Finding Hamilton and Washington in Downtown New York

Art & Culture

Nov 30

George Washington. Alexander Hamilton. The American Revolution. These people and events are relatively recent in the entire span of world history. However, they feel almost mythical (in the way that heroes and events of ancient civilizations are) because of the magnanimous scale of their importance to our nation. Most of us tend to view major figures in American History as demigods, people whose feats were so stately – that they could not possibly have been entirely human.

Thanks to two exceptional biographies written by Ron Chernow, one which went on to inspire the hit Broadway musical “Hamilton” by Lin Manuel Miranda, humanity and perhaps even due notoriety has been brought to the otherwise ambiguous titular character, Alexander Hamilton, and all who were central to his life.

Hamilton has not only been a sensation in the theater world, but has ignited a new interest in Colonial and Revolutionary history among its fans.

Both the biography and hit musical resonate because we as sentient people can resonate with the very human struggles that men like Hamilton and Washington face in their lifetime. Rather than the robust, striking, man crossing the Delaware with a gusto of confidence, through these aforementioned mediums, we see a Washington who is unsure if he meets the ‘hype’ which surrounds him and his reputation.

In Hamilton, we see an abandoned young man whose traumatic past or loss and lovelessness impacts just about every decision that he makes. He is largely a “nobody” at birth and through childhood and yearns desperately just to be somebody worth remembering. Hamilton acts through each moment of his life with a passionate, almost desperate desire to be a worthwhile person. This longing for love and remembrance tugs at the heartstrings of nearly every viewer or reader because really, we all feel this way. Hamilton is keenly aware of the fact that life is short and our time to accomplish our dreams is finite, and in turn, this reminds the audience of the same ideals.

Every day thousands of New York locals and visitors pass by Trinity Church, most unaware of the incredibly significant man buried there.

After reading the biography by Chernow and watching the play about a dozen times, I couldn’t shake the emotional impact off. As Hamilton was desperate to rise to glory of some sort, I was desperate to find his ghost and to pay him homage. Much of my adult life has been a series of working and writing day and night to be remembered, to be somebody of importance, and I could relate to his nonstop ambition to the point that I can feel my heart breaking.

Whether you’re emotionally chained to the struggles of Revolutionary characters, a theatre lover, or a Revolutionary history buff, here are some awesome places to stand toe to toe with these prominent ghosts of the past in downtown Manhattan.

Culture editor Stephanie geeks out as the Hamilton & Washington tour begins in downtown Manhattan

Fence at Bowling Green Park

At the tip of downtown Manhattan is the National Museum of the American Indian, and just in front of that is a small, yet beautiful, space called Bowling Green Park. A black fence surrounds the park and it looks…well…like a great place for a pigeon to take a shit. That is to say…typical. But, if you run your finger atop the fence posts you’ll notice they are very jagged which is surprising. The jagged tops are due to the fact that this fence dates back to colonial times. Atop each post there used to be crowns which symbolized our loyalty to King George III, there was even a statue commemorating him within the park (it was later torn down by the revolutionists, melted, and used to make the bullets used in the revolution.) During the Revolution, each crown was torn down from the fence as a symbolic “fuck you” to the monarch, leave each post jagged and uneven!

Address: Broadway &, Whitehall St, New York, NY 10004

If you feel the top of the flatter parts of the fence, you’ll be able to see that they’re jagged. The original crowns were knocked off during the Revolution!

Federal Hall

This building, the City Hall of the 18th century is in the financial district and hosts a gigantic statue of George Washington in the front, and for good reason. At one in the afternoon on April 30, 1789, Washington was sworn in as the first President of the United States of America. A crowd of spectators was able to watch his swearing in, which he withstood from the balcony of Federal Hall. He then delivered his inaugural address in the Senate Chamber. A number of important historical events happened here in the 1700s including legislation being passed by Congress to establish a federal judiciary and the Bill of Rights.

Address: 26 Wall St, New York, NY 10005

You can visit “Big George” at Federal Hall, even though going inside is a “no go” during the COVID19 Pandemic.

