Morris-Jumel Mansion

1765 - present

The Morris Jumel Mansion is located on 160th Street and Amsterdam Avenue–it is the oldest surviving house in New York City. British colonel Roger Morris had the mansion built for his wife Mary Philipse in 1765–the architect of the house remains unknown, and it was probably built by enslaved laborers and indentured servants. During the Revolutionary War, Morris was forced to return to England, and George Washington and his troops used the house as a base. After the war, the house was bought by Stephen Jumel, who married Elizabeth Jumel (a courtesan who was rumored to have had relations with numerous Founding Fathers). When Stephen Jumel died, Elizabeth married Aaron Burr, which proved to be a tumultuous relationship. While Jumel was living in the house, Anne Northup worked as a cook for the household. Anne was the wife of Solomon Northup, who wrote 12 Years a Slave. After Elizabeth Jumel died, the house remained empty until it was converted into a museum in the 1900s. The educational focus of the museum has shifted over the years–in the first half of the 20th century, the Daughters of the American Revolution and curators set up the space to exhibit Colonial history, and there were annual celebrations for George Washington’s birthday. Since then, the museum has been transformed to primarily display the Jumel era (1810-1865). The mansion is currently owned by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and is operated by the Morris-Jumel Mansion Inc.; multiple school outreach programs are offered for K-12 levels.