Fort Amsterdam has undergone several name changes and uses, but it laid the foundation for one of the most populated and well-known cities in modern America. In 1620, the Dutch drew up plans for the fort. They needed a fortification to protect Manhattan, then part of New Amsterdam—modern day New York, and activities up the Hudson River. Ironically, the Dutch relied on plans created by a British architect to construct the fort. The fort was to be star-shaped, surrounded by a moat, and house an expansive array of weaponry.The fort changed hands eight times throughout its history. The Dutch built and maintained the fort from 1625 to 1664. They used it to defend the New Netherlands colony up the Hudson River, since the British also claimed the land and conducted fur trading activities in the area. However, in 1664 the British forced the surrender of the fort, and occupied it for about 10 years. The British changed the name to Fort James, and renamed New Amsterdam “New York”. Consequently, the British and Dutch continued to fight over the fort until the American Revolution. The fort was finally taken under the leadership of George Washington in 1775.Fort Amsterdam no longer stands, and its surroundings are vastly different. In its early years, Fort Amsterdam stood out among the New Amsterdam (Manhattan) wilderness. Some information indicates that the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Customs House sits on the location where Fort Amsterdam was. Additionally, when the fort stood on Manhattan Island, it was on the shore. This changed when projects were undertaken to fill in the coast areas with dirt.

This plaque can be found at the southeast corner of No. 1 Broadway

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"The Island at the Center of the World" by Russell

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Located on the southeast corner of the building at 1 Broadway, this plaque commemorates the history of Fort Amsterdam, which was located here and served as the command center for Dutch, and subsequent British, rule in New York. Construction of the fort began in 1625 and marks one of the central events in the establishment of Nieuw Amsterdam, the community that later became New York. The fort was a strategic stronghold to protect movement up the Hudson River. It was torn down after the Revolutionary War ended and was later the site of homes, a hotel, and then this modern structure in 1920. 

Fort Amsterdam Historical Marker 

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Architecture/historical walking tour of downtown Manhattan

The African
Burial Ground is one the most important archaeological finds of the 20th
century. Known as the earliest African American burial site in the United States, it is an important reminder of a dark and often forgotten period in
New York City history. From the 1690s until 1794, about 15,000 free and
enslaved Africans were buried on this 6.6-acre burial ground, stacked layer
upon layer. The graves were unmarked and eventually covered over by a landfill. During
the 17th and 18th centuries, Africans were forbidden to bury their dead in
officially consecrated graveyards such as in nearby Trinity Church. The African
Burial Ground is a place that tells the story of a people, their struggle for
freedom, and their immeasurable contributions to a city and a nation. &nbsp;Nearly two decades
have been dedicated to discovery of the land. The scientific research was
organized and directed by Howard University.&nbsp; The project team unearthed
more than 400 skeletal remains of men, women, and children. &nbsp;They were reburied
on October 4, 2003.Today, an outdoor
memorial designed by Rodney Leon was dedicated during the memorial dedication
weekend from October 5 to October 7, 2007. It is a living tribute to past,
present and future generations of Africans and African descendants. A Visitor
Center, opened in 2010, and exhibition space on the ground floor of the Ted
Weiss Building includes exhibits about the history of the cemetery and the
African contribution to the building of early New York City.





The site was
designated a National Historic Landmark in April 1993, memorializing the
ongoing struggles of enslaved Africans. On February 26, 2006, President George
W. Bush declared the African Burial Ground a National Monument.

Beginning in the 1690s, and lasting until the mid-1790s, there were both free and enslaved Africans buried in a 6.6 acre burial ground, located in Lower Manhattan in New York City. During the time of the burials, this location existed outside the boundaries of the New Amsterdam settlement, known today as New York City. Lost to history due to landfill and development, the grounds were rediscovered in 1991 as a consequence of the planned construction of a Federal office building. 

African Burial Ground National Monument

In the late 1800s, though the city of New York had performed admirably in providing civic services and space for its government branches, New York City’s City Hall had run out of space for additional government functions that needed to be carried out for the city. Because of this, many government agencies had to rent out office space in numerous other buildings spread out across the city. In response to this, an effort was formed in 1888 to commission a design for a building to house these other government agencies. It took until 1908 to select a design for the building, but construction on the Manhattan Municipal Building began in 1909, and the famed architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and White was commissioned to design and build the new office space.

Construction on the building took a significant amount of time due to the sheer size of the building, but in 1915, the Manhattan Municipal Building was completed. Despite the official opening scheduled for&nbsp;1915, government agencies began moving into the building as early as January 1913. By 1916, almost all of the offices were occupied by government agencies, and their services were open and available to the public. The Manhattan Municipal Building was hugely successful, and on February 1, 1966, it was designated a New York City Landmark. Shortly after that on October 18th of 1972, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the Manhattan Municipal Building continues to serve the citizens of Manhattan.There is a New York City&nbsp;government bookstore which sells NYC-themed&nbsp;souvenirs, t-shirts, knick-knacks and books. You can also purchase your marriage license here and return a day or two later for the ceremony to be performed. While you are there, check out the&nbsp;arched brick&nbsp;ceilings on the Brooklyn Bridge side of the building's street level. &nbsp;These were designed and built by&nbsp;Rafael Guastavino, famous for his arched ceilings, also seen in Grand Central's corridors to the side of the main room. &nbsp;As you walk around the exterior of the building, look up to see Audrey Munson, "America's First Supermodel." The statue atop the Manhattan Municipal Building, known as "Civic Fame"&nbsp;was sculpted by Adolf Alexander Weinman, using Miss Munson as his model. &nbsp;She was a woman so beautiful her image can be seen all over Manhattan, as well as many other locations in the U.S.&nbsp;

The Manhattan Municipal Building, also known as the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building, is a government administration building located at 1 Centre Street in Manhattan. Constructed began in 1907 and was completed in 1914, the Manhattan Municipal Building has served numerous needs of Manhattan’s citizens in its many years of service. In February of 1966, it was designated as a New York City Landmark, and in October of 1972, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the Manhattan Municipal Building continues to serve the citizens of Manhattan through a variety of governmental services.

