A legacy in the heart of Manhattan
“She is buried in Trinity Church near you….” And by that, Eliza means that Angelica is buried in the same cemetery as Alexander Hamilton, because they are not buried near each other, believe me. Then again, it’s not a very big cemetery, so I guess distance is relative.
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Trinity Church Wall Street is a super cool, very historic church, and the small churchyard surrounding it is well worth a visit. In fact, if you only visit one cemetery in NYC, this might be it. It’s not necessarily the most awe-inspiring (that would be Woodlawn or Green-Wood), but it’s very old, very lovely, and the final resting place of the 10-dollar founding father without a father.
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Plus, it’s just steps from Wall Street, Federal Hall, and Battery Park, which makes it a great place to add to your NYC itinerary, especially if you’re a history buff.
Visiting ideas
This is one cemetery you can see in under 30 minutes. But, with the exception of Hamilton’s grave, which is marked by a giant white tower, it can be hard to find specific graves unless you know where to look.
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Eliza and Philip are buried in the same plot as Hamilton, and Hercules Mulligan is buried on that same side of the church as well (see the first photo above). Angelica Schuyler is buried around the other side of the church, in the last row before the weird street bridge thing, and if you’re not looking closely, you’ll miss her. There is a small sign beside her tombstone (see the second photo above).
On that same side, but closer to the front, you can also see the oldest carved gravestone in NYC, belonging to Richard Churcher, a child who died in 1681. If you have time and it’s open, the inside of the church is also well worth a visit.
In brief
Rating & Visiting info
4: Def worth a visit
Open to the public daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There are bathrooms in the church, and in nearby Federal Hall and Battery Park.
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Mid-April, when the trees and flowers are blooming, is a lovely time to visit, and while the cemetery doesn't typically offer tours, the church is generally open for self-guided tours unless there's an event going on.
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A helpful tidbit: there are actually three Trinity Church burying grounds. This one (where Hamilton is buried) is near Wall Street, but there’s also one nearby at St. Paul’s Chapel, and one way uptown where John James Audubon is buried. That one is cool too, and happens to be on the site of a Revolutionary War battle fought by Washington, but it’s off the beaten track for most tourists and quite a long ride from Wall Street.
Founding & Famous people
​1681
Alexander Hamilton, Eliza Hamilton, Philip Hamilton, Angelica Schuyler, Hercules Mulligan, Francis Lewis (a signer of the Declaration whose exact grave location is unknown), and plenty of others who played a role in the founding of the U.S.
Location & Nearby sites
Lower Manhattan
​Take the 1 to Wall Street, the 4 or 5 to Wall Street, or the R or W to Rector Street. You should only have to walk a couple blocks at most before you hit the church, and it’s pretty easy to spot.
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