Article Summary: Alexander Hamilton National Parks, National Parks Honoring Alexander Hamilton
I never thought I would be able to combine two of my passions: musical theatre and national parks. Then came “Hamilton: An American Musical”.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve likely been bursting into songs about the American Revolution since July 3, 2020 when the filmed performance dropped on Disney Plus. If you’re truly like me, you’ve been poorly rapping those same lyrics since the original cast performed on Broadway in 2015.
Did you know that you can visit many of the places mentioned in the famous musical by visiting America’s national parks? Follow in Alexander Hamilton’s footsteps at the national park sites below.
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Table of Contents
Map of Alexander Hamilton National Parks
Each of the national park sites mentioned below and shown on the map represent a significant moment in Alexander’s life and the events of “Hamilton: An American Musical”.
Christiansted National Historic Site
Songs: “Alexander Hamilton”, “Hurricane”
The life of Alexander Hamilton begins in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Alexander Hamilton’s mother, Rachel Faucette, lived on the Caribbean Island of St. Croix. After her marriage to Johan Michael Lavien deteriorated, he accused her of adultery and insisted she be sentenced to jail.
For a few months, she was incarcerated at Fort Christiansvaern, now part of Christiansted National Historic Site in the U.S. Virgin Islands. When she was released, she fled to St. Kitts, where she met James Hamilton.
In the songs “Alexander Hamilton” and “Hurricane”, you hear tales of the tragic events to follow. After giving birth to two sons, Alexander and James, the family returned to St. Croix and Alexander’s father promptly abandoned the family. Three years later, his mother died, likely due to Yellow Fever.
The hurricane he sings about destroyed his town of Christiansted in August 1772.
Valley Forge National Historical Park
Songs: “Right Hand Man”, “Stay Alive”
After immigrating to New York City, it didn’t take long for Alexander Hamilton to become General George Washington’s right-hand man.
Soon after, he writes letters to Congress detailing the shortages of food and supplies (“we have resorted to eating our horses”) from the Isaac Potts House. This served as Washington’s Headquarters, and you can visit the small home at Valley Forge National Historical Park in Pennsylvania.
Morristown National Historical Park
Songs: “A Winter’s Ball”, “Helpless”, “Satisfied”
Other than his loyalty to the Revolution and George Washington, the most important relationship in Alexander’s life was certainly his marriage to Elizabeth “Eliza” Schuyler. In fact, you could argue that this musical is actually about her, but we won’t get into that now.
Even today, visiting the quaint town of Morristown, New Jersey brings you back to the late 1700s as you imagine these decadent houses and their inhabitants. George and Martha Washington were among many who called Morristown home. Though only for one (frigid) winter between 1779 and 1780, the Washingtons resided in the Ford Mansion while soldiers froze in Jockey Hollow. Five aides-de-camp joined them in the house, including Alexander Hamilton.
The Washingtons enjoyed hosting lavish parties, dinners, and dances at the Ford Mansion. During one of these events, Alexander, Eliza, and Anjelica (and Peggy!) reconnected after a brief meeting in Albany a few years prior.
The rest of their love story is told beautifully throughout the musical, including a possible love triangle between Alexander, Eliza, and Angelica Schuyler that is debated by historians.
Colonial National Historical Park
Song: “Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)”
One of my favorite songs in the musical tells the story of a crucial battle that led to victory for Washington, Hamilton, and those fighting for freedom during the American Revolution, the Battle of Yorktown. This was the first time Alexander was in command after years of pleading to Washington for the position.
The Yorktown Battlefield is part of Colonial National Historical Park in Virginia. The park also includes the Moore House, pictured above, where negotiations took place and the Articles of Capitulations were drafted. This was the last major battle in the Revolutionary War and a crucial step toward American independence and victory.
Independence National Historical Park
Songs: “Non-Stop”, “Cabinet Battle #1”, “The Room Where It Happens”, “Hurricane”
Shortly after the British surrender, the Founding Fathers began to build their new nation, a task that proved to be more difficult than any anticipated. As King George III quips, “Do you know how hard it is to lead? You’re on your own. Awesome! Wow! Do you have a clue what happens now?”
