Morris–Jumel Mansion facts for kids
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Morris–Jumel Mansion
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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The front facade in 2014
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| Location | 65 Jumel Terrace in Roger Morris Park, bounded by West 160th Street, Jumel Terrace, West 162nd Street, and Edgecombe Avenue Washington Heights, Manhattan New York City |
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| Built | 1765, remodeled c. 1810 |
| Architectural style | Palladian, Georgian, and Federal |
| Part of | Jumel Terrace Historic District (ID73001220) |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000545 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | January 20, 1961 |
| Designated CP | April 3, 1973 |
The Morris–Jumel Mansion is an old house in the Washington Heights area of Upper Manhattan, New York City. It was built in 1765, making it the oldest house still standing in Manhattan. A British officer named Roger Morris built it. Later, a famous socialite named Eliza Jumel lived there in the 1800s.
Today, the New York City government owns the house. It has been a museum since 1903. The house is a National Historic Landmark. Its outside and inside are also special New York City designated landmarks. It is part of the Jumel Terrace Historic District.
Roger Morris built the house for himself and his wife, Mary Philipse Morris. They lived there until 1775, when the American Revolutionary War began. Later, Continental Army General George Washington used the mansion as his headquarters for about a month in 1776. After that, British and Hessian officers stayed there until 1783.
After the British left New York, the house had many different owners. It was even used as a tavern for a while! The Jumel family bought the house in 1810. They lived there on and off until the late 1830s. The Jumel and Chase families then lived there until 1887. The Earle family owned the house from 1894 to 1903.
The city bought the mansion in 1903, and it opened as a museum in 1907. The house has been fixed up several times over the years. It has a mix of Federal, Georgian, and Palladian styles. The museum shows furniture, decorations, and personal items from the families who lived there. It also hosts fun events and performances.
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Discover the Morris–Jumel Mansion
The Morris–Jumel Mansion is located at 65 Jumel Terrace in the Washington Heights neighborhood. It sits inside Roger Morris Park. The house is a separate landmark, even though it is within the Jumel Terrace Historic District.
The land around the house is about 62,000 square feet. It is bordered by Jumel Terrace, 160th Street, Edgecombe Avenue, and 162nd Street. To the west of the mansion is Sylvan Terrace, which used to be the mansion's driveway. The area around the house has many residential buildings. Some of Manhattan's last wooden houses are nearby. The 163rd Street–Amsterdam Avenue station of the New York City Subway is also close.
The mansion is on top of Coogan's Bluff. From here, you could once see Lower Manhattan, the Hudson River, the Bronx, and the Harlem River. The house also looked over the Polo Grounds baseball stadium. People used to say you could see seven counties from the house! In the late 1800s, the house was visible from miles away. It offered amazing views of most of Manhattan.
Roger Morris Park: A Green Space
Roger Morris Park is a 1.52-acre park where the mansion is located. It is named after Roger Morris. This park is all that's left of his huge 130-acre estate. The Morris property once stretched from Harlem to the Hudson River. The mansion itself was built on one of the highest points in Manhattan.
A gate on Jumel Terrace leads into the park. A brick path goes from the gate to the mansion's front door. There is a stone wall on the east side of the park because of the steep hill. Brick paths wind throughout the park.
The park has a special sunken garden in its northeast corner. It was designed in the 1930s. This garden is octagonal, like the mansion's octagonal room. Stone paths divide the garden into four parts. There are also lawns on the west and north sides of the mansion. A rose garden is on the east side.
Who Lived Here? A Look at the Mansion's Past
In the 1600s, this area was part of the town of Harlem. The first house on this spot was built around 1695. The land changed hands several times. In 1765, Roger Morris bought the property.
The Morris Family: Building a Dream Home
Creating Mount Morris
Roger Morris had retired from the British Army in 1764. He and his wife, Mary, lived in Lower Manhattan at the time. Morris wanted a quiet place in the countryside. He found this spot in Upper Manhattan. It had an orchard, two rivers nearby, and great views. He bought the land around June 1765. Back then, this area was very rural. New York City was only what we now call Lower Manhattan.
