Ethos

Gramercy, Manhattan: The Private Park and Its Keys

Gramercy, New York

Pictures from Gramercy

See all 4 photos →
Gramercy Park Gates Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace Pete's Tavern National Arts Club

Gramercy takes its name from a mistranslation of sorts: Dutch settlers called this soggy ground 'Krom Moerasje,' or little crooked swamp, and when Mayor James Duane acquired the site in 1761 he anglicized it into 'Gramercy Seat' — from the archaic English 'gramercy,' meaning many thanks. The swamp itself vanished in 1831, when developer Samuel B. Ruggles bought 22 acres of Gramercy Farm, spent about $180,000 draining it, and in 1832 deeded a private two-acre square to the trustees of 66 surrounding lots. Those lots filled with townhouses through the 1840s, helped along by the Croton Aqueduct's arrival in 1842. Gramercy Park remains one of only two private parks in New York City: only keyholding property owners may enter, though anyone can admire the 1840s townhouses ringing the fence. One keyholder, actor Edwin Booth, founded The Players in 1888 at 16 Gramercy Park South — reportedly the oldest club still occupying its original clubhouse.

  1. New York City's most famous private park, viewable through its 1832 iron fence by anyone without a key.

  2. Free gallery exhibitions inside a landmarked mansion on Gramercy Park South, closed for summer recess until September 11, 2026.

  3. A mid-size concert hall on Irving Place with a steady touring calendar.

  4. A tavern operating since 1864 at the corner of East 18th Street and Irving Place.

  5. Michelin-starred Spanish cooking on Irving Place, with sister wine bar Bar Jamón next door.

  6. Farm-to-table brunch and dinner on Irving Place since 1986.

  7. Bavarian fare under a ceiling of Christmas lights kept up nearly all year.

A Swamp Turned Private Square

The Gramercy Park Historic District was designated by the city on September 20, 1966, its boundaries extended in 1988, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 — protections that cover the private park and the 1840s rowhouses around it. At 16 Gramercy Park South, the actor Edwin Booth turned his own 1847 mansion into The Players on December 31, 1888, hiring Stanford White to remake the interior while keeping an upper-floor apartment for himself; the clubhouse, a National Historic Landmark since 1962, still holds a letter in which Edwin apologized for his brother John Wilkes Booth's assassination of Lincoln. A few blocks away at 28 East 20th Street, the National Park Service preserves the re-created boyhood home of Theodore Roosevelt, the first U.S. president born in New York City, where the 'sickly yet bright boy' began the exercise regimen behind his lifelong 'strenuous life' philosophy — a site cataloged in this guide series under the neighboring Flatiron District but very much part of Gramercy's own story.

Getting there by subway

The 6 train (with weekday peak-direction <6> express and late-night 4 service) stops at 23rd St–Baruch College on Park Avenue South, right at Gramercy's core; the L reaches Third Avenue at 14th Street, and the 14th St–Union Square hub is a short walk from the neighborhood's southern edge.

Where to Stay Near Gramercy

Gramercy has no operating hotel of its own — the neighborhood's namesake, the Gramercy Park Hotel, has been closed since March 2020 amid ongoing legal disputes over the property. The nearest verified option is Freehand New York at 23 Lexington Avenue, a block from Gramercy's edge, with the rooftop Broken Shaker bar and Bar Calico downstairs, though the hotel's own site places itself in the Flatiron District.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Gramercy by subway?
Take the 6 (or weekday peak <6>, or late-night 4) to 23rd St–Baruch College on Park Avenue South. The L stops at Third Avenue and 14th Street, and the 14th St–Union Square hub is a short walk from the neighborhood's southern edge.
Can I go inside Gramercy Park?
Only if you're a keyholder. Gramercy Park has been private since developer Samuel Ruggles deeded it to surrounding property owners in 1832, and it remains one of only two private parks in New York City. Everyone else can admire the landmarked square and its 1840s townhouses through the fence.
Is the Gramercy Park Hotel still open?
No. It ceased operations in March 2020; a new operator took over the lease in 2023 with a planned reopening, but as of this writing the hotel remains closed amid ongoing legal disputes over the property.
What's the story behind Pete's Tavern?
Pete's Tavern dates its operation to 1864, making it one of Gramercy's oldest continuously running taverns, on the corner of East 18th Street and Irving Place. (Its popular claim about O. Henry writing 'The Gift of the Magi' there is unconfirmed, so we don't repeat it as fact.)
Where can I stay near Gramercy?
There's no hotel within Gramercy itself. The closest verified option is Freehand New York, a block away at 23 Lexington Avenue at East 23rd Street, with the rooftop Broken Shaker bar.

Some booking links on this page earn Ethos a commission at no extra cost to you.