Boxwood Hall facts for kids
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Boxwood Hall
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 Location in Union County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1073 East Jersey Street, Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA |
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| Area | 0.4 acres (0.16 ha) |
| Built | 1750 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000397 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 18, 1970 |
| Designated NHL | November 28, 1972 |
Boxwood Hall State Historic Site is a special old house located at 1073 East Jersey Street in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The state of New Jersey now runs it as a museum. Boxwood Hall was built around 1750. It's considered a very important historical place because of its connection to Elias Boudinot (1740-1821). He was one of the important leaders, known as a Founding Father, who helped create the United States. Boudinot lived here from 1772 to 1795. He was a lawyer, a politician, and a diplomat. He even served as the president of the Continental Congress, which was a group of leaders who helped guide the country during the American Revolution, from 1782 to 1783.
Another important Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton, stayed with the Boudinots for a short time in 1772. He was studying at the Elizabethtown Academy then. In 1795, Elias Boudinot sold the house to Jonathan Dayton. Dayton was also a Founding Father and a leader in the U.S. House of Representatives. He lived at Boxwood Hall with his wife until he passed away in 1824.
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The Story of Boxwood Hall
Boxwood Hall is located in Elizabeth, New Jersey. It's a two-story house made of wood, with a shingled outside and brick chimneys. The front of the house has a balanced look with five sections. There's a special three-part window above the main entrance. When it was first built around 1750, the house had two extra sections, making it an eighteen-room home. The main part of the house has a classic layout with four rooms on each floor and a hallway in the middle.
Who Lived at Boxwood Hall?
Over its more than 250 years, Boxwood Hall has had many different owners and uses. It was first built by Samuel Woodruff, who was a merchant and once served as the mayor of Elizabethtown. After Woodruff passed away in 1768, the house went to his son. However, it was later sold to Elias Boudinot in 1772.
Boudinot lived here with his wife, Hannah Stockton Boudinot, and their two daughters. They also offered a place to stay for the young Alexander Hamilton, who was a teenager studying at the Elizabethtown Academy. The Boudinots lived in the house until the American Revolution began. For safety, Hannah moved to a family property in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. Elias then took on his duties as a leader for the Continental armies. We don't know exactly how the house was used during the war.
Important Changes Over Time
In 1783, the Boudinots returned to their home. They stayed there until 1795, when they sold it to Jonathan Dayton, who was a Congressman at the time. Dayton, his wife Susan, their son Elias Jonathan, and daughter Hannah moved into the house in 1795. Soon after, Dayton redecorated the two front rooms on the main floor. He added fancy new fireplaces in both the East and West parlors.
Later, Dayton faced financial difficulties. This led him to sell the house to his son-in-law, Dr. Oliver Hetfield Spencer. However, Dayton and his wife Susan were allowed to live in the house for the rest of their lives.
Boxwood Hall Today
In the 1930s, there was a risk that Boxwood Hall might be torn down. A group of people formed a non-profit organization to save it. They succeeded, and the house was given to the state of New Jersey. It was then carefully restored in the 1940s.
Today, the State of New Jersey owns and operates Boxwood Hall as a museum. It is managed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forests. This means you can visit and learn about its history!
Boxwood Hall has also been a key stop on tours, like the "Young Immigrant Hamilton Tour." This tour was led by the Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society as part of special events in 2014 and 2016.
See also
- List of museums in New Jersey
- List of the oldest buildings in New Jersey
- List of National Historic Landmarks in New Jersey
