Alexander Hamilton Room

On view 2008 - 2018

As America's first Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton stands alone in the annals of American financial history. One of the founding era's key political figures, Hamilton's influence on the fledgling country's early finances set the wheels in motion for the United States to become the economic super-power it is today. Hamilton saved the new nation's credit, established plans for funding the country's debt, created a national bank and used the tax system to encourage economic development – all ideas considered "radical" by most Americans of the time. He also founded the Bank of New York, New York City's first bank that was located at 48 Wall Street until 1998.

The Museum's Alexander Hamilton Room was designed in the federalist style in 1927 to pay tribute to the Walton House, where the Bank of New York first conducted business in 1784. The room originally served as the bank president's office.

In this gallery, visitors will see documents signed by Hamilton, examples of his published works, important 18th century financial instruments and historical replicas of the pistols with which he was killed in a duel with Vice President Aaron Burr.