Alexander Hamilton's Grange

Alexander Hamilton's country house, The Grange, is preserved by the National Park Service as Hamilton Grange National Memorial, and it is one of the few places in the city where you can stand in a founder's own rooms. The yellow Federal-style house sits in St. Nicholas Park on the edge of Hamilton Heights, the neighborhood that took his name. A visitor center in the basement introduces his life, and the restored rooms upstairs are seen with a park ranger, who fills in the story of his family, his politics and the duel that ended his life in 1804.

Tours are free, first come, first served and capped at 14 people, and the historic rooms can only be seen on a tour. They run several times a day Wednesday through Sunday, and the site is open year-round except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Groups of ten or more should email the park at least two weeks ahead. There's no parking on site, so take the A, B, C or D to 145th Street or the 1 to 137th Street and walk up through the park. Arrive early on weekends, when tours fill.