A delicate fan, a crystal perfume bottle, an ornate clock. These handful of personal items are a small window into the 18th century life of Eliza Jumel, one-time owner of the Morris-Jumel Mansion on W. 162nd Street and Edgecombe Avenue.
That peek into her private life is all the more tantalizing because the collection, now on exhibit at the museum, has never been seen before by the public.
At the exhibit’s opening on April 22, the treasures of Ms. Jumel brought curious museum-goers from across the city to the heart of Washington Heights and the oldest freestanding residence in New York City
“Today we are exhibiting personal stuff like tortoise shell hair combs, jewelry cases, pomade jars and perfume bottles to name a few. It’s the ultimate in luxury that you would find in a woman’s boudoir from that time,” said John Kingsley, a curator of the exhibit.
For Rita Buckholtz, a member of the museum for 23 years, the exhibit brings back memories of her childhood.
“Though they’re not exactly alike, a lot of the jewelry and combs remind me of stuff my mom used to have,” she said.
The mansion was built in 1765 by British Colonel Roger Morris and his wife, Mary Philips. It was the home of George Washington for a brief period from where he ran the Continental Army. In the years that followed guests of the mansion would included future presidents John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and John Quincy Adams.
One of the mansion’s striking features is its obvious French décor. There is a bed that is said to have belonged to French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.
Eliza and her husband, Stephen Jumel, a French wine merchant, moved into the mansion in 1810. They lived most of the year near Wall Street and used the mansion as a summer home to escape the miasma of Lower Manhattan. They also spent a considerable amount of time in France entrenched in the hierarchy of French society.
The house was built in a Palladian style with classical columns, a two-story front portico and a second-story balcony. Its most unique feature is its one of a kind two-story octagon room, which is believed to be the first of its kind in the colonies.
According to Carol Ward, director of education and public programs at the museum,
the strong presence of foreign decor was rare for many American women of Ms. Jumel’s stature.
“The paintings, wall paper, clocks and heirlooms all have a very French Empire feel. Most American women of that time kept their households awash in American influence. Ms. Jumel managed to capture a perfect balance between her homeland and the country she spent a considerable amount of time in,” Ward said.
The neighborhood is now a little different from the 1800s when, perched on its overlook, the house peered into the forests surrounding the Harlem River valley.
Now it looks into the Bronx, Yankee Stadium and a sea of lights.
Somehow the colonial-era mansion still resonates with locals, and many of the museum’s young visitors are from nearby.
Ward credits the diverse crowds to the use of community outreach and Facebook.com which has helped attract a younger crowd.
Museum intern Naiomy Rodriguez grew up a block away from the museum.
“I visited this museum in fourth grade and always wanted to be a part of it. I’m helping to expose it to a lot of the people in the area who wouldn’t think about visiting,” she said.
Another intern, Genesis Perez from the Bronx, is helping attract more Spanish-speaking visitors to the museum.
“We are working on audio guides in Spanish, as well as descriptions of each fixture in the house translated from English to Spanish. Many of the people in this area don’t have the time to learn English, so this is a welcome help for them,” she said.
Following Stephen’s death in 1832, Jumel married the 77-year-old former U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr. He died in 1836. Jumel remained in her Washington Heights home until her death in 1865.
Today, the museum hosts approximately 12,000 visitors a year, some of whom hail from as far away as Florida.
Jean Mercier is one of them, but only had to travel from as far away as Chelsea. A self described museum enthusiast, said she’s happy to see the museum active.
“Many of these historic houses in other areas just sit there unused. It’s great to see tours, music festivals, and other events going on here. That helps to make the museum more known and less of a secret.”