Construction of the mansion began in mid-1765. Workers used oak trees from nearby forests. Morris wanted a place where he could enjoy country life. The house was first called Mount Morris. It was also known as the Roger Morris House. Morris also built a stable and carriage house. The whole estate was finished by 1770. There were also barns near what is now 165th Street.
The Morrises had two sons and two daughters in this house. Four enslaved people also lived there. The family lived in the mansion until 1775. That's when the American Revolutionary War started. Roger and Mary Morris supported the British side. Roger went to England to protect his property. The rest of the family left the house by mid-1776.
The Revolutionary War Years
Continental Army General William Heath and his officers stayed in the house in September 1776. They held it for their leader, George Washington. Washington used the mansion as his headquarters for a month. This was after British troops pushed his army back to Upper Manhattan. He arrived around September 14–15, 1776. The house was chosen because it was on a high hill. This allowed Washington to see enemy troops coming.
Washington stayed there with his military secretary and aides. He planned the Battle of Harlem Heights from the mansion. About 8,000 American troops camped nearby. Some even built wooden huts along what is now Sylvan Terrace. Washington reportedly saw the Great Fire of 1776 from the mansion's second-floor balcony.
The American army stayed there until about October 18. Then the Battle of Pell's Point began. Washington left around October 21–22 to avoid British troops. Colonel Robert Magaw was left to guard the house. On November 16, 1776, during the Battle of Fort Washington, the British captured the house. They also took nearby Fort Washington. Captured American soldiers were tied up in the mansion's barns.
The British occupied the house from 1776 until they left New York in 1783. British General Henry Clinton used it as his headquarters until 1777. Then, Hessian commander Baron Wilhelm von Knyphausen stayed there in 1778. Other British and Hessian commanders also used the mansion. A tent camp was set up nearby. In 1780, the British used the house as a lookout.
After the War: New Owners and a Tavern
In 1779, New York Colony took away all properties belonging to Loyalists. The Morris family lost their estate. It was put up for sale in 1783. After this, Mount Morris was rented by several people. It was sold in July 1784.
The house became a tavern in 1785 and stayed that way for about two years. It was called Calumet Hall. The tavern was a popular stop on the Albany Post Road. It was the first tavern travelers saw after leaving New York City. Advertisements said it was the Morrises' old house. They also mentioned stagecoach service to other parts of New York and New England.
A farmer named John Bogardus rented the mansion in 1789 and 1790. After becoming U.S. President, George Washington returned to the house for a party in 1790. He wrote that the mansion was "in the possession of a common farmer." The property was sold several more times. In 1794, Mary Morris tried to get the mansion back. She said it belonged to her because of her marriage agreement.
An Englishman named Leonard Parkinson bought the mansion in 1799. He decided to sell and divide his estate in 1809. The mansion and a coach house became one lot. In the same year, Mary Morris gave up her claim to the mansion. John Jacob Astor bought the property from the Morris family.
The Jumel Family: A New Era
In 1810, a French wine merchant named Stephen Jumel bought the house for $10,000. He moved in with his wife, Eliza Bowen Jumel, and their adopted daughter, Mary Bowen. The Jumels were not well-known in society before this. Eliza wanted to become part of New York City's wealthy families. People became interested in the mansion's history because of Eliza's fancy lifestyle. The house became a social hub for many years after the Jumels bought it.
Changes and Guests
The Jumels remodeled the house. They added a Federal style entrance. They also redecorated the inside in the Empire style. They tried to find original wallpaper and furniture. Stephen Jumel said the renovation was a gift to his wife. He wanted to help her social standing. He also bought several farms nearby. The family sometimes stayed in their other homes in Lower Manhattan and France.