Manhattan Municipal Building

Before there was the City Hall we see today, the work of the government of New York City was done in the original city hall. Built in 1700, it was located at the corner of Wall Street and Nassau Street. It was determined that the building needed to be replaced, and a competition was held to select an architect to design the new City Hall. In 1802, the designs of John McComb, a native New Yorker, and Joseph Francois Mangin, a French émigré, won the competition.     Work began immediately. Construction took nine years, beginning in 1803 and continuing into 1812. However, it took several more years until the building was ready to be inhabited. By blending the international flavor of both men's influences, the interior can be described as American Georgian while the exterior is French Renaissance. The new City Hall is three stories high with a central pavilion that is flanked by two projecting wings with large arched windows, delicate ornamental swags, and decorative Corinthian and Iconic style columnns and pilasters.     You enter City Hall by ascending a large stone stairway leading to the main entrance that has been the scene of many important events throughout the last two centuries. Upon entering City Hall, a grand marble staircase sweeps up to the one-story portico fronting the building. The roof of the portico is capped by a balustrade, forming a balcony outside the Governor’s Room where five large arched windows soar to impressive heights. The rotunda dominates the interior and is dramatically encircled by a keystone-cantilevered staircase. Ten columnns on the second floor support the coffered dome that is modeled after the one in the Pantheon in Rome. A cupola rises above the attic where a copper statue of Justice majestically watches over the city below.     City Hall's most notable room, the Governor's Room, has served as a museum and reception room. It houses one of the most important collections of 19th century American portraiture as well as a collection of historic furnishings, including George Washington's desk and pieces by Charles Christian and Honoré Lannuier. Many distinguished guests have visited City Hall, including the Marquis de Lafayette, Albert Einstein, President James Monroe, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Abraham Lincoln whose body lay in state there for two days. Over the years, it has been refurbished and restored many times including a redecoration by Bernstein and Bernstein from 1905 to 1907.

New York City's City Hall houses the city’s government offices, such as the Mayor of New York City and the chambers of the 51 New York City Council members. It is the oldest city hall in the nation that still serves its original purpose, and is considered one of the finest architectural achievements of its period. Tours are offered to the public; however, they must be scheduled in advanced. It is located at the center of City Hall Park between Broadway, Park Row, and Chambers Street.    

New York City Hall

Considered by many to be one of the most beautiful buildings in NYC, the&nbsp;Woolworth Building is also one of the most architecturally significant buildings in the city.&nbsp;&nbsp;The ornate cruciform lobby is particularly significant and features veined marble floors, vaulted ceiling, mosaics, stained-glass ceiling light and bronze fittings. The&nbsp;building is an homage to the work of architect, Cass Gilbert, and the artisans and artists he employed.Frank Winfield Woolworth (April 13, 1852 – April 8, 1919) made his fortune by founding the F.W. Woolworth Company, one of the world's most successful five-and-dime stores.&nbsp;Despite having numerous buildings in his chain store empire, Woolworth had aspirations to build a skyscraper to immortalize his name, and the idea for the Woolworth Building was born. In 1910, Woolworth commissioned architect Cass Gilbert to design the Woolworth Building, which was to serve as the central corporate headquarters and office space for the Woolworth Company. Construction on the building began that year, and in 1913, it was completed and ready to be inhabited. Not only was the building an architectural marvel, but it was also, at the time of its completion, the largest building in the world. It remained so for 17 years.

On November 13th, 1966, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places and Designated as a National Historic Landmark, and on April 12th, 1983, it was designated as a New York City Landmark. The Woolworth Building was owned by the Woolworth Company until 1998, when it was sold to the Witkoff Group. Since the sale of the building, it has undergone numerous renovations, and plans have been in the works to convert parts of the building into office space, as well as luxury apartments. &nbsp;The building has been the scene of many Hollywood movies, including 2016's "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them." The only way to see inside the Woolworth Building is to work there or take a&nbsp;guided tour of the lobby, mezzanine,&nbsp;and cellar. Many of the tours are led by the architect's great-granddaughter, Helen Post Curry.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Woolworth Building is an early North American skyscraper, and one of the 100 tallest buildings in the United States. Completed in 1913, the Woolworth Building was the dream building of Frank W. Woolworth, head of the Woolworth Company, which occupied the building for 85 years. It has been designated as a New York City Landmark, a National Historic Landmark, and has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. Now owned by the Witkoff Group, the Woolworth Building is still in use and tours are available. 

Woolworth Building

<blockquote> </blockquote>The creation of St. Paul's Chapel was granted permission&nbsp;by Queen Anne as a chapel-of-ease for worshipers who lived north of the Trinity Church in 1766.&nbsp;It was established during Britain's occupation of New York and was the first Anglican Church in Manhattan. The architects for this chapel are Andrew Gautier and James Crommelin Lawrence.&nbsp;St. Paul's has the classical portico, boxy proportions, and domestic details that are characteristic of Georgian churches such as James Gibbs' London church—St Martin-in-the-Fields, after which it was&nbsp;modeled.&nbsp;It served as a Revolutionary War Hospital and&nbsp;cemetery, and during the 9/11 attack, it&nbsp;hosted recovery workers. On September 21, 1776, a fire broke out in the Fighting Cock Tavern. The fire quickly spread, destroying many&nbsp;nearby buildings including&nbsp;the Trinity Church. Miraculously, St. Paul's Chapel escaped the flames, bringing signs of hope.&nbsp;On his Inauguration Day on April 30, 1789, George Washington attended services at St. Paul’s. He&nbsp;continued to worship there for the next two years while New York served as the nation’s capital.&nbsp; Many important people are buried in the cemetery of the chapel.&nbsp;The patriots buried at St. Paul's include four of the original members of the Society of the Cincinnati, a patriotic organization of the officers who served under George&nbsp;Washington. They are Major John Lucas and Major Job Summer,&nbsp;who both died of yellow fever in 1789; Lt. Col. Etienne Marie Bechet Sieur de Rochefontaine, a French officer who later commanded the artillery school at West Point; and Dr. John Francis Vacher. Other patriots buried in the cemetery&nbsp;include John Bailey, who forged the Washington battle sword in the Smithsonian, and John Holt, editor of the New York Gazette and New York Journal. The building was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960.

