Hamilton Grange National Memorial, located at 287 Convent Avenue, preserves the home of founding father Alexander Hamilton. Born and raised in the West Indies, Hamilton came to New York in 1772 at age 17 to study finance at King's College (now Columbia University).

Hamilton became a supporter of the cause of the American patriots during the political turmoil of the 1770s. Commissioned as a Captain of Artillery at the beginning of the American Revolution, he soon became an aide-de-camp to George Washington.

After the war, as a member of Congress, Hamilton was instrumental in creating the new Constitution. As co-author of the Federalist Papers he was indispensable in the effort to get the Constitution adopted. As the first Secretary of the Treasury (1789-1795) he devised plans for funding the national debt, securing federal credit, encouraging expansion of manufacturing and organizing the federal bank.

Hamilton commissioned architect John McComb Jr. to design a Federal style country home on a sprawling 32 acre estate in upper Manhattan. This house was completed in 1802 and named "The Grange" after the Hamilton family's ancestral home in Scotland, but served as his home for only two years. On July 11, 1804, Hamilton was fatally wounded in a duel with his political rival Aaron Burr.

 Directions 

Car - I-87 (Major Deegan Expressway) to Exit 4 - East 149th St; west on 149th St across bridge onto West 145th St; west on 145th St about six blocks to Convent Ave; south 4 blocks on Convent Ave. From George Washington Bridge and Manhattan: Broadway to 141st St.; east on 141st St to Convent Ave. A limited amount of street parking is available.

Public Transportation - By Train 7 days a week: 7th Ave-Broadway #1 or #9 subway trains stop at the West 137th Street Station on Broadway. From the station go east to Convent Ave then north to 141st St. A, B, C, and D subway trains stop a the West 145th St Station on St. Nicholas Ave. From the train station, go west to Convent Ave and South to 141st St. By Bus 7 days a week: The Broadway M-4 and M-5 is two blocks to the west. On Amsterdam Ave on block to the west by routes M-100 and M-101 and by route BX-19 operating cross-town on 145th St. Limited service on Convent Ave by route M-18.