War. Archibald Gracie. Ice Cream. Mansion.

“It may be laid down as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a Free Government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even of his personal services to the defense of it.” GEORGE WASHINGTON.

The Mansion Behind The Mansion

before the intuitive gridded streets of Manhattan that we know today were conceived, there stood Gracie Mansion. She is located on what is now 88th Street off East End Avenue, and perched above the East River. We’re talking about a really old house here! So old in fact, that around the time when it was built most of Manhattan was farmland, meadows and wooded areas.

Another beautiful house, however, called Belview Mansion (not to be confused or associated with Bellevue Hospital – that’s a whole other ‘type’ of ‘mansion’) preceded Gracie, and was erected in 1770 by a wealthy British loyalist named Jacob Walton – used as a summer home. Belview featured a two-story central pavilion flanked symmetrically by one-story wings, each ending in a three-window bay. A compass-point weather vane sat up on the top of the structure.

In 1776 the property was appropriated from Walton by General George Washington to be used as a fort;

“Jake…we need your house.”

“G-Dub! Take it easy old boy. We’re having lemonade on the porch. Perhaps, pull up a rocker and tell me what this is all about.”

“Jake…there’s simply no time. You’ll be drinking tea in a dungeon somewhere if you keep up with me. Get rid of yourselves and the lemonade! I’ll explain everything in a few months.”

GW set up cannons on site and aimed at ‘hell gate’ - a direct access-gap for British ships in the East River. It seemed like the perfect place to protect the city; however, the British still succeeded in bombarding the house and destroying it in its entirety. Washington’s men retreated further inland, and the Brits (in fact), held base there until 1783. We know how this whole war part of the story ends though – right? If you’re at the corner of ‘walk,’ and ‘unsure,’…perhaps phone a friend?

Gracie At Gracie Mansion

Flash forward to 1798. Archibald Gracie, a Scottish merchant and shipping magnate bought the 11-acre mansion-less Belview Estate, with the intention of building a summer retreat for his family. Apparently, Archibald didn’t get the bad-luck memo about using this property as a summer destination.

Moving on; Gracie commissioned John McComb Jr. – a well-known architect, credited with New York City Hall - to build a house on the property, in 1799.

The house was built from wood and in the Federal Style. She was aptly called Gracie Mansion. ‘Questionable Roll of the Dice for a Summer Destination’ was just too long of an estate name.

Originally, Gracie was two stories tall and she was intended to be a beautiful farmhouse with large bedrooms, a dining room, kitchen and family room. It wasn’t until 1810 that the elegant foyer present today was added, along with a large parlor for entertaining socialites, dignitaries and the sort.

A large compass rose was painted in the center of the foyer floor representing Gracie’s success as a shipping merchant. The wooden floor is painted to look like marble using a technique known as trompe l’oeil, French for “trick the eye.” Kind of blunt, for a ‘trickery-schematic.’ She boasted sparkling crystals on the chandeliers in almost every room. Glass alone was very costly at the time and it indicated a family’s wealth. The wallpaper in the dining room was from France and featured carved wood blocks, coated with paint and stamped onto the paper; it looked like a continuous painting of a garden without a frame.

Gracie often held elegant parties for his neighbors and personal circle including Alexander Hamilton, John Quincy Adams, Joseph Bonaparte and Washington Irving – Paris Hilton, eat your heart out.

It was the site of business and innovation as well. In the fall of 1801, Gracie hosted a meeting for New York Federalists, called by Alexander Hamilton, to raise $10,000 (north of $100k today) to start-up a newspaper; the New York Evening Post (which eventually became the New York Post).

The Home Minus The Man

Gracie and his family enjoyed the property until 1823. An economic downturn – Peanuts! Crackerjacks! Mansions! - forced him to sell the house for $17,000 (approximately $380,000 today). Its estimated value was actually around $60,000 (about $1.3 million today).

Little did Gracie know that the house would go on to serve as the residence of future City Mayors. Prior to the mayoral trend, the home did continue to serve as private residence for a couple of other wealthy families.

In 1896, however, the mansion was appropriated by the City of New York, to be as used as classroom space, public toilets and even so much as an ice cream stand. The 11 acres of beautiful land, overlooking the East River became East End Park, now known as Carl Schurz Park.

Thanks to concerned citizens who feared for the house’s demise, it was converted in to the Museum of New York in 1924. Later in the early 1940’s, after the museum was relocated to its current locale on 5th Avenue, Gracie Mansion was made into the official residence of the Mayor of New York City.

The ‘Who’ On The Lease

Fiorello LaGuardia was the first mayor to have the honor in 1942. Since that time, the Mansion has served as a temporary home to William O’Dwyer, Vincent Impellitteri, Robert Wagner, John Lindsay, Abraham Beame, Edward Koch, David Dinkins, Rudolph Giuliani and their respective families.

In 1966 the city’s first lady Susan Wagner, wife of Mayor Robert Wagner, lobbied for an addition to the property, which is now known as the Susan B. Wagner Wing. The addition contains a ballroom and two other large rooms, which greatly increased the functionality and size of the Mansion. The home was added to the National Register of Historic places in 1975.

Go Grace It

This historic property precedes all of the bridges that cross the East River; New York Icons such as Central Park and the Statue of Liberty; and of course, New Year’s in Times Square.

Gracie Mansion is open to the public on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. She hosts many important civic and community events throughout the year. Gracie Mansion is “the people’s house.” G’head people,…go grace the place.

Confetti

HENDERSON PLACE - Ever thought about a Cul De Sac of Dreams? We did! And it's just how we envisioned it. Stroll down this dead end street in Yorkville to encounter one of the best preservations of the 80’s in Manhattan – the 1880s. (86th Street and East End Avenue).

BEYOGLU - After all that time at Gracie Mansion - aren't you in the mood for fabulous Turkish food? Who wouldn't be - right? Well stroll over to Beyoglu for the fluffiest pita in town - and feel free to chase with stacks of finely sliced lamb, over rice. Anything-lamb, is a can't miss. 1431 3rd Avenue (at 81st Street). (212) 650-0850.