St. Paul's Chapel was built between 1764 and 1766. It was the tallest building in the city at that time, and remains the oldest surviving church in Manhattan. George Washington attended services at this chapel, and visitors can see his original pew inside the church. Washington and members of Congress also attended a special service at the church prior to his inauguration on April 30, 1789. At the time, the church was one of the largest public buildings to have survived the Great New York Fire of 1776. It also survived the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, without any damage and became the center of relief operations for rescue workers in the aftermath of the attack.

The church is also home to the first monument commissioned by the United States Congress. The monument is located on the east side of the church and honors Patriot Richard Montgomery. Benjamin Franklin personally oversaw the construction of the monument after Congress commissioned its creation on January 25, 1776.

St. Paul's Chapel

Our third stop on our tour is The Oculus. This architectural beauty acts as the transportation hub of the World Trade Center and most of Lower Manhattan. The new architecture features large white ribs that cover the station and protrude into the sky. This space is also home to many shops and cafes for travelers to stop in. Designed by Santiago Calatrava, The Oculus has become one of the most visited transportation hubs in Manhattan and has new commuters and tourists every day. Since it was built in 2004, this space quickly became a must-see for everyone visiting NYC. The original goal of The Oculus was to bring more people to lower Manhattan, which was not seen as a safe space post 9/11. The goal was achieved, and now downtown is booming as a cultural and tourist hub. As more businesses move the headquarters from Midtown to Downtown Manhattan, this revolutionary transportation hub will bring together people from all over the world to visit lower Manhattan.

199 Fulton Street at the corner of Fulton and Church gives you a beautiful view of The Oculus as well as the seating area in front of it. This location is just a block from the major shopping that the Westfield World Trade Center mall provides, as well as being within walking distance of world-famous restaurants such as Eataly and Nobu. This location is also within walking distance to many other tourist spots such as City Hall and St. Patrick's Chapel.

The Oculus

Created in 1968 as part of an agreement between the Manhattan borough leaders and United States Steel, this public park was among the areas damaged by the September 11th terrorist attacks. The park, like the rest of the surrounding structures and plazas, was rebuilt and now offers a blend of tourists and business people enjoying the space together. The park was the site of numerous public ceremonies in the years following the attack, and it reopened in the spring of 2006 following an $8 million renovation project. The park was also the location of the Occupy Wall Street protests that saw activists encamped throughout the park until they were evicted by the city police in November 2011. The park is named in honor of John E. Zuccotti, the chairman of Brookfield Ofice Properties that acquired the real estate from US Steel. The park features the 70-foot tall outdoor sculpture Joie de Vivre by artist Mark di Suvero.

Zuccotti Park

In 1696, the Anglican community purchased land in Lower Manhattan to construct a new church with the approval of Governor Benjamin Fletcher. The first Trinity Church was constructed in 1698. The first minister was William Vesey who served for 49 years. In 1705, the parish's land holdings were increased to 215 acres by Queen Anne of England. During the American Revolutionary War, New York City became a British military and political base. As a result, the clergy of the church were required to be Loyalists. The church was burned down in the Great New York City Fire of 1776, which destroyed almost one-third of the city because most of the firemen in the city had gone to serve with General Washington. Many people thought the fire had been deliberately set because at that time New York City was facing the possibility of being captured by the British, and by burning down the city, the British would gain nothing. After the war, in 1784, the New York state legislature ratified the charter of Trinity Church but deleted any reference to being loyal to the King of England. The second Trinity Church was constructed in 1790, but it survived for less than 50 years. It was torn down after the winter of 1838 because of damage cause by severe snows that winter.     The current Trinity Church, which is the third Trinity Church, was constructed in 1846. The building’s Gothic Revival architecture was designed by architect Richard Upjohn. It was the tallest building in New York City until 1890. Trinity Church also withstood the 9/11 attack. After the collapse of the towers, the church served as a refuge. Trinity Church was designated as a National Historic Landmark on December 8, 1976.     Trinity Church is associated with three burial grounds: Trinity Churchyard, Trinity Church Cemetery and Mausoleum, and the Churchyard of St. Paul's Chapel. The first one to open was the Trinity Churchyard in 1697. Since then, those burial grounds have been the final resting spots for many historic figures, such as Alexander Hamilton, Robert Fulton, John Adams Dix, and Alfred D'Orsay Tennyson Dickens.     The following video was produced by the Library of Congress using footage taken from film produced in 1903. The film shows a view of traffic looking north on Broadway at the intersection of Wall Street, just in front of the Trinity Church. As a way to get a feel for the changes that have occurred over time, stand at this intersection and look north, holding your mobile device against the modern landscape while playing the video below.

The current church is the third Trinity Church that was constructed in 1846. The history of this church dates back to the founding of its Episcopal parish in 1697. Trinity Church was established by royal charter and became the first Anglican Church in New York. Inside this historic church is the Trinity Museum with exhibits about the history of Trinity Church and St. Paul's Chapel, another historic church that is also a member of the parish. Trinity Church and St. Paul’s Chapel are surrounded by a number of historic monuments and burial plots.

