KAREN & THE CONSTABLES

7 years ago, almost to the day, I took this picture in New York and couldn’t remember why it was significant but I knew it was. My sister and I had gone on holiday and were trying to absorb lots of information on a open-top tour with a very informative guide, but I knew to take a photo and I’d work the rest out from there.

Fast forward to current day and I’m watching Lin Manuel Miranda on Song Exploder on Netflix, talking about writing songs for Hamilton sitting in this very building, the oldest house in Manhattan, Morris-Jumel Mansion.

I LOVE Hamilton (show me someone who doesn’t), it’s my favourite musical and I’ve seen a few. Also, when I get into something, I really get into it, and I can get overly enthusiastic, hence this post!

Morris-Jumel Mansion, which stands on Jumel Terrace in Washington Heights, was built in 1765 by a British officer, Roger Morris, but was used as a military HQ for both sides during the American Revolution due to its elevated position. George Washington used it as a headquarters, Hamilton himself would have visited, but Aaron Burr lived there for a year with his second wife Eliza, which is why Lin, who is from the area, chose Burr’s room as a place to write some of the songs from Hamilton including Wait For It.

The mansion is now a museum at the end of its previous driveway turned adorable cobblestone street Sylvan Terrace, but if you’re not in that corner of the world you can have a sneaky peak inside on their website.