Hamilton Heights and Sugar Hill: Alexander Hamilton’s Old Harlem Neighborhood Through the Centuries

Hamilton Heights and Sugar Hill explores four centuries of colonization, land divisions, and urban development around this historic landmark neighborhood in West Harlem. It was the neighborhood where Alexander Hamilton built his country home, George Gershwin wrote his first hit, and Ralph Ellison wrote Invisible Man. The book uncovers the long-lost history of the transitions to Hamilton Grange and the building boom from 1885 to 1930, making it one of Manhattan's most historic and architecturally desirable neighborhoods. It also shares the story of the LaGuardia High School of Music & Art, one of the first in the nation to focus on arts and music.

Format: Hardback
Length: 434 pages
Publication date: 18 March 2024
Publisher: Fordham University Press

Spanning four centuries of colonization, land divisions, and urban development, Hamilton Heights and Sugar Hill is a historic landmark neighborhood in West Harlem. It was the birthplace of Alexander Hamilton, the home of George Gershwin's first hit, and the discovery of Norman Rockwell's artistic talent. Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man was also written in this neighborhood. Through words and pictures, Hamilton Heights and Sugar Hill explores the transformation of this picturesque section of Harlem from lush farmland in the early 1600s to its modern-day growth as a unique Manhattan neighborhood.

Stretching from approximately 135th Street and Edgecombe Avenue to around 165th, this small section in the Heights of West Harlem is home to so many significant events, extraordinary people, and stunning architecture. It's hard to believe that one place could contain all that majesty. Author Davida Siwisa James brings to life the unique residents and dwelling places of this Harlem neighborhood that stands at the heart of the country's founding.

In her book, she uncovers the long-lost history of the transitions to Hamilton Grange in the aftermath of Alexander Hamilton's death and the building boom from about 1885 to 1930 that made it one of Manhattan's most historic and architecturally desirable neighborhoods, both now and a century ago. The book also shares the story of the LaGuardia High School of Music & Art, one of the first in the nation to focus on arts and music.

The author chronicles the history of the James A. Bailey House, as well as the Morris-Jumel Mansion, Manhattan's oldest surviving residence and famously known as George Washington's home. Hamilton Heights and Sugar Hill is a captivating exploration of the past and present of this iconic neighborhood, providing a glimpse into the lives and legacies of the people who have called it home.

Weight: 703g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781531506148