Walk in Hamilton’s Shoes: 8 Iconic Locations from the Musical [Then and Now Photos]

Then: The largest academic building at the time, Nassau Hall was the home of the entire American government when Princeton was the capital of the early United States from July to October 1783. The son of Princeton’s second president, Aaron Burr Jr. was known as one of the most brilliant students of the college in the 18th century, graduating a year after James Madison.
Now: It houses Princeton University’s administrative offices and is a designated National Historic Landmark since 1960 for its importance in the Revolutionary War. Former President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Michelle Obama are some of the famous Princeton graduates of present times.

Then: It was founded in 1754 as King’s College but had its activity suspended for eight years once the American Revolution began. King’s College alumni Alexander Hamilton and John Jay played a very important role in the reopening of the academic institution in 1784 under a new name – Columbia College.
Now: Columbia University is a private Ivy League research university in Upper Manhattan and the oldest institution of higher learning in the State of New York. Hamilton Hall with Alexander Hamilton’s statue in front of it are a tribute to the former Secretary of Treasury. Other prominent graduates include President Barack Obama and former President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Then: Kips Bay was an inlet of the East River and the site of the British landing during the New York Campaign in the American Revolutionary War on September 15, 1776.
Now: It is a conveniently-located Manhattan neighborhood, known for having a laid-back residential feel amid New York City.

Then:  The Grange, Hamilton’s two-story Federal-style country house, was located in Harlem when the area was still largely farmland. It was the only home he ever owned, remaining in his family for 30 years.
Now: The Hamilton Heights subsection of Harlem is a semi-suburban neighborhood with historic townhouses and brownstones. It derives its name from Hamilton and the Grange, although the house itself has been relocated to St. Nicholas Park and turned into a National Memorial.

Then: The square beneath the Old State House’s balcony was the site of the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770 and from the same balcony the Declaration of Independence was first proclaimed on July 18, 1776.
Now: It serves as a history museum operated by the Bostonian Society and remains one of the oldest public buildings in the US, as well as one of the landmarks on Boston’s Freedom Trail.

Then: The town is the site of the siege and surrender of British General Cornwallis to General George Washington and the French Fleet on October 19, 1781, event which effectively ended the American Revolutionary War.
Now: Known for its waterfront charm and famous battles, Yorktown offers visitors the chance to tour the Yorktown Battlefield and the American Revolution Museum.

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Then: Real estate transactions increased in Albany during and after the Revolutionary War and in 1797 the city became the state capital of New York. And it was in Albany that Elizabeth Schuyler and Alexander Hamilton held their wedding at the Schuyler family mansion on December 14, 1780.
Now: The state capital is also the economic and cultural core of the Capital District of New York State and future home to the Museum of Political Corruption. The Schuyler Mansion is a museum and a National Historic Landmark since 1967.

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Then: In the years 1798-1845 Weehawken witnessed 18 documented duels (the most famous being the one between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr) and probably many more off the record. Hamilton’s son, Philip, was fatally wounded in a duel at the same spot where his father would lose his life three years later.
Now: Weehawken is a township in New Jersey with a mostly residential community, as well as a business district. The approximate site of the Burr-Hamilton duel can be visited in the town’s Hamilton Park, which is a short ferry ride away from midtown Manhattan.