In the song “Non-Stop”, Alexander sings, “I was chosen for the Constitutional Convention!”. The line refers to Alexander serving as one of three representatives of New York at a Constitutional Convention in 1787. This is also where he “goes and proposes his own form of government… talks for six hours, the Convention is listless.” The lack of support for these ideas inspired him to write 51 essays as part of the Federalist Papers, supporting the U.S. Constitution.
The Constitutional Convention took place at the Pennsylvania State House, now included in Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia.
The park also protects the First Bank of the United States. As the name implies, it was America’s first national bank. During “The Room Where It Happens” and “Cabinet Battle #1”, we hear Hamilton argue for its establishment. Eventually, he agreed to allow the U.S. capital to move to the Potomac River in return for its creation.
Later in the musical, Alexander briefly mentions the Liberty Bell, also protected as part of the Independence National Historical Park. He compares his dedication to the Revolution to the resounding sound made by the broken bell, singing, “I wrote my way to Revolution, I was louder than the crack in the bell… I wrote about the Constitution and defended it well.”
Federal Hall National Monument
Song: “Non-Stop”
The song “Non-Stop” also covers Alexander Hamilton beginning his new role as America’s first Treasury Secretary. Washington sings that the people are asking him to lead, and asks Alexander to continue to serve as his right-hand man in this new role.
Now, presidential inaugurations take place in Washington, D.C. in front of the U.S. Capitol, with a few exceptions. One such inauguration was the very first of George Washington, who took his oath on the steps of Federal Hall in Manhattan.
Saratoga National Historical Park
Song: “Take a Break”
In the song “Take a Break”, Eliza implores Alexander to stop working and travel with her and the family upstate for the summer. Their summer estate was here in Saratoga, New York.
Originally the country home of her father, General Philip Schuyler, the Schuyler family owned this house both before and after the Battles at Saratoga.
Sadly, the original house was burned by the British in 1777. Philip was desperate to rebuild, and a new house was erected in just one month on the original, burned foundation. Philip ran an extensive farming and milling operation from this location.
The home has been restored by the National Park Service and is regularly open to visitors. The surrounding area is known as Schuylerville, named for Saratoga’s founding family. Others who visited the house include George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and the Marquis de Lafayette, all of whom appear in the musical.
Hamilton Grange National Memorial
Song: “It’s Quiet Uptown”
Though the house has been relocated twice, “The Grange” is the home of Alexander and Eliza in upper Manhattan. Its construction was completed in 1802, just two years before Alexander’s death after a duel with Aaron Burr.
In its current location in St. Nicholas Park, it rests on the original 32 acres owned by the Hamilton family. This is the only home Alexander ever owned.
Other References to National Parks in “Hamilton: An American Musical”
Fort Necessity National Battlefield
Song: “History Has Its Eyes on You”
When Washington says he “led his men straight into a massacre” and “witnessed their deaths first-hand”, he’s referring to this defeat. This was the opening battle in the French and Indian War and set the stage for the American Revolution.
Washington served as a (newly commissioned) lieutenant colonel at only 21 years of age. Months later, he was promoted to colonel after Joshua Fry’s death.
Washington Monument
Song: “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story”
As the beautiful finale details, Eliza spends the rest of her life preserving Alexander’s legacy. This included organizing thousands of his writings with the help of their son, John. Furthermore, Eliza raised funds to build this monolith dedicated to George Washington. The cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1848, with Eliza in attendance.
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
It is actually not mentioned in the musical, but Hamilton founded America’s first industrial city: Paterson, New Jersey. The town became the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution.
The site was built to harness the hydrologic power of the falls to create everything from cotton to railroad parts. Overlook Park in Paterson features a statue of Alexander Hamilton.
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Awesome post, Riley! I love it, can wait to use this as a guide!
It would be an epic road trip!