The Jumels hosted many important European and American guests. In 1815, Stephen Jumel brought Egyptian cypress trees from France. He planted them near the mansion. The Jumels went to France in 1815. Eliza returned to the mansion in 1817. She and her servants were the only ones there for a while. Eliza sold some furniture and paintings in 1821 and went back to France.
The mansion was rented out during the 1820s, mostly in the summer. Stephen gave Eliza ownership of the mansion and land in 1825. Eliza returned for good in 1826. Stephen came back in 1828. Ownership of the mansion was transferred to Mary, their adopted daughter, that same year. Stephen died in 1832 after a carriage accident.
Eliza Jumel's Later Years
After Stephen's death, Mary married a lawyer named Nelson Chase. Eliza bought more furniture for the mansion. Eliza got engaged to former U.S. vice president Aaron Burr in 1833. They were married in the house's parlor on July 3. Their marriage was short. Eliza filed for divorce in 1834, and it was granted in 1836. Burr left the mansion after the divorce filing. After Burr's death, Eliza was not as popular in high society. She stayed in the mansion sometimes.
The Pell and Monroe families may have lived in the mansion in the late 1830s. Eliza probably did not live there much in the 1840s. But she and the Chase family moved back in by 1848. A well was dug on the grounds around 1857.
Eliza Jumel became quite unique in her later years. She was reportedly seen riding a horse around the house. She was followed by people dressed as soldiers. Eliza and one male servant lived in the house until she died in 1865. During this time, the mansion had few visitors and started to show its age.
After Eliza Jumel's Death
After Eliza died, there were legal battles over her will. The Chase family lived in the house for about 20 years after Eliza died. Three branches of the family lived in different parts of the mansion. They even ate dinner at different times!
The legal disputes over the Jumel estate ended in 1881. A judge ruled that Mary Bowen had never truly owned the mansion. The mansion and surrounding land were put up for sale in 1882. Nelson Chase kept the mansion, but the estate was divided. The Chase family finally sold all their property in the area by 1921.
Selling the Mansion
The Chase family stayed at the Jumel Mansion until 1887. They sold it to Henry H. Tobey, who then sold it to Eban Sutton Jr. It's not clear who lived in the house right after this sale. Elizabeth Le Prince may have lived there from 1889 to 1894. Her husband, early filmmaker Louis Le Prince, wanted to show his films at the mansion. But he disappeared mysteriously in 1890.
The Earle family bought the mansion in 1894. They renamed it Earle Cliff. The new owners were Ferdinand Pinney Earle and his wife, Lillie J. Earle. They moved many old decorations to the cellar. They also changed some parts of the house and painted the walls. A new kitchen was built. Lillie Earle hosted events at the mansion. These included parties for children and meetings for historical groups. There were ideas to move Earle Cliff in 1898, but it didn't happen. Ferdinand Earle lived in the mansion until he died in 1903.
The Mansion as a Museum
Becoming a Public Museum
By 1899, people were asking the government of New York City to buy the Jumel Mansion. They wanted to turn it into a museum. Groups like the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society supported this idea. At the time, it was one of only three buildings in Manhattan linked to George Washington.
The city's Board of Public Improvements considered the plan in 1900. They approved buying the house for $150,000 in 1901. The New York City Board of Aldermen passed a law in 1901 to make the mansion and its grounds a public park. The city bought the house in July 1903 for $235,000. Roger Morris Park opened to the public on December 28, 1903. A bronze plaque was added to the house.
The Daughters of the American Revolution formed the Washington Headquarters Association (WHA) in 1904. They wanted to run the museum. Other groups also wanted to operate it. After some disagreements, it was decided that the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation would own the mansion. The WHA was allowed to operate the museum.
Opening and Early Years
The WHA announced plans to restore the Morris–Jumel Mansion in 1905. They wanted to bring back its original Colonial style. They planned to fix old fireplaces and display furniture from the Jumel and Earle families. They also planned to landscape the gardens. The Morris–Jumel Mansion Museum officially opened on May 29, 1907. Kady Brownell, an American Civil War veteran, was the first person to take care of the museum.
