Gracie Mansion

GRACIE MANSION: A TIMELESS GEM

The land that the Carl Schurz Park is currently nestled in was initially purchased in 1798 by a Scottish-born New York businessman and merchant named Archibald Gracie. The extensive plot of land was located by the East River and Hell’s Gate, whose treacherous waters often made travel difficult and sank several vessels. The following year, Gracie constructed a Federal-style two story wooden mansion, which he used as his own country home.

In addition to Gracie Mansion, another mansion, named “Belview,” was built on the site in 1774 by Jacob Walton. The mansion was destroyed by the British during the Civil War in 1774 due to their interest in controlling the upper portion of the East River.

Gracie Mansion is one of the oldest wooden-framed structures still standing in New York City.  Soon, the mansion would become one of the prime social scene locations in New York, visited by several prominent figures such as future Presidents and Kings. By 1823 Gracie made the decision to sell the residence to Joseph Foulke in order to pay back debts resulting from his failing mercantile business. By 1857, Foulke sold the mansion to Noah Wheaton. In 1896, the City of New York took the property and eleven acres of land to form Carl Schurz Park, named after politician and activist of German descent Carl Schurz.

For twenty years, the mansion had trivial uses for the park, serving as a restroom and concession stand. Then, in 1924, the Museum of the City of New York made the mansion its home, until it expanded and moved to a different building. However, the mansion continued to be operated as a museum by the City’s Parks Department.

In the beginning of the 1940s, Robert Moses, who was a prominent Commissioner of the Parks Department, decided to go through with plans to renovate the building. By 1942 the mansion was ready for use as the residence of the Mayor. Mayor Fiorella La Guardia became the first Mayor to move in and make the mansion his residence.

The Gracie Mansion Conservancy, a private, non-profit corporation, was established in 1981, and began major renovations on the Mayor’s residence. The renovations took about three years to be completed. Another renovation was performed in 2002 in order to make it a “people’s house.” There are rumors that Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is one of the few Mayors of New York who chose not to reside in the house, was one of the anonymous donors of this second renovation. The Conservancy continues to raise money in order to continue restoration processes and conduct tours of the Mansion.