Now that I've finally seen Hamilton too...

So I finally saw Hamilton live, in Sydney (and yes, I know it’s about to reach the 10th anniversary of its original production, but I don’t exactly get to the theatre a lot!) But in a show full of history, there was one particular fact that moved me, and while only a small part of the show it has impacted the lives of maybe millions now…

Of course, if you know the story, Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton was the wife and then widow of Alexander Hamilton, and she famously lived another 50 years after the death of her husband. She achieved much in that time, including raising funds for the Washington Monument and helping to produce a grand written history of the Revolutionary War, but easily her most famous and proudest achievement in this time was the founding of Graham Windham, a private orphanage in New York City.

Graham Windham was started in 1806 when Isabella Graham sought to care for local orphaned children herself, rather than send them to local workhouses, where conditions could often be appalling. She enlisted several friends to help her in this new endeavour, including Elizabeth, who took on an increasing large role in the new organisation.

Naturally, the organisation has received increased attention and funding due to the popularity of Hamilton.