In its first few years, the museum hosted two events each year. By the early 1910s, over 30,000 people visited the museum annually. The mansion was one of the last big country homes in Washington Heights. It was easy to reach by subway and streetcar. A new Colonial-style gateway was added in 1913. Parts of the third floor opened as exhibit space in 1914.
The museum's curator in the 1920s, William Henry Shelton, said many visitors came from the West and Midwest. The museum was also popular with teachers. The mansion was repainted and renovated in 1922. More renovation plans were made in 1924.
From the 1930s to Today
The house was repainted in 1932 for Washington's 200th birthday. The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation planned more renovations in 1934. Workers from the Works Progress Administration helped. They added a stairway to the basement and new gardens. The basement kitchen was restored to how it looked in the 1700s. An exhibit with colonial children's objects was added. The house reopened in October 1936.
In the mid-1900s, the house was known as both the Morris Mansion and the Jumel Mansion. In 1945, the interiors were restored. The Morris family's items were put on the first floor. The Jumel family's items were on the second floor. The mansion became a national and city landmark in the 1960s. By then, there were rumors that the house was haunted!
The museum had 20,000 visitors a year by the 1970s. This was after books about Eliza Jumel became popular. Even British Queen Elizabeth II visited the house in 1976. By the early 1980s, nine rooms were open to the public. The house received a $200,000 grant for preservation in 1987. The Morris–Jumel Mansion became a founding member of the Historic House Trust in 1989.
The mansion's outside was greatly renovated starting in 1990. The project cost $600,000. Architects restored the house to its 1800s appearance. They used old photos to replace parts like the railings and windows. By the late 1900s, many tourists visited the mansion. In the early 2000s, the house needed more work. It was repainted, and the windows were replaced in 2002.
In 2014, an intern found an old draft of the 1775 Olive Branch Petition in the attic. The museum sold it to raise money for its future. It sold for over $912,500! The museum's executive director wanted to raise more money for renovations and programs.
The museum became even more popular after the musical Hamilton opened in 2015. Many visitors came because of the musical. Eliza Jumel's bedroom and the parlor were restored in the early 2020s. In 2021, $2.7 million was secured for more renovations. The house still needs a lot of work. In late 2023, The New York Times said the house was in poor condition.
Mansion Architecture: A Blend of Styles
The Morris–Jumel Mansion is an early example of Palladian style in the U.S. Some say it was the first Palladian-style building in North America. We don't know who designed it, but Morris might have designed his own home. The outside design was inspired by Palladio, an Italian architect. The inside had a Georgian style. The Jumels' changes around 1810 added Federal style elements.
The mansion is older than New York City's street grid. It is the oldest house still standing in Manhattan. Since a caretaker lives there, it's also Manhattan's oldest building still used as a home.
Outside Features
The mansion has two main parts. The main house is two and a half stories tall. It has a two-story octagonal room at the back. This octagonal room might be the first of its kind in the U.S. It is connected to the main house by a short hallway.
The house was built with a wooden frame. It has thick brick walls covered with white wooden siding. The corners of the house have decorative vertical blocks. A wooden band runs across the second floor. All sides are covered with planks, except for the east wall, which has shingles. The windows are all slightly different sizes. One window has a scratch from Eliza Jumel's grandchild testing a diamond!
The front of the main house has a tall porch with a triangular top. It is supported by large columns. This porch was likely built with the house. It is said to be the only porch in New York City built before the American Revolution. The front door has fancy carvings. It has side windows and a fan-shaped window above it. A French door and a balcony are on the second floor, right above the main entrance.
The main house has a sloped roof with dormer windows. The roof has decorative teeth-like blocks. The octagonal room also has a sloped roof. There are three chimneys.
