Most of Harlem was built up in the 1880s through 1910 so finding anything that existed prior to these decades can be difficult. Alexander Hamilton's house named Hamilton Grange which is located on the north side of St. Nicholas Park at 141st Street was built in 1802 and is by far the oldest structure in Harlem proper. In second place from what we can see is another clapboard house that is located in Manhattanville at West 126th Street that belongs to St. Mary's church. This parish building was built back in 1851 and both structures are an example of a time when Harlem was all about country living. It is rather odd that nothing else really remains from the late 1700s or early 1800s in Harlem so these buildings are particularly extraordinary in themselves.
What was the original location of Hamilton Grange? My family lives in the area and I noticed it wss moved twice.
ReplyDeleteHere's the history of the house.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_Grange_National_Memorial
Hamilton Grange info is here:
ReplyDeletehttp://lmgtfy.com/?q=original+location+of+hamilton+grange
I would like to know the year and location of the very first brownstones to arrive in Harlem.
ReplyDeleteAstor Row would have been the first predecessor to brownstones and where built around 1880. For actual brownstone houses, it's probably going to be around the Mount Morris Park district.
ReplyDeleteLooking at wards maps http://www.wardmaps.com/viewasset.php?aid=5689 of 1884 there was very little construction south of 125th and west of Mount Morris Park while there was a lot of construction east of Mount Morris park and north of 125th street. I think what we know as the Mount Morris park Historic District arrived a little later. I wonder where the very first and oldest brownstones are in Harlem, my guess, somewhere north of 125th street.
ReplyDeleteThe Dyckman Farmhouse in from 1784, but it's in Inwood...which was at times considered part of Harlem...
ReplyDelete