Although Hamilton Heights may be recognized from the Broadway hit Hamilton, it actually has a rich history beginning with the Dutch governor Stuyvesant creating the village of New Harlem in 1658.
Before founding father and namesake Alexander Hamilton moved into the neighborhood, it was the location of the triumphant Revolutionary War skirmishes that convinced a budding America to fight the British.
After winning the Revolutionary war, Hamilton retired to The Grange estate, which was designed by the co-architect of City Hall, John McComb Jr. The Grange resides today in St. Nicholas Park as a national monument and museum dedicated to the life of Hamilton and his family.
Developer William de Forest built single-family homes to accommodate the expanding community. Due to the new elevated railroad in the late 1800’s, many were attracted to the country neighborhood. In the early 20th-century, city dwellers moved out of expensive Manhattan and into beautiful row houses that continue to define the current atmosphere of the neighborhood.
During the Harlem Renaissance, Hamilton Heights boomed with artists, writers, and musicians, including actor Julius Bledsoe, muralist Aaron Douglas, poet William Braithwaite, and jazz pianist Count Basie..jpg "PC: William P. Gottlieb | The Agency Journal")
Although many moved into the suburbs during the 1950’s, numerous single-family homes were converted into apartments where a second Renaissance brought dance troupes and art carnivals to the neighborhood.
In the 1970’s, the NYC Landmark Preservation Committee arranged for the pre-war estates and row houses to be converted into historical districts to preserve their unique architecture. It is this blend of pre-war estates, row houses, and single-family homes that attract restaurants, cafes, bars, and tourists today. In the future, Columbia University will build 6.8 million square feet in Hamilton Heights into a new science center, art center, and business school.