Trinity Church and Cemetery, New York City

Alexander Hamilton was born on the island of Nevis in the British West Indies on January 11 of either 1755 or 1757. His father left he and his mother in 1765 while Hamilton was still young; his mother died a few years later in 1768, leading Hamilton to begin his first job at the age of 11, working as an accounting clerk for a merchant in order to support himself. With this job, Hamilton became interested in international commerce and continued to learn about the business of money and trade.Hamilton's boss was impressed with his skills when it came to accounting. He and other businessmen raised enough money to send Hamilton to America for a real education. When Hamilton was a teenager in 1773, he arrived in New York, where he studied at King's College, now known as Columbia University. Though sent to America for an education, the American colonies were about to begin a revolution against Great Britain, causing Hamilton to switch interests from academics to politics by becoming an activist for independence from Britain and publicly supporting the Boston Tea Party. In 1775, when the Revolutionary War officially began, Hamilton became part of the New York Provincial Artillery Company, made captain in 1776, and fought in the battles of Long Island, White Plains, and organized his own company at the Battle of Trenton. In 1777, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the Continental Army after fighting in several more battles. During his service in the Revolutionary War, Hamilton became close with General George Washington, who made him his assistant and trusted adviser, and later, liaison officer between Washington and French generals. For five years, Hamilton used his writing skills to write Washington's letters and create many reports on the strategic reform and restructuring of the Continental Army. On December 14, 1780, Hamilton married Elizabeth Schuyler, who was the daughter of Revolutionary War General Philip Schuyler. They had eight children together and even stayed married after Hamilton’s 1791 affair with a married woman, Maria Reynolds. Hamilton's affair with Reynolds is considered one of the first sex scandals in the country’s history. Hamilton got tired of his writing job and in 1781 he convinced Washington to let him go back to the battlefield. With Washington's permission, Hamilton led a victorious charge against the British in the Battle of Yorktown. British surrender after that battle eventually led to several treaties known as the Peace of Paris agreements, marking the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783.When Washington was elected president in 1789, he appointed Hamilton as the first secretary of the treasury. During his time as treasury secretary and before, Hamilton was pushing for a larger central government, authoring 51 of the 85 essays (from 1787-1788) composing the Federalist Papers calling for ratification of the Constitution, but fellow cabinet members did not agree and were fearful of the idea. Hamilton resigned from his position as secretary of the treasury in 1795. However, he left behind a far more secure U.S. economy to back a strengthened federal government, as he raised funds to pay off war debt, devised the first tax, budget, and accounting systems, and in 1790, created the first central bank, the Bank of the United States. During the 1800 presidential elections, Thomas Jefferson ran against John Adams. At the time, presidents and vice presidents were voted for separately, and Aaron Burr wanted to be Jefferson's vice president but tied Jefferson for the presidency. Hamilton went to work supporting Jefferson's campaign and formed an enemy in Burr. During his first term, Jefferson often left Burr out of discussions on party decisions. When Jefferson ran for re-election in 1804, he decided to remove Burr from his ticket. Burr then decided to run independently for the New York governorship but lost. Burr hit his boiling point when he read in a newspaper that Hamilton had called Burr "the most unfit and dangerous man of the community." Burr was convinced that Hamilton had ruined a second election for him, and Burr demanded an explanation. When Hamilton refused to comply, Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel. Hamilton accepted, having accepted duels in the past but ending them peacefully, as Hamilton believed duels to be morally wrong. Hamilton met Burr at the duel on July 11, 1804, in Weehawken, New Jersey, the same location Hamilton’s son, Philip, died in a duel just three years earlier. However, conflicting accounts of what occurred that day are still questionable. Hamilton’s assistant claims when it was time to shoot, Hamilton deliberately fired into the air, in hopes Burr would do the same and end the duel amicably. Burr’s assistant claims Hamilton fired at Burr, but missed. Nevertheless, Burr’s bullet found Hamilton’s stomach, and Hamilton died the next day from his injuries, after being transported to Manhattan where he requested communion from a rector in the family’s nearby Trinity Church. Just days before, on July 4, Hamilton had written a note to his wife that read “Fly to the bosom of your God and be comforted. With my last idea; I shall cherish the sweet hope of meeting you in a better world. Adieu best of wives and best of Women. Embrace all my darling Children for me.” Barr, branded an assassin, fled south. Hamilton's grave is located in the cemetery of Trinity Church in New York City. His wife, Elizabeth, and son, Philip, are buried near him. Hamilton’s inscription reads: TO THE MEMORY OFALEXANDER HAMILTONTHE CORPORATION OF TRINITY CHURCH HAS ERECTED THISMONUMENTIN TESTIMONY OF THEIR RESPECTFORTHE PATRIOT OF INCORRUPTIBLE INTEGRITY.THE SOLDIER OF APPROVED VALOUR.THE STATESMAN OF CONSUMMATE WISDOM;WHOSE TALENTS AND VIRTUES WILL BE ADMIREDBYGRATEFUL POSTERITYLONG AFTER THIS MARBLE SHALL HAVE MOULDERED INTO DUST.HE DIED JULY 12TH 1804. AGED 47.

Alexander Hamilton was killed in a duel in the same location his son, Philip, was killed by the same means just three years earlier, but questions of whether Hamilton intended to hit his target or not that day still arise. Hamilton, however, is better known for his life’s legacy rather than his death. One of the Founding Fathers of the United States, friend to George Washington, and author of the Federalist Papers, Hamilton was one of the most influential men of his time. He was instrumental in the formation of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, opposing the Articles of Confederation and using his influence to alter the course of history.

Grave of Alexander Hamilton

In 1853,
Orlando Potter, a lawyer from Massachusetts, moved to New York City to offer
his services in developing a sewing machine business. Potter quickly became a
prominent member of high society in New York City, known to be an incredibly
wealthy man. Potter died in 1894, and his estate commissioned the construction
of the Empire Building in 1895. Architects
Francis Kimball and George Thompson worked to design the building, and
construction on it began in 1895. The construction took several years to
complete, and in 1898, the building was finished. Several years after the
building’s construction, the newly formed United States Steel Corporation
became the building’s primary tenant, and it would remain the building’s single
largest tenant for 75 years.Initially, the United States Steel Corporation only rented out
portions of the Empire Building from the Potter Estate, and the building was a
source of pride to the family of the late Orlando Potter. However, in 1919, the
Potter family fell into financial troubles, and by this point in time, the
United States Steel Corporation had gained some extensive momentum as a
corporation and an impressive amount of capital. As a
result, the Potter Estate decided to sell the building to the United States
Steel Corporation, which benefitted both parties immensely. Decades later, the
corporation sold the building in 1973 but remained in the building until the
1980s. &nbsp;On June 25, 1996, it was designated as a New York City Landmark,
and in 1997, it was purchased and converted into an apartment complex. One year
later, on August 28, 1998, it was added to the National Register of Historic
Places.







&nbsp;

The Empire Building is a historic skyscraper building located in Manhattan’s Financial District. The building is built on the site of an office building that was constructed in 1859. Completed in 1898, the Empire Building was the headquarters of the United States Steel Corporation from the founding of the corporation in 1901 until 1976. It was designated as a New York City Landmark in June of 1996, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in August of 1998.

