1923

Manhattan: Carl Schurz Park - Gracie Mansion.

Carl Schurz Park. A view of the Gracie Mansion, built in 1813 by Archibald Gracie and now (1937) occupied by the Museum of the City of New York. Samuel Provost, the first Bishop of New York and later president of Columbia, owned a farm of 90 acres here, the woodlands of which extended between 66th and 75th Streets and was called Jones Woods. Archibald Gracie bought this property from the heirs of Jacob Walton. His wife was Esther, a grand-daughter of Thomas Fitch of Connecticut. Two other grand-daughters of Governor Fitch married President Timothy Dwight of Yale and Moses Rogers, Merchant, who built the house at No. 7 State Street. (present R.C. Mission of Our Lady of the Rosary) respectively. This set of four views show the front of the house that faces the East River. In the background appears a row of houses that are on the west side of East End Ave., at East 89th Street. May 1923. Eugene L. Armbruster Collection. On January 8, 1942 the Board of Estimate officially designated the mansion as to future residence of New York City’s mayor. See "The New York Times," January 9, 1942.

Photo from the New York Public Library - Milstein Collection