Perched atop a hill in Washington Heights, the Morris-Jumel Mansion has stood witness to more than two centuries of New York City history. The home has evolved with the city around it, serving first as a summer house for a wealthy British colonel, then as headquarters for troops during the American Revolution. It was an inn for weary travelers and today it is a museum that “presents American life from the colonial era to the present by preserving, collecting, and interpreting history, culture, and the arts.” After all the house has seen, it’s bound to hold some amazing secrets!
1. It is One of Manhattan’s Oldest Buildings
Built in 1765, the Morris-Jumel Mansion is the oldest residence in Manhattan, and one of the oldest buildings in New York City. The Morris-Jumel Mansion was built as a summer house for British Colonel Roger Morris and his wife Mary Philipse. It was situated on 135 acres of land atop one of the highest points of Manhattan and therefore originally dubbed “Mount Morris.”