Schuyler Mansion

Perched on a hill that once offered a great view of the Hudson is this gracious 1761 Georgian mansion (32 Catherine St. at Elizabeth St., 518/434-0834, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Wed.–Sun. Apr.–Oct., adults $4, seniors $3, children 5–12 $1). Now a State Historic Site, the home was built by Philip Schuyler, a leading Albany [1] citizen who served as a general during the Revolutionary War.

Daniel Webster once honored Schuyler as “second only to Washington in the services he performed for his country,” but he was relieved of his duties and court-martialed for ordering the evacuation of Fort Ticonderoga [2]. A probable victim of political infighting, Schuyler was eventually acquitted, though he resigned his post.

The Schuyler Mansion hosted all the major players of the day—Benjamin Franklin, Benedict Arnold, George Washington, Aaron Burr—and served as a prison for Gen. Burgoyne following the British surrender at Saratoga. Schuyler’s daughter, Elizabeth, married Alexander Hamilton here.