7. A nearly hidden plaque honors Mary Lindley Murray, a Revolutionary War patriot
In a traffic island at the intersection of Park Avenue and 37th Street is a plaque dedicated to Mary Lindley Murray, one of the namesakes of Murray Hill along with her husband Robert. Mary Murray was a Quaker woman and American patriot who played an important role during the Revolutionary War. On September 15th, 1776, American forces led by General Israel Putnam retreated from the Battle of Brooklyn to the Bronx, where they met up again with General George Washington. British General William Howe did not want to get away, landing at Kips Bay to trap the army. Howe’s troops were instead detained at the Murrays’ farm, allowing the American troops to escape.
To deter the British army, according to popular legend, Murray hosted a quiet meeting with cake and tea, stalling Howe for hours. It only took about half an hour for the troops to escape, though she kept the men there for over two hours. While Murray played a major role in assisting American forces, her merchant husband held Loyalist ties and bought British goods well into the war.
Despite her husband’s loyalties, Mary Murray’s acts in 1776 allowed the couple to remain in New York City after the war. The Daughters of the American Revolution erected another plaque in 1926 on 35th Street at Park Avenue to commemorate the family’s wartime actions.