Astor House

The Astor House was a luxury hotel built in 1836, funded by John Jacob Astor and designed by architect Isaiah Rogers. The Astor House quickly became a world renowned hotel and a favorite among celebrities and politicians, including Abraham Lincoln, who stayed there for his famous Cooper Union speech in 1860. In 1864, the Astor was one of many New York City hotels set on fire by Confederate conspirators. In 1875, the house was split evenly between John Jacob Astor's grandsons, John Jacob III and William; William took ownership of the north half and John Jacob inherited the south half.