History and architecture
Located in Carl Schurz Park on the East River at East Eighty Eighth Street is one of the finest Federal Style country seats remaining to us from that early period. Standing on a promontory, once known as "Gracie's Point," the large two-story frame house is enclosed, at first floor level, by a porch surmounted by a handsome Chinese Chippendale railing, a near duplicate of the balustrade surrounding the hipped roof above.
On the river side the house boasts an exceedingly fine Federal doorway with leaded glass sidelights and a semi-circular lunette above the door, fLanked by oval rosettes set between delicate wood consoles. As tradition would have us believe, this work, consisting of additions made by Archibald Gracie about 1809, may well represent the efforts of the noted architect, Major Charles Pierre L"Enfant.
Historically, because of its strategic location in the defense of New York during the Revolutionary T-ar, "Gracie Point" or "Horns Hook", as it was originally known, was appropriated by the American Army. The 1774 house on the site, owned by the royalist Jacob Walton, was surrounded with fortifications, known as Thompsons battery.
On September 17, 1776 after several days of bombardment, "the house in the fort was set on fire by a British shell and burned down."
Archibald Gracie, a wealthy merchant purchased the site from the Walton heirs in December 1798 and January 1799, and during the latter year levelled the fortifications. From 1800-1801 he built his country seat here and ho entertained lavishly in this house. Included among the guests were many foreign notables foremost among which were Louis Philippe, Due a Orleans, later destined to become King of France, an 1 the Marquis de Lafayette. Among the illustrious Americans, who were guests in his home, were John Quincy Adams, President of the United States, DeWitt Clinton, Governor of New York, Alexander Hamilton and Washington Irving.
In 1891, the City purchased the property and renamed the area Carl Shurz Park. The house was restored in 1927 and from 1942, when Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia and his family first occupied Gracie Mansion, it has been the official residence of the Mayor of the City of New York.
An addition, to be known as the Reception Wing, will be formally opened September 27, 1966.
Sources and further reading
This history comes from the Landmarks app’s historical catalog. Names and building uses may reflect the period described.