Gracie Mansion
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| Gracie Mansion | |
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| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
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| Location: | 88th St and East End Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York |
| Architect: | Archibald Gracie |
| Architectural style(s): | Federal Style |
| Added to NRHP: | May 12, 1975 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 75001205 |
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 Eighty-eighth Street in Manhattan. It overlooks Hell Gate.
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[edit] Architecture
Archibald Gracie [sic-not the architect] built the two-story wooden mansion in the Federal architectural style. The design of the structure is attributed to Ezra Weeks, a prominent builder and/or John McComb, Jr., the architect of New York City Hall and Hamilton Grange, Alexander Hamilton's country home in Harlem, New York.
Mayor Robert Wagner's wife Susan initiated plans for a new west wing, completed in 1966. The Gracie Mansion Conservancy restored portions of the building in 1981–1984, and made further restorations in 2002.
[edit] History
A different building on roughly the same site was commandeered by George Washington during the American Revolutionary War, as it strategically overlooked Hell Gate. That building was called Belvue mansion and was the country residence of Jacob Walton, a New York merchant. The British destroyed this house during that war.
Archibald Gracie then built another building — what is now known as Gracie Mansion — on the site in 1799, and used it as a country home until 1823, when he had to sell it to pay debts.
Others lived in the house until 1896, when the city seized it and made its grounds part of Carl Schurz Park. It served various functions as part of that park (at various times it housed public restrooms, an ice-cream stand, and classrooms) until 1924. From 1924 until 1936 it housed the Museum of the City of New York, and from 1936 until 1942 it was also a museum.
In 1942, Robert Moses successfully convinced then-mayor Fiorello La Guardia to appropriate the house as a mayoral residence. Its main floor is open to the public on a limited basis and serves as a small museum.
Interestingly, due to the restrictions on the office, the house may only be used for official city business; only visiting public officials and the Mayor's family may reside with the Mayor at the mansion, even for an overnight stay. As a result, Rudy Giuliani was unable to have his then-girlfriend live with him (because they were not married), because it would have violated using a taxpayer funded home for a private citizen. Giuliani was forced to move out. Likewise, the unmarried Bloomberg, who has had girlfriends during his time in office, does not reside there.
[edit] Current Use
As of 2007, current mayor Michael Bloomberg does not live in Gracie Mansion, although he uses it for meetings and events. At the beginning of Bloomberg's term he launched a major restoration of the mansion, which was funded by an anonymous donor, rumored to be the mayor himself. Bloomberg has used the Mansion as a place for official visitors to stay while in the city.
[edit] Pop Culture Reference
- The novel The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus states that an affluent family held their preschooler's birthday party at the mansion. The reference suggests that the New York City socialites depicted in the book would rather attain the status symbol of an expensive party rather than pick a fun venue for a small child's party.
- The original footage from The WPIX Yule Log was shot on 16 mm film at Gracie Mansion, and shown from 1966 to 1969 on WPIX-TV. However, as they removed a protective grate to film the blazing fire, a stray spark destroyed a $4,000 (US) antique rug.
- The movie Ghostbusters 2 has a scene in which the main protagonists hold a meeting with the mayor in his home and office, Gracie Mansion.
- The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland is also known as Gracey Mansion because of the backstory of the ride
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- "A Brief History of Gracie Mansion"
- "Drawing Reveals What Stood on Site of Gracie Mansion"
- Library of Congress materials
- Gracie Mansion is at coordinates Coordinates:
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