Trinity Church and St Paul’s Chapel

It only seems suitable that the founding father of finance and the country’s First Secretary of Treasury is buried very close to the financial district. Pay your respects to Alexander Hamilton’s pyramid shaped tomb by taking a walk through Trinity Church graveyard, or simply, by admiring it from outside the gate. Elizabeth Schuyler-Hamilton and her sister, Angelica, are also buried at Trinity Church.

Address: 89 Broadway, New York, NY 10006

Mere steps from Trinity Church is St Paul’s Chapel, a colonial era church still standing which has miraculously withstood the test of time and the horrors of September 11th. After his first inaugural address, George Washington and his wife attended mass at the chapel. Other notable attendees of the day include the Marquis de Lafayette, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson.

St Paul’s Chapel would have been one of the tallest buildings within the Manhattan skyline in the early 1800s. Hamilton famously attended a duel with Aaron Burr in Weehawken New Jersey, and as he caught sight of the church while he and his second rowed toward his impending death, he is reported to have looked toward St Paul’s Chapel and remarked that New York would be a great city someday.

Address: 209 Broadway, New York, NY 10007

St. George’s Chapel – a Revolution era church which houses many original pieces from Washington’s day. The building is original and even survived the impact of the September 11th bombings.

Fraunces Tavern

If there are any fans of our nation’s revolutionary history, it is absolutely IMPERATIVE that you dine at Fraunces Tavern! While the building has undergone significant restoration, its foundations stretch back to the mid to late 1700s. Plenty of colonial folks would hang out here for dinner and a pint, but its most significant guest was of course George Washington. He delivered his farewell speech to his commanding officers in the tavern, and there was hardly a dry eye afterward. Enjoy lunch or dinner in the tastefully adorned tavern which certainly feels historical (but not at all in a tacky way!) Afterward, head upstairs to the museum atop the restaurant which is dedicated to the history of not only the tavern, but the American Revolution itself. Notable exhibits include a lock of Washington’s hair, a fragment of one of his teeth, and weapons used during the time of the war.

Address: 54 Pearl St, New York, NY 10004

The museum atop the Fraunces Tavern has a remarkable number of Revolution era relics.

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine & James Watson House

A bygone brick building straight from the revolutionary era sits sandwiched between two skyscrapers in downtown Manhattan. It’s an exceptional relic from the era and gives one an insight into how much New York has grown. It’s the perfect place to let your imagination run wild and then be seized by the ghosts of the past. During the revolutionary days, houses like the Watson house were for wealthy merchant families and this house is the last standing of a group of them originally called State Street’s Mansion Row. The proprietor, James Watson, was a Federalist (as was Hamilton) and the first speaker of the New York State Assembly. Alexander Hamilton would have undoubtedly visited and had business in the Watson house with it being so close to the water during the war.

Attached with a Catholic Church with a shrine to a particular colonial wonder of a woman on top. Elizabeth Seton is the first American saint and a shrine to her stands outside the building. Originally Luthern, she became a devout Catholic and did an enormous amount of charity work, including organizing New York’s first private charity along with Elizabeth Schulyer-Hamilton, the founding father’s wife.

Address: 7 State Street

New York, N.Y. 10004

It’s amazing that this Revolution era building still stands amid so much progress forward since its conception!

Stephanie A.

Stephanie once found herself very nearly kicked out of the Morgan Museum and Library for weeping incessantly over a lock of Mary Shelley’s hair on display. Apparently the other patrons found that disturbing. Beyond that though, Stephanie is a freelance writer, novelist and owner of the Wandering Why Traveler brand. She lives in the ‘Little Odessa’ part of Brooklyn where’s she’s been studying Russian for nearly a decade yet hasn’t learned jack-shit about the language, somehow. It’s probably because she’s always consumed in art history seminars, museum visits, and indie bookstores. She’s a voracious reader, a prolific writer, and enjoys both the glitter and grit of New York City. An ‘old soul’ is how she describes herself because of her love of classics, actors like Marlon Brando, and penchant for Van Morrison, Motown, and early bedtimes.