Inside the Mansion
The inside of the house is about 12,000 square feet. It originally had a Georgian-style layout. It had wide main halls and a simple design. The layout is similar to other houses built before the American Revolution. The house originally had 19 rooms. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission says the house has "some of the finest Georgian interiors in America."
When the Morris–Jumel Mansion became a museum, it was refurnished. It now looks like it did when the Morris, Washington, and Jumel families lived there. It has nine restored rooms. One of them was Washington's office. The dining room and Eliza Jumel's bedroom are also open. Her bed supposedly belonged to Napoleon! The museum also has personal items from Morris, Washington, Jumel, and Aaron Burr.
Basement Level
The basement was dug out of solid rock. It has thick walls. It used to have servants' bedrooms and the kitchen. An old advertisement from 1792 said it had a kitchen, laundry, wine cellar, storeroom, pantry, servants' rooms, and a dairy room. Today, part of the basement is an apartment for the house's caretaker.
The kitchen was very large for the 1760s. It had a wooden floor and plastered ceiling. A long beam supported the floor above. A big brick fireplace is on the kitchen's east wall. During Washington's time, pots and kettles were hung from a wire.
First Floor Rooms
The main entrance leads into a front hall and a main hall. These halls form a single path to the octagonal room at the back. There are two large rooms on each side of this path.
To the left of the halls are the parlor and the library. The parlor is near the southwest end of the house. It has paneled window shutters and large windows. It also has a fireplace with a wooden mantelpiece. The library is at the northwest end. It has similar decorations. The library's original use is unknown. An old advertisement called it "particularly adapted and fitted for a nursery."
To the right of the entrance hall is the dining room. This room is similar to the parlor. A wide archway in the dining room leads to a small area. There's also a butler's pantry. A small arch leads to the main stairway. The staircase has decorative steps and a handrail.
The octagonal drawing room at the back has paneled shutters and windows. Its walls have special wooden panels. George Washington once used this room as his headquarters. Later, Eliza Jumel would pretend to host royal guests in this room. In the late 1800s, it had fancy furniture and a chandelier. Today, it is decorated with Chinese wallpaper and other 18th-century details.
Second Floor Bedrooms
The second floor likely had seven bedrooms. The central part of the second floor has front and rear halls, like the first floor. The rooms to the northwest, southwest, and southeast were bedrooms. There is another bedroom in the octagonal room. After a 1945 renovation, these bedrooms were decorated with items from Eliza Jumel, Mary Bowen, Aaron Burr, and George Washington.
At the south end of the front hall is a large window. A French door leads to the balcony. The bedrooms are decorated like the first-floor rooms. They have fireplaces and windows. The southeastern bedroom was probably Eliza Jumel's. It has furniture and wallpaper in the Empire and Napoleonic styles. The southwestern bedroom was likely Aaron Burr's. The one to the northwest probably belonged to Mary Bowen. All these rooms have 19th-century furnishings. The bedroom in the octagonal room was used by Washington during the Revolutionary War.
Third Floor Space
The third floor was originally for guest bedrooms. There were five such rooms. By 1916, there were only three bedrooms. One of them had a fireplace without a mantel. This was probably used by servants. Today, an archive and reference library are on the third floor. This library is only open to special members of the Morris–Jumel Mansion.
Museum Activities and Impact
The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation owns the house. The museum is run by Morris–Jumel Mansion Inc., a nonprofit group started in 1904. This group manages the house and its collections. The museum gets most of its money from grants and events.
Museum Collection
When the museum first opened, it had many interesting items. These included an old sofa, pewter lamps, and hand-carved bed frames. It also had floors and tools from Revolutionary War soldiers' huts. In the 1920s, the museum showed coins, guns, prints, clothing, china, and furniture from the late 1700s. It also had a Bible belonging to Washington. Other war items included a table, first-aid cabinet, and a cannon. The museum also displayed clothing and items from Eliza Jumel.