Empire Building, Manhattan 

On May 17, 1792, twenty-four stockbrokers gathered outside 68
Wall Street under a buttonwood tree to sign an agreement that would establish
the rules for buying and selling bonds and shares of companies. The Buttonwood
Agreement, as it is known, is so named because the tree served as the regular
meeting place for these pioneers of Wall Street. The signers of the Buttonwood
Agreement drafted their first constitution on March 8, 1817, and named their
nascent organization the New York Stock &amp; Exchange Board.In 1863, this name was
shortened to its modern form, the New York Stock Exchange, which became known
as the NYSE, one of the best-known financial industry brands in the world.
Membership on the NYSE has been held as a valuable property since 1868. Until
the NYSE went both electronic and public in April 2006, the exchange was a
membership-only organization. Members could join the NYSE by purchasing
existing seats, which were limited to 1,366.Merging with the already publicly
traded Archipelago electronic stock exchange, the new company was called the
NYSE Group, Inc., and the seats of the NYSE translated into shares of publicly
traded stock. In 2008, NYSE Euronext welcomed the historic American Stock
Exchange into the world’s leading equities exchange group. Originally called
the "curb market" because its brokers traded outdoors in the street,
the Amex has been at the forefront of the U.S. financial markets over the
course of two centuries.





&nbsp;

The NYSE trading floor is located at 11 Wall Street and is composed of four rooms used for the facilitation of trading. A fifth trading room, located at 30 Broad Street, was closed in February 2007. The main building, located at 18 Broad Street, between the corners of Wall Street and Exchange Place, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1978.

New York Stock Exchange

On the eve of International Women’s Day in early March 2017, State Street Global Advisors, an investment management firm headquartered in Boston, installed a roughly four-foot-tall bronze statue of a young girl opposite Charging Bull on the northern tip of Bowling Green in Lower Manhattan. Designed by Delaware-based sculptor Kristen Visbal, Fearless Girl depicts a defiant young girl, roughly four-foot-tall, with her hands on her hips, shoulders back, and a confident smirk on her face. An inscription on a bronze circular plaque at her feet reads: “Know the power of women in leadership. She makes a difference.” The statue is part of the company’s ongoing campaign to persuade other companies to add more women to their boards. After the statue’s installation, State Street Global Advisors sent a letter to the thousands of companies that compose the Russell 3000 index, encouraging them to diversify their boards.  In preparation for the statue’s installation, State Street Global Advisors obtained a seven-day permit from the City of New York. Fearless Girl, therefore, was originally meant to be a temporary art piece in Bowling Green. The sculpture, however, garnered national and global attention, and endeared itself to many New Yorkers. In response to the immense public support for the statue, the mayor’s office extended its permit. In late November 2018, city workers removed Fearless Girl from Bowling Green in preparation for her move to her new, permanent home in front of the New York Stock Exchange. In her stead, State Street Global Advisors installed a circular bronze plaque with two footprints that read: “Fearless Girl is on the move to The New York Stock Exchange. Until she’s there, stand for her.” The following month, executives of State Street Global Advisors, with the help of New York City Council members and representatives from the mayor’s office, unveiled the statue in front of the New York Stock Exchange during a public ceremony.  State Street Global Advisors’ gender diversity initiative, in fact, has sparked change in corporate boardrooms across the country. In 2017, as the firm’s CEO Cyrus Taraporevala pointed out in a 2018 interview with NBC News, one in four of the 3,000 largest companies in the United States did not have a single woman on their boards. By the end of 2018, Taraporevala claimed, 301 of those companies added a woman to their boards and twenty-eight others have plans to do so in the near future.  Despite strong public support for it, the statue has not been free from controversy. After the installation of Fearless Girl, Arturo Di Modica, creator of Charging Bull, criticized the sculpture, arguing that it was simply a marketing gimmick and that it unfairly vilified his work. In response, another artist sympathizing with Di Modica created a bronze sculpture of a small dog lifting its leg to urinate. In May 2017, in an act of protest, he placed his creation alongside Fearless Girl. Later that same year, a journalist for NPR reported that a U.S. Department of Labor investigation discovered that the firm that sponsored Fearless Girl, State Street Global Advisors, had underpaid both its African American and female executives.

Designed by sculptor Kristen Visbal, the bronze statue symbolizes female empowerment. Commissioned by State Street Global Advisors, an investment management firm headquartered in Boston, as part of its ongoing campaign to persuade other companies in the United States to add more women to their boards, the sculpture depicts a defiant young girl, roughly four-foot-tall, with her hands on her hips, shoulders back, and a confident smirk on her face. Originally installed as a temporary art piece opposite Arturo Di Modica’s iconic bronze bull in Bowling Green in Lower Manhattan, the statue was moved to its new, permanent home in front of the New York Stock Exchange in December 2018.

Fearless Girl

The present day Federal Hall stands in the same location as the original City Hall that existed during colonial times. It was in that building where printer and journalist John Peter Zenger was tried for libel in 1733, after publishing views that criticized the royal governor. However, when Zenger's lawyer argued that the truth is a defense against libel, the jury decided that Zenger was, in fact, not guilty. This event would further help the people's case for liberty and freedom.    In 1765, the Stamp Act Congress took place in the City Hall. It was here where the delegates from the colonies protested their dissatisfaction with "taxation without representation." During this meeting, the Congress drafted the Declaration of Rights and Grievances. The document consisted of 13 points of the colonists' protests, the first united action by the colonies.    After the Revolutionary War, the nation searched for a location to establish a capital. New York City decided to hire architect Pierre L'Enfant to help remodel the old City Hall, and offered it to the national government. On April 30, 1789, at this location, George Washington took his first oath of office and was inaugurated as the first president of the United States. Federal Hall became home to the first Congress, Supreme Court, and Executive Branch offices. It was also where the Bill of Rights would be drafted, and eventually ratified.    In 1812, the building was demolished when the capital was moved south to Washington, D.C. The remains were sold for scrap, for around $425. A new building was built in its place using a Greek-revival style. This is the building that we currently see today. From 1842-1862, it served as the U.S. custom house for the Port of New York. Then, from 1862-1920, it served as the New-York sub-Treasury, storing up to 80% of the nation's wealth until the Federal Reserve was built in 1914.   In 1939 the Secretary of the Interior declared that the building was a National Historic Shrine, and in 1955 Congress renamed the building to Federal Hall, in honor of the previous building.

