We recently solicited questions from our friends on Twitter and Facebook, to be answered by Henry Stern in a column on the Starblog. Below, we’ve posted one of the questions and answers. You can read all of them here.

Question: Where did Gracie Mansion gets its name and what is its history? - Ken Stewart

Answer: Gracie Mansion is named for the Scottish-born shipping magnate Archibald Gracie, who was a business partner of Alexander Hamilton and a friend of John Jay. In 1798, Gracie bought a large tract of land on Hoorn’s Hook near the East River, and the following year he built the two-story wooden Federalist mansion on the crest of a hill. Gracie primarily used the house as his country residence, entertaining guests there such as future President John Quincy Adams and future French king Louis Phillippe, until he was forced to sell it in 1823 to pay off debts. At one point, the city took the house for back taxes.

Various occupants resided in the house, until 1896, when the City of New York acquired the property and made it part of what is now Carl Schurz Park. As part of the park, the house served in numerous capacities, including an ice-cream stand, classroom space, and even public restrooms. From 1924 until 1936, it served as the Museum of the City of New York, and from 1936 until 1942 it was shown as a historical house.

In 1942, Robert Moses convinced Fiorello La Guardia to turn the house into the official mayoral residence. It is where he lived during his entire third term.