Gracie, Archibald, Mansion
Why it's listed
Gracie Mansion is a white clapboard, two-story Federal style country house on a point of land jutting into the East River, within Carl Schurz Park in Manhattan. Merchant and shipowner Archibald Gracie built the square frame house in 1799 and enlarged it in 1811, adding porches, balustrades with chinoiserie lattice, and a fanlight doorway that some attribute to Major Charles Pierre L'Enfant. The site had earlier held the Walton family's country house, destroyed in 1776, and was fortified during the Revolution. After Gracie's business failed in 1819, later owners held the house until the city bought it in 1891. It declined, then was restored in the 1920s, housed the Museum of the City of New York from 1926 to 1932, and became the mayor's official residence in 1943. Architect Mott B. Schmidt designed an entertaining wing in 1965-66. The house is valued as a fine example of Federal domestic architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a fine example of Federal period domestic architecture that still keeps the air of an early 19th century country house. It also stands on a site tied to the Revolutionary War and has played a continuing part in New York City's social, political and cultural life. Merchant Archibald Gracie entertained notable guests there, and it has been the mayor's official residence since 1943.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 75001205, listed May 12, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | East End Ave. at 88th St., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | May 12, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001205 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Archibald Gracie (builder/owner); doorway attributed by some to Major Charles Pierre L'Enfant; 1965-66 addition by Mott B. Schmidt |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition, occupied, altered; serves as the official residence of the Mayor of New York City, with a modern wing added 1965-66. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.77631, -73.94292 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 75001205.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q3025091
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.