Federal Hall National Memorial is located at the former site of New York's city hall which was constructed in 1703 and later became the first seat of the United States government. The current building was completed in 1842 and is now operated by the National Park Service. The original city hall from the colonial era was the site of the famous trial of John Peter Zenger. In 1765, this was also where the Stamp Act Congress met with delegates from different colonies protesting their dissatisfaction with "taxation without representation." After the Revolutionary War, it was here that George Washington was inaugurated, and this is also the place where the Bill of Rights was proposed and ratified. Federal Hall served as the seat of government from 1789 until 1790 when the U.S. capital was moved to Philadelphia. The original building was demolished in 1812, and this building was constructed and opened for service in 1842 as a U.S. custom house. At the end of the Great Depression, the building began its transition to its current use as a heritage site. Federal Hall is now operated by the National Park Service with artifacts and tours that interpret the colonial era and early republic with an emphasis on the role played by the city of New York. 

Federal Hall

Known simply as 23 Wall Street, the buildings on the corner of
Wall and Broad Street have represented the epicenter of American capitalism for
over a century. The headquarters of J.P. Morgan and Co., originally Drexel,
Morgan &amp; Co., have been located here since its founding in 1873. Finished
in 1914, the four-story bank still stands today, although scarred by small pockmarks
from the infamous anarchist’s bomb attack that killed 38 people in 1920,
remembered as the Wall Street bombing.On September 16, 1920, one
hundred pounds of dynamite were hidden in a horse-drawn carriage stopped just
across the street from the headquarters of the J.P. Morgan bank. The
dynamite&nbsp;caused a massive explosion that literally rocked Wall Street for
blocks in all directions.



Thirty-eight people were
killed, and more than four hundred were injured.&nbsp;In the aftermath of the
attack, no one claimed responsibility, and despite an investigation spanning
three years, the perpetrators were never found. It is now believed that the
Galleanists, a group of Italian anarchists, led by Mario Buda, an associate of
famous anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti were responsible. Until September 11,
2001, the Wall Street bombing was the deadliest terrorist attack in the history
of New York City. &nbsp;J. P. Morgan decided not to repair the damage, leaving
it as a symbolic gesture of strength overcoming destruction.&nbsp;

23 Wall Street, also known as "The Corner," is an office building situated in Manhattan's Financial District at the intersection of Wall Street and Broad Street. The structure was designed by the architectural firm of Trowbridge and Livingston. Completed in 1914 as the headquarters for the J.P. Morgan and Co., the four-story bank still stands today, although scarred by small pockmarks from the infamous anarchist’s bomb attack that killed 38. 

23 Wall Street, Former Headquarters of J. P. Morgan

On Monday October 19, 1987, stock markets across the world collapsed suddenly and precipitously. In the United States, on what would henceforth be referred to as “Black Monday,” the stock market crashed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost nearly twenty-three percent of its total value over the course of the trading day. It was the largest one-day stock market decline in history, even greater than the stock market crash of the fall of 1929, which preceded the Great Depression.  Soon after “Black Monday,” Italian-American sculptor Arturo Di Modica went to work creating a statue that would symbolize American resiliency and inspire hope for the future in the wake of the unprecedented stock market downturn. After two years of hard work and more than $350,000 of his own money, the result was Charging Bull, a sixteen-foot-long, eleven-foot-tall, seven-thousand-pound (3.5-ton) bronze bull. Late on the night of December 15, 1989, Di Modica and his accomplices transported the statue on a flatbed truck and placed it under a sixty-foot-tall Christmas tree that stood in front of the New York Stock Exchange in Lower Manhattan. Before leaving the scene, Di Modica and his men scattered leaflets informing readers about his creation. While many people arriving for work the next morning were delighted to see the piece of guerrilla art, Dick Grasso, chairman of the New York Stock Exchange, was not. He spent the entire day attempting to remove it, finally succeeding in hiring a truck to haul it away. The truck deposited the statue in an impound lot in Queens, where it seemed destined to rot. Meanwhile, increasing public outcry over the statue’s removal impelled New York City Parks Department commissioner, Henry J. Stern, to act. He arranged for the bronze bull to be temporarily placed in Bowling Green, a small public park in Lower Manhattan and the closest one to Wall Street. On December 20, only four days after the statue was removed from the front of the New York Stock Exchange, city workers installed it in the park. The following day, Stern officially unveiled it. Despite the fact that Bowling Green was intended originally to serve as its temporary home, the bronze statue remains in the park to this day and has become one of the most significant tourist attractions in Lower Manhattan.  Over the years, Charging Bull has witnessed protests, suffered vandalism, and survived attempts by public officials to relocate it. In 2011, members of the Occupy Wall Street movement gathered around the bronze statue for weeks to protest economic inequality. In September 2019, a man attacked the sculpture with a steel-reinforced banjo, damaging one of its horns. The following month, climate-change protestors doused the statue in fake blood. In response to the episodes of vandalism, New York City mayor Bill de Blasio proposed relocating the bronze sculpture, citing public safety concerns. Public outcry followed. Joining in on the loud opposition to the mayor’s proposal was Di Modica himself. In June 2020, the Public Design Commission of New York, the city government agency that oversees the placement of works of architecture and art on city-owned property, rejected Mayor de Blasio’s proposal.

Created by Italian-American sculptor Arturo Di Modica following the stock market crash of 1987, the bronze statue symbolizes American resiliency and strives to inspire hope for the future. A piece of guerrilla art, the sculpture measures sixteen feet in length, eleven feet in height, and weighs seven thousand pounds. Late on the night of December 15, 1989, Di Modica and his accomplices transported the statue on a flatbed truck and placed it in front of the New York Stock Exchange in Lower Manhattan. The following day, the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange had it removed. Increasing public outcry over the statue’s removal, however, impelled New York City Parks Department commissioner Henry J. Stern to arrange for the bronze bull to be temporarily placed in Bowling Green, a small public park in Lower Manhattan and the closest one to Wall Street. On December 20, only four days after the statue was removed from the front of the New York Stock Exchange, city workers installed it in the park. The following day, Stern officially unveiled it. Despite the fact that Bowling Green was intended originally to serve as its temporary home, the bronze statue remains in the park to this day and has become one of the most significant tourist attractions in Lower Manhattan. Over the years, the sculpture has witnessed protests, suffered vandalism, and survived attempts by public officials to relocate it.

