Scenes from Civil War New York: John Ericsson’s House

ECW is pleased to welcome back Jonathan W. White and Timothy Justin Orr, authors of New York City in the Civil War (Arcadia, 2025) with another scene from Civil War New York. Part of a series.

In October 1861, Swedish immigrant John Ericsson signed a contract with the U.S. Navy to deliver an ironclad warship. On March 9, 1862, Ericsson’s vessel, USS Monitor, engaged the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia in the Battle of Hampton Roads, forever changing naval warfare. In 1864, Ericsson purchased this home at 36 Beach Street, a block now known as Ericsson Place.

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Today’s scene relates to “Mobilizing for War,” Chapter Three in Jonathan and Tim’s book New York City in the Civil War, part of the Images of America Series from Arcadia Press.