Gracie Mansion (also known as Archibald Gracie Mansion) is the official residence of the mayor of New York City. Built in 1799, it is located in Carl Schurz Park, at East End Avenue and 88th Street in the Yorkville neighborhood of Manhattan. The federal-style mansion overlooks Hell Gate in the East River and consists of the original two-story house and an annex built in 1966. The original house is a New York City designated landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The house's site was previously occupied by Belview Mansion, built in 1770 for local merchant Jacob Walton and destroyed during the American Revolutionary War. In 1799, Archibald Gracie built a new house on the same site, which he used as his country home until 1823. The family of Joseph Foulke used the house from 1823 to 1857, and the family of builder Noah Wheaton used it from 1857 to 1896, when the municipal government made its grounds part of Carl Schurz Park. During the early 20th century, the mansion was used as public restrooms, an ice cream stand, and classrooms. Gracie Mansion housed the Museum of the City of New York from 1924 to 1936, and it was a historic house museum until 1942, when it became a mayoral residence. Since then, each mayor except for Michael Bloomberg has lived at Gracie Mansion at some point during their tenure; most mayors redecorated the house upon taking office. A reception wing, named for New York City first lady Susan Wagner, was completed in 1966. Further major renovations took place in 1983–1984 and in 2002.
The facade is composed of clapboard panels with shutters. The original mansion's first floor includes parlors, a dining room, a kitchen, and a library; the annex also includes a ballroom and reception rooms. The second floor has been traditionally used as bedrooms, while the basements contain offices. The mansion's upkeep is partially overseen by the Gracie Mansion Conservancy, although the city government continues to own it. In addition to governmental business and special events, Gracie Mansion hosts public tours. Over the years, the house has been the subject of commentary, and it has also received accolades and has been depicted in numerous media works.
Site
Gracie Mansion, also known as Archibald Gracie Mansion, is located in Carl Schurz Park (at East End Avenue and 88th Street) in the Yorkville neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. The mansion faces northeast toward Hell Gate, a channel in the East River. By the early 21st century, it was the only remaining country estate in Yorkville. Gracie Mansion sits atop Carl Schurz Park's highest point.
Previous site usage
The Europeans established their first settlements in modern-day New York City in the 17th century. From that point until the end of the 19th century, only six men owned the site. The first European owner of Gracie Mansion's site was Sybout Claessan, who received either or from the Dutch West India Company in 1646. Claessan's land, which includes Carl Schurz Park, The site was alternately known as Horen Hook, Harris' Hook, Dutch immigrant Resolved Waldron obtained the land in 1690 after Claessan died; it passed through three other members of the Waldron family over the next eight decades and was subdivided after William Waldron's death in 1769.
Jacob Walton, a merchant from what is now Flatbush in Brooklyn, obtained around Hoorn's Hook and built a house, Belview Mansion, on the site in 1770. He moved into the house with his wife Polly Cruger. The Waltons were forced to leave the house in February 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, which was completed in April 1776. The house was severely damaged by cannonball fire on September 8 British troops controlled the site until 1783. their four children did not receive the land until 1791. The brick tunnel ran north from the mansion's basement and then turned east toward the river. It is not known why the tunnel was built, but one newspaper said the tunnel could have been used as an escape route during the American Revolution or as a secret lover's entrance.
Early history
Gracie occupancy
The merchant Archibald Gracie, at the time one of New York City's richest men, bought Walton's land in two phases in December 1798 and January 1799. At the time, the Gracies' city residence was a house that they rented from New York City mayor Richard Varick. Gracie built a new country estate on the Walton site in 1799, though there is disagreement over whether Gracie destroyed or reused the remains of Belview Mansion.