Charging Bull

Fort Amsterdam has undergone several name changes and uses, but it laid the foundation for one of the most populated and well-known cities in modern America. In 1620, the Dutch drew up plans for the fort. They needed a fortification to protect Manhattan, then part of New Amsterdam—modern day New York, and activities up the Hudson River. Ironically, the Dutch relied on plans created by a British architect to construct the fort. The fort was to be star-shaped, surrounded by a moat, and house an expansive array of weaponry.The fort changed hands eight times throughout its history. The Dutch built and maintained the fort from 1625 to 1664. They used it to defend the New Netherlands colony up the Hudson River, since the British also claimed the land and conducted fur trading activities in the area. However, in 1664 the British forced the surrender of the fort, and occupied it for about 10 years. The British changed the name to Fort James, and renamed New Amsterdam “New York”. Consequently, the British and Dutch continued to fight over the fort until the American Revolution. The fort was finally taken under the leadership of George Washington in 1775. Fort Amsterdam no longer stands, and its surroundings are vastly different. In its early years, Fort Amsterdam stood out among the New Amsterdam (Manhattan) wilderness. Some information indicates that the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Customs House sits on the location where Fort Amsterdam was. Additionally, when the fort stood on Manhattan Island, it was on the shore. This changed when projects were undertaken to fill in the coast areas with dirt.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In 1741,
paranoia concerning slave revolts was running rampant in North and South
America as bloody slave revolts occurred in the Caribbean. The problems in the
islands may have fueled the conviction among&nbsp;New York City’s white elite
that there was a slave revolt being planned by the city’s slaves during that
year. While there is no proof that the fire was actually set by slaves,
according to virtually every available record, a fire on March 18, 1741, did
burn within the walls of Fort George at the personal home and attached church
of (then) Lieutenant Governor George Clarke.1&nbsp;It was not until after the fact that slaves
were implicated in the setting of this fire. Following the fire at this
location, others were set intentionally or occurred periodically throughout the
city, New Jersey, and Long Island. Several white people began making claims
that they had heard different slaves bragging about causing the fires, causing
the white elite to conclude that all the fires in the city had been
intentionally set by gangs and secret societies of Black people.2

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Upon the conclusion that the fires were connected to a slave revolt, Daniel
Horsmanden, a judge who was appointed to lead the investigation and preside
over robbery trials that were seemingly unrelated, was adamant about
discovering a sinister plot led by slaves. Therefore, he connected the fires to
a previous store burglary, which implicated three slaves named Cuffee, Caesar,
and Prince, and an indentured servant named Mary Burton.3&nbsp;When Burton took the stand (under extreme
duress), she testified that the three aforementioned slaves along with a few
poor whites conspired to burn Fort George along with the rest of city and
murder its inhabitants. She went on to implicate a prostitute named Peggy Kerry
who connected many other slaves to the supposed plot, and once in custody,
those slaves were forced to implicate other slaves in the supposed plot.2&nbsp;Eventually, Horsmanden began offering rewards
to uncover the plot and roughly 150 people were arrested and either “confessed”
or testified against others.1

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
As a result of the desire to uncover a plot led by slaves, approximately 30
Blacks and 4 whites were executed and roughly 80 other people (mostly Black)
were exiled from the region, often to the Caribbean.1&nbsp;The building that was set on fire within Fort
George in 1741 burned to the ground, and the rest of the fort was destroyed
during the American Revolution. The building that stands in its place today,
the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, was built between 1902 and 1907.4

Before this site housed the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House that still stands there today, it was home to Fort George. It was at this site that the first of several fires, which together are known as The Conspiracy of 1741, the Negro Plot of 1741, or the Slave Insurrection of 1741, began to burn. Slaves were accused of setting this fire and many others across the city, and in a series of trials riddled with coercion, bribery, and questionable judicial practices, multiple Black people and a few white people were convicted in connection to the supposed plot. The decisions of the cases connected to the conspiracy likely only increased the already present anti-Black prejudices and fear of slave revolts throughout New York and the rest of the colonies.

Former Fort George of New York - Slave Insurrection of 1741

Giovanni da Verrazzano was born to a wealthy family in the town of Greve (present-day Greve in Chianti) in what is now the Tuscany region of Italy in 1485. During his early years, he received a fine education in nearby Florence. When he was in his early twenties, Verrazzano left his native land and moved to the French coastal town of Dieppe to commence a maritime career. Once his training was complete, he piloted French merchant vessels in the Mediterranean, completing several trips to the Levant. In 1523, with the approval of French king Francis I, Verrazzano organized a voyage to the New World in search of a westward sea passage to Asia. In January of the following year, he set sail from France on La Dauphine. Over the course of the journey, Verrazzano explored the east coast of North America, discovering New York Harbor, Block Island, and Narragansett Bay. After reaching Newfoundland, he returned to France without having discovered a westward sea passage to Asia. Upon his return from the New World, Verrazzano wrote a letter to Francis I chronicling his journey. Information contained within the letter would prove valuable to subsequent explorers such as Henry Hudson.  Verrazzano would undertake two additional trans-Atlantic expeditions for France. A few years after his first journey, he embarked on a second voyage to the New World in 1527. When he returned to France, Verrazzano brought with him valuable dyewood from Brazil. The following year, Verrazzano undertook what would ultimately be his final voyage to the New World. During the excursion, he explored present-day Florida, the Bahamas, and the Lesser Antilles. After Verrazzano and several crew members set foot on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, the Carib people captured, killed, and ate them. Some scholars, however, dispute this version of Verrazzano’s demise. They claim that Verrazzano was also a successful French pirate named Jean Fleury, who was captured, tried, and executed by the Spanish.  While New York civic leaders were preparing for the Hudson-Fulton Celebration of 1909, Carlo Barsotti, an Italian immigrant and editor of the influential Italian-language newspaper Il Progresso, rallied financial support from the city’s Italian immigrant community for the erection of a monument in honor of Verrazzano. Designed by sculptor Ettore Ximenes, the monument consists of a larger-than-life-sized bronze bust of the sixteenth-century Italian explorer and a bronze female allegorical figure representing discovery holding a torch in one hand and a sword in the other. Both are situated on an elaborate pedestal made of Deer Isle granite. Located in The Battery at the southern tip of Manhattan, the monument was dedicated on October 6, 1909.  Since its dedication more than one hundred years ago, the monument has been relocated a few times. In the early 1940s, it was moved to storage to make way for the construction of the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. Roughly a decade later, in 1952, the monument was reinstalled near its original location. Beginning in the 1990s and continuing into the 2010s, The Battery underwent an extensive renovation. During that time, many of the park’s monuments, including the one under examination, were placed in storage before being reinstalled later.

