Morris-Jumel Mansion

"Such a unique and interesting place! What I particularly love is how the team working there have created such an incredible sense of community anchored around a mixed and fascinating history.

I’ve now been to a couple of events there and both were fantastic - different, learning opportunities, fun, and food for the soul!

I went to their Tavern Night in the summer. What a lovely evening! Where else in NYC would you get that?!?!?

And then yesterday I did a Halloween Paranormal tour. INCREDIBLE! Huge kudos to our amazing hosts: Danielle, Regan, and Pat!! Not sure we really experienced any ghosts but what a fun and unique way to talk about the history of the mansion and the lives of the people that inhabited it. We’ve lived in NYC for 1.5 years now (and are not local to the mansion) but it’s definitely the best experience I’ve had since being here.

Bravo MJ team! I simply LOVE what you’re doing to both preserve this important history and also build community!!! You are awesome people!"

James Cowling-Vega

"Excellent. The outside of the mansion is showing its age. They are renovating the outside. The interior is open to tour. It is worth the visit for the history and revolutionary drama. Oh yes, George Washington slept there as well. The staff is knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their job and the mansion. Make sure to visit Sylvian Terrace, a closed street still as it was in the past.
Definitely a must see for history buffs. Lin Manuel Maranda wrote the song about Aaron Burr while in Aaron Burr's bed chamber. Yes Aaron Burr lived there for four years. See what I said; history."

John Caccioppoli

"The Morris-Jumel Mansion is recognized as the oldest house of Manhattan, New York and one of our country’s first and most prominent historic house museum. It is owned and operated by the New York City government.

Built in 1765, the mansion features elements of Palladian, Federal and Georgian style architecture, and it served as the residence for many prominent figures in America’s history.

In June of 2025, I brought and treated my wife and myself for a self guided tour of the Morris-Jumel Mansion to celebrate our Happy Juneteenth holiday, and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit of this historic destination. During our time at the mansion, we learned much about the occupants that resided at the mansion.

The mansion was built initially for Colonel Roger Morris, an officer in the British Army, and his spouse, Mary Philipse, a potential love interest of George Washington and a member of the Philipse Family, a prominent Dutch family of 18th Century New York.

In the early years of the American revolution, the Morris family fled the mansion likely stemming from fears that their home would subject to arson attacks carried out by the Patriots, colonists that opposed Great Britain’s governance during the colonial era.

In 1776, George Washington occupied and used the mansion as a military headquarters following his army’s retreat of Manhattan during the Revolutionary war. The exhibit that detailed George Washington’s time at the mansion indicates he may have chosen the site due to its elevated topography, which gave him the advantage to see approaching British troops.

Washington would flee from the mansion in October of 1776 due to advancing British troops. The British would occupy the house from 1776 until their last evacuation in 1783. During much the British occupation, the mansion would serve as the headquarters of British lieutenant general, Henry Clinton and Hessian commander, Wilhelm von Knyphausen

After becoming President in 1789, George Washington returned to the mansion and celebrated a party with several other Founding Fathers.

Throughout much of the 19th century, the mansion was primarily owned by the Jumel family which included French merchant, Stephen Jumel & his wife, Eliza Bowen Jumel, who would go down as one of the wealthiest female figures of New York history.

When the Jumels occupied the mansion, the house was regarded as the “social center of colonial New York.” The Jumels used their home to host numerous lavish celebrations and it was visited by many prominent European & American figures.

During our visit of the mansion, both my wife and I were fascinated to learn about the Eliza Jumel & the mansion’s connection with the Solomon Northrop family. Solomon Northrop was the son of a freed slave and a free woman of color, an American abolitionist, and the author of the memoir of the “Twelve Years A Slave.” We learned that Solomon’s wife, Ann was hired by Eliza Jumel to work as a cook at the mansion. Ann, her children and her husband, Solomon would live and work at the mansion for a number of years.

Other important highlights that are featured at the mansion are an 18th century kitchen which contained many replicas pots and tools that were used by slaves to cook and prepare meals. Other rooms include Eliza Jumel’s bedchamber, a French parlor, the Aaron Burr room, as well as items that were used by the British and Hessians when they occupied the mansion.

Due to its unique architecture design and rich heritage, the Morris Jumel Mansion is listed on the US National Register Of Historic Places and is recognized as a National Historic Landmark.

If you are passionate enthusiast on US history, particularly colonial America & 18th & 19 Century New York, you’ll definitely have fun visiting and exploring the Morris Jumel mansion, an amazing cultural gem and delightful New York treasure!!!"

Greg Harris