Over the years, the museum has gained many objects. These include a Masonic apron that might have belonged to Aaron Burr. By the 1940s, the first floor had furniture by famous designers like Thomas Sheraton. The second floor had items like beds, chairs, and Burr's desk and letters. Some objects were borrowed from other museums. Others were loaned by private collectors. A small room on the first floor showed Revolutionary-era items found near the house. The basement kitchen displayed old cooking tools. The museum still has many items used by the Morris, Washington, Jumel, and Burr families.
Special Exhibits and Events
The museum has hosted many temporary exhibits. In its early years, it showed Revolutionary War objects. It also displayed items made by women. In the 1940s, it showed Washington's mementos. Today, the museum regularly presents temporary exhibits. These have included a 2009 exhibit on the house's history. A 2012 exhibit showed pieces from the 1700s and 1800s. A 2022 exhibit featured historical portraits of Washington Heights.
The museum used to host annual lawn parties and Washington's Birthday celebrations. It also had lectures and meetings for historical groups. In the mid-1900s, events included Flag Day ceremonies and Revolutionary War reenactments. In the 1970s, the mansion hosted open houses and storytelling.
Today, the mansion regularly presents lectures, concerts, and special exhibits. Events in the 1980s and 1990s included plays about Eliza Jumel's life. There were also food, craft, and music festivals. "Jazz at the Mansion" festivals and Easter egg hunts were popular. In the 2000s and 2010s, the mansion hosted outdoor jazz concerts and special dinners. It also had children's workshops and walking tours. The museum celebrates the house's anniversaries. Its 225th anniversary had duels, concerts, and storytelling. Its 250th anniversary in 2015 was celebrated with a Halloween festival.
The museum has some regular programs. For example, it hosts ghost tours and "paranormal investigations." This is because the mansion is rumored to have up to five ghosts, including Aaron Burr and Eliza Jumel! Once a month, Family Day events are held. The museum also hosts online "parlor chats." There are workshops, plays, and art shows at the mansion.
Recognition and Media Appearances
Landmark Status
The Morris–Jumel Mansion was recognized as important as early as 1914. The New York City Art Commission took pictures of it. In the 1930s, it was studied as part of the Historic American Buildings Survey. The New York State Education Department put up signs outside the house in 1935.
It became a National Historic Landmark in 1961. This made it one of the first landmarks to get this title. The Morris–Jumel Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. Its exterior was named a New York City Landmark in 1967. The mansion became part of the city-landmarked Jumel Terrace Historic District in 1970.
In 1975, the interiors of the Morris–Jumel Mansion were also named landmarks. This protected the first and second floors of the house.
Featured in Media
The house has been linked to popular media since the 1800s. It reportedly inspired a mansion in James Fenimore Cooper's 1821 novel The Spy. Later, a poet wrote lines about a Greek hero near the mansion. Rupert Hughes's 1924 novel The Golden Ladder was partly set in the mansion.
In 1996, the Morris–Jumel Mansion was shown in Bob Vila's TV show Bob Vila's Guide to Historic Homes of America. The TV show Ghost Adventures filmed an episode there in 2014. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote parts of Hamilton at the Morris–Jumel Mansion in 2015. The TV show Broad City filmed a scene at the mansion in 2019.
The house itself has also been shown in other exhibits. It was featured in the New-York Historical Society's 1952 exhibition of old New York City houses. Items from the mansion were displayed in a building lobby in 1979. A room in the Lord & Taylor Building was decorated in 1976 to look like one of the mansion's rooms. The mansion has also been the subject of several historical books.
See also
- List of museums and cultural institutions in New York City
- List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan above 110th Street
- List of National Historic Landmarks in New York City
- List of Washington's Headquarters during the Revolutionary War
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Manhattan above 110th Street
- Whitehall (Annapolis, Maryland), another pre-Revolutionary house in the Thirteen Colonies with a temple portico