Located in The Battery at the southern tip of Manhattan, the monument commemorates Italian navigator and explorer, Giovanni da Verrazzano (1485-1528). Sailing for France, he made three voyages to the New World in the early sixteenth century. On his first expedition in 1524, Verrazzano explored the east coast of North America, discovering New York Harbor, Block Island, and Narragansett Bay. Designed by sculptor Ettore Ximenes, the monument consists of a larger-than-life-sized bronze bust of the Italian explorer and a bronze female allegorical figure representing discovery. Both are situated on an elaborate granite pedestal. The product of the fundraising efforts of Carlo Barsotti, an Italian immigrant and editor of the influential Italian-language newspaper Il Progresso, the monument was dedicated on October 6, 1909. 

Giovanni da Verrazzano Monument

&nbsp; &nbsp;In the early 19th century, tensions between America and Britain
were starting to heat up into what would eventually become the War of 1812.
Four forts were constructed on islands within the vicinity of New York City.
One of the forts, Southwest Battery, was constructed on the rocks on an island
off the lower tip of Manhattan. Construction began on the fort in 1808 and was
finished by 1811. The Southwest Battery’s weaponry consisted of 28 cannons,
ready for battle. In 1812, General Joseph Bloomfield was appointed commander of
all fortifications in New York City, and he chose to set up headquarters at
Southwest Battery. Even though the fort was ready to withstand any attack,
Southwest Battery never had to fire its cannons. In 1821, the United States
Army no longer required the fort and leased the land to New York. Although the
fort was originally located on a nearby island, landfill expanded the lower
area of Manhattan to incorporate the fort into Manhattan.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;In 1817, the fort was renamed Castle Clinton in honor of
Dewitt Clinton who would become Mayor of New York City and Governor of the
state of New York. In 1823, Castle Clinton reopened as an entertainment venue
called the Castle Garden, and it quickly became a hot spot in New York City. Over
the years, the fort underwent many major renovations and served as a promenade,
a restaurant, an exhibition hall, an opera house, and a live theater center.
Castle Garden hosted several successful operas and plays, and it served as a
place to display inventions like the telegraph and the steam-powered fire
engine.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;During the immigration years, Castle Clinton was turned
into the nation's first ever immigrant processing facility in 1855, in
operation until 1890 (predating Ellis Island). Through that period, over 8
million immigrants passed through Castle Clinton. An estimated two in every three
immigrants passed through Castle Clinton.&nbsp; In 1890, the federal government
took responsibility for the processing of immigrants and relocated the
immigration landing depot to Ellis Island, relieving Castle Clinton of its
immigration duties. Unfortunately, in 1897, a fire destroyed most of the immigration
records held at Castle Clinton.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The
fort was transformed into the site of the New York City Aquarium in 1896. The
aquarium became one of the city's most popular attractions, averaging over
5,000 visitors per day, and 30,000 visitors on the opening day. One of the most
popular displays was the beluga whale. The building was modified several times
to accommodate the extensive range of marine life housed in the aquarium. The
aquarium was eventually closed and relocated to Coney Island in 1957.&nbsp;

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The
fort was saved from demolition in 1946 and later restored to its original fort
structure by the National Park Service, then reopened to the public in 1975. It
was officially declared a national historical landmark in 1950 by the
government. Today, the fort has become a departure point to the Statue of
Liberty and thousands of tourists still visit Castle Clinton to take in its
surrounding history. The website states, “The fort originally built to keep
people out now welcomes visitors from all over the world.”&nbsp;

Castle Clinton is located on the southern tip of Manhattan in New York City. Southwest Battery Fort was built as one of four forts in New York to help defend against the British in the War of 1812. The fort was then leased to New York and renamed Castle Clinton. Shortly after, the castle was repurposed to become the first immigrant processing facility in the nation. Castle Clinton also hosted the New York City Aquarium, one of the biggest attractions in the city. Today, the castle is a national historical landmark open to the public.

Castle Clinton 

The name of the park came from the artillery batteries that were built in the 17th century. The Battery was known as the landing point for immigrants arriving to the city from all over the world until 1890, when the Castle Clinton immigration center replaced it. The park contains attractions such as an old fort named Castle Clinton and the SeaGlass Carousel. Ferries dock at its shore to pick up visitors to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and all summer long concerts play on its grounds. The park has a beautiful waterfront and big spaces with flower gardens, which makes it a lovely area to see. The park’s location is at the southern tip of Manhattan making it a starting point for walking tours through the city. This stop of the tour is a great introduction to the history of Manhattan, before going into the 9/11 Memorial and One World Trade Center, located only at a 13 minute walk from the park.

Battery Park is a 25-acre public park located at the southern tip of Manhattan in New York City. With access to the harbor and the Hudson River, Battery Park is where the history of New York City began. 


Battery Park

The property where the
Fraunces Tavern is now located was a body of water until the 1600s. New York
City was rapidly growing into a colonial port by the end of the 17th century.
In order to raise funds for a new market house and to construct ferries, the
city sold lots in 1691, which were created by filling in part of the Great Dock
along Pearl Street. The new block protected the city hall on the north side of
the street from flooding.The plot of land that
54 Pearl Street is located on was purchased from New York City by Stephanus Van
Cortlandt in 1686. Van Cortlandt was the son of Olaff Stevenson Van Cortlandt,
who moved to New Amsterdam in 1638. His daughter Ann married Stephen De Lancey,
a young French merchant, in 1700. De Lancey used the family land to build a
residence─the same building that would later be home