History and architecture
The Phelps Stokes - J. P. Morgan, Jr. House is a rare surviving freestanding mansion in midtown Manhattan, recalling the initial residential development of Murray Hill. Notable for its associations with two prominent New York families, it has achieved additional significance as an integral component of the Pierpont Morgan Library, one of New York City's most esteemed cultural institutions. Originally designed in the Italianate style, it was built in 1852/53 for Isaac Newton Phelps as one of a group of houses for members of the Phelps family along the block front of Madison Avenue between East 36th Street and East 37th Street.
Phelps's daughter Helen and her husband Anson Phelps Stokes commissioned architect R. H. Robertson to expand the house in 1888. Robertson's designs harmonized with the original while adding Neo-Renaissance characteristics. When J. Pierpont Morgan purchased the house for his son J. P. Morgan, Jr., in late 1904, it was subsequently further renovated. Much of the exterior character it assumed then still survives today. The Pierpont Morgan Library purchased the house in 1988, incorporating it into its museum and program operations.
Sources and further reading
This history comes from the Landmarks app’s historical catalog. Names and building uses may reflect the period described.