Richmond Hill – an estate located in the present-day West Village – no longer exists. But from the time it was built to its demise, it served as a home for George Washington, John Adams, and Aaron Burr. It’s from here that Burr departed for the fateful duel with Alexander Hamilton.
The estate of Richmond Hill stood about three blocks north of today’s Manhattan entrance to the Holland Tunnel. Its location was roughly bound by today’s Varick, Charlton, MacDougal, and King streets. Even though the site is now inland due to landfill, in the 18th century, it stood on the Hudson River shore.
Richmond Hill was built on the land that belonged to Trinity Church
The estate was first built by Sir Abraham Mortier, Commissary to the British army, who obtained a 99-year lease for the land from Trinity Church in the 1760s.
Richmond Hill was George Washington’s headquarters
In 1776 Richmond Hill served as George Washington’s headquarters during the battle for New York and until the retreat of the Continental Army. During the war, Richmond Hill, with the rest of Manhattan, was in the hands of the British.
The official residence of the first US Vice President
When the war was over, and New York was chosen as the capital of the United States, Richmond Hill became the official residence of the first Vice President of the USA, John Adams, and his wife, Abigale. At that time, Richmond Hill was a country estate located a mile north of the city proper. The Adamses lived there from June 1789 until August 1790. In 1790, the capital of the United States moved from New York to Philadelphia, and John and Abigail Adams moved there.
Aaron Burr’s residence
This is when Aaron Burr acquired Richmond Hill. During Burr’s residence, which started in 1791, Richmond Hill saw many important visitors who were wined and dined regularly and lavishly. Since Mrs. Burr was ill and could not be a hostess, this job fell upon the skinny shoulders of Burr’s teenage daughter, Theodosia, who, despite her young age, did an admirable job. The guest list included such visitors as the statesman Maurice de Talleyrand, Napoleon’s youngest brother – Jerome Bonaparte, and the future king of France Louis-Phillipe. Andrew Jackson raved about wines served at Burr’s table.
On the early morning of July 11, 1804, Burr arose from Richmond Hill and went across the Hudson to his fateful duel with Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton died of his wounds, and Burr lost his political career and financial standing. After Burr’s trial for treason in 1807, where he was found not guilty, he had to sell Richmond Hill to John Jacob Astor, who divided the estate into plots and resold them at an enormous profit.
Next time you walk along Varick Street and cross Charlton Street, just imagine the glorious country estate connected at different points in time with three Founding Fathers.
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