Gramercy Park, a large private park in Manhattan and a historical site surrounded by famous historical sites, was swamp land when the original Dutch settlers founded New York. In 1831 Samuel B. Ruggles bought the property and spent $180,000 completely draining and filling the swamp, historians estimated this took about a million horse-cart loads of earth to moved. Once Completed, he began the process of laying out “Gramercy Square”. It was the second private square to be designed in the city, after Hudson Square, aka St. John’s Park, was laid out by the parish of Trinity Church. Once the square was built he deeded it to the owners of the 60 parcels of land he’d sold surrounding the park. In 1833 Gramercy Park was enclosed by a fence; however, construction on the surrounding lots did not begin until nearly a decade later. Situated in the center of the park is a statue of Edwin Booth, one of the most famous residents of the surrounding area. As well as being the brother of the notorious John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Abraham Lincoln , Booth was one of the great Shakespearean actors of America in the 19th Century. His mansion is the home of the Players’ Club and still stands at, “No. 16″ today .
Though the tradition of allowing caroling in the park on Christmas Eve is expected to continue, in 2007, the trustees of Gramercy Park announced that it would no longer open the park to the public on Gramercy Day, traditionally the first day in May. Residents living in buildings that face the park may buy a key to the park, which is changed annually. Guests of the nearby hotels like the Gramercy Park Hotel have key access as well as members of the Players Club and the National Arts Club too.
Over looking the park, The Gramercy Park Hotel’s reputation for discretion has attracted and played host to many musicians and famous media figures. Such as Bob Marley and Bob Dylan in the 1970s and in later years played host to the Clash, Madonna, Debbie Harry, and David Bowie. Some popular media figures even took up residence here. Among them famous actress Margaret Hamilton, actor Matt Dillon, and playwright David Mamet, writer S. J. Perelman, and actor James Cagney. During the show’s premiere the Canadian and Chicago part of the first cast of Saturday Night Live stayed in The Gramercy Park Hotel. Paul Shaffer, the show’s original bandleader, continued to live in the annex for another 16 years after the start of Saturday Night Live.