Growing up , Jordan Fisher was not a history caramel . “ I was a skill guy in school , numbers and scientific discipline and formula , what made things work and how to bring them forward — not what happened , ” he told mental_floss . He ’d memorize facts about diachronic image merely to communicate his tests ; he did n’t care about them . But being cast in theBroadway musicalHamilton — where he play both John Laurens and Philip Hamilton from November 2016 to March 2017 — change all that .
“ All it select was humanisation . It took putting mankind in these people who had been mythologized , and seeing the relationships and the West Coast / East Coast rivalry in this musical about the construct of our country , ” he say , adding that he ’s a “ make new devotee of American story — very passionate . ” Now , Fisher has link up with the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation to help launch Parks 101 — a series that will explore the less known histories and story of America ’s parks — to give a tour of Alexander Hamilton ’s New York City home , theHamilton Grange National Memorial . Mental Floss tagged along as Fisher and Park Ranger Vladimir Merzlyakov gave a turn .
The Grange is located all the way uptown , at 141st Street — which would , in Hamilton ’s time , have been the country . Hamilton ’s “ sweet projection , ” as he called it , was completed in 1802 , just two years before his death , and was moved twice during the next 200 years before cease up in its current location in St. Nicholas Park . Despite the relocations , the house is 75 pct original and has been freshen up to what it would have looked like when the Amy Lyon lived there .
The main entertaining way of the house , Merzlyakov said , had three huge triple windows , which — along with three others on the opposite side of the house — could be opened to ply a child’s play during spicy months . The forte-piano forte belong to Hamilton and Eliza ’s daughter Angelica and was given to her by her aunty , Angelica Church . That piano features to a great extent inHamilton , although it ’s Philip , not Angelica , who plays it . The sib were very secretive ; after Philip was kill in a duel , Angelica was never the same . “ She went a little sick , ” Fisher said . “ She would only refer to Philip even after he died as if he were alive , she would diddle music and songs that they would sing together as Kyd … It ’s very herculean to see that and to actually see a opus that they played . It ’s moderately incredible . ”
Fisher compare the formal dining way — which was reserved for guests and special affair — to that way in your nan ’s house that no one move in , where the furniture is covered in charge card . Notice that the silverware was turned upside down . “ Back then , the silversmith would have his insignia on the back handgrip of the silverware — so if you spent a mickle of money , you ’d want the citizenry using it to know that , ” Merzlyakov said .
Hamilton ’s study was painted a bright subtlety of green . “ This was an actual choice , ” Fisher joked . “ Green was another way of stunt back then . ” The colour was very expensive , “ the reason being that you ’d have to use copper to get that green gloss , and only a handful of people knew how to mix it and make it , ” Merzlyakov added . The playscript on the table are Hamilton’s — and the one on the top right is signed by Eliza .
Get a tour of the Grange from Fisher byvisiting his Facebook pageat 6 p.m.
