition to any New York City travel itinerary. To make a full day out of your visit to Hamilton Grange, consider adding a trip to nearby General Grant National Memorial as well!
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Alexander Hamilton and Hamilton Grange
Alexander Hamilton was born on the Caribbean island of Nevis. Orphaned at a young age, he was taken in by a wealthy merchant and sent to New York to pursue his education. Hamilton was a talented writer renowned for his intellect. From 1787-1788 Hamilton, along with James Madison and John Jay, authored the Federalist Papers, a collection of 85 articles and essays promoting the ratification of the US Constitution.
Hamilton Grange is located in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood of upper Manhattan. Given the crowded and bustling neighborhood, it’s hard to believe that this was all once rural farmland. When the home was built in 1802, it was located nine miles north of the then-boundary of New York City. It took Alexander Hamilton 90 minutes to travel via horse and carriage to his law office in Manhattan!
Hamilton built the house as an escape from city life. His plan was to enjoy a quiet life there with his wife and children. Unfortunately, Hamilton only lived in the house for two years before his untimely death in 1804.
What to Expect When Visiting Hamilton Grange National Memorial
Expect your visit to Hamilton Grange to last approximately 2-hours. There is a short 10-minute video on the life of Alexander Hamilton, a small one-room museum, and tours of the home itself.
Visiting hours and information on guided versus self-guided tours can be found on the Hamilton Grange website. The guided tours can only accommodate 15 people, so I recommend arriving at least 15 minutes early to secure your spot. Tours last 45 minutes to 1 hour and take you throughout the main level of the home.
The house tour takes you through three furnished rooms: the parlor, dining room, and study. There is also a video covering the history of the home, starting with the Hamilton era up until it became a National Parks site. This interesting video goes in-depth about how the National Parks Service picked up the entire home and moved it to its current location.
Between 1892 and 1895 the home was used as a meeting hall for a nearby church. As a result, parts of the original structure were destroyed and subsequently reconstructed by the National Parks Service. While none of the furnishings are original, they are exact replicas of those in the home during Hamilton’s time.
How to get to Hamilton Grange National Memorial
Hamilton Grange is located on 141st Street in Manhattan. You can get there by taking the A, B, or C lines uptown to 135th Street, then walking north along St. Nicholas Avenue until turning left onto 141st Street.
Alternately, take the A, B, C, or D lines to 145th Street and walk south on St. Nicholas Avenue to 141st Street, then take a right.
Highlights of Visiting Hamilton Grange National Memorial
Visiting Hamilton Grange is an excellent opportunity to learn more about one of the founding fathers of the United States. While the museum and house tours are interesting, one of the highlights (in my opinion) is the video of how the National Parks Service moved the home to its current location.
After designating Hamilton Grange as a National Parks site, the home was relocated one block to its current location. This was actually the second time the house was moved! To truly appreciate the magnitude of this task, you have to watch the video (if you can’t wait until your site visit, here’s a link to the video on YouTube).
Tips for Visiting Hamilton Grange National Memorial
- Arrive early (at least 15 minutes) to secure your spot on a tour. I recommend taking the guided tour to get the most out of your visit.
- If time permits, watch the video in the Visitor Center before taking the tour. The video is a good introduction to the life and importance of Alexander Hamilton.
- Large backpacks, coats, and strollers are not allowed in the house. There are free lockers available to store your items, and you can park your stroller in the Visitor Center.
- Water and restrooms are available in the Visitor Center, but not in the house itself.
Did You Know? 5 Facts about Alexander Hamilton
- The Grange is the only house that Alexander Hamilton ever owned.
- Alexander Hamilton was born in 1757 on the island of Nevis, then part of the British West Indies, and immigrated to the colonies as a teenager.
- Hamilton and his wife, Elizabeth, had 8 children. Two of their sons were named Phillip (the younger Phillip was named after his older brother, who died in a duel).
- Hamilton has been depicted on more denominations of US currency than anyone else.
- He founded the New York Evening Post, which is still in print today as the New York Post.
Final Thoughts
We really enjoyed visiting Hamilton Grange and learning about Alexander Hamilton. He was an interesting individual, and it’s quite remarkable that one person could leave such a lasting legacy. Hamilton Grange is not a large site, so we paired our visit with a trip to the Ulysses S. Grant National Memorial (aka Grant’s Tomb). The sites are approximately 1-mile away from each other, and each takes between one and two hours to see. I suggest starting your day by visiting Hamilton Grange, then grabbing lunch on your way to Grant’s Tomb. End your day with a walk on the nearby Columbia University campus (where Alexander Hamilton attended university).
