6. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church Saved the Building from Destruction
After Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton sold Hamilton Grange in 1833, the home grew dusty and began to fall apart, nearly being bulldozed as New York City expanded north. However, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church saw value in Hamilton Grange and moved the home away from the land that would be bulldozed. The move was complicated, and Hamilton Grange had to be literally lifted over the church for the move.
After saving Hamilton Grange, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church used the property for their own purposes. Although they built their own church next to the property, they temporarily used the Grange as a worship space. The American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society purchased Hamilton Grange in 1924, morphing it into a museum to honor the man who commissioned the home. Today, the National Park Service runs the site.
