Archibald Gracie, a Scottish immigrant, founded a trading company and went on to become fantastically wealthy by late 18th-century standards. He built this mansion in 1799, located at the time amidst a well-to-do colony of similarly splendid country homes. Nearly 100 years later, in 1896, New York city acquired the property. Much of the estate became the new East End Park, subsequently renamed Carl Schurz Park.
After years of overuse by the Parks Department as a public building, Gracie Mansion became home to the Museum of the City of New York in 1923, but the museum left for its present location on Upper Fifth avenue less than ten years later. In 1942, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia and family moved in, and the mansion has served as the official residence for the City’s mayor ever since. Its elegant interior, furnishings, and art holdings reflect New York’s illustrious history.
The Mansion presents the main floor to the public and is a showcase for art and antiques created by New York designers, cabinetmakers, painters and sculptors. Tours must be reserved in advance. Call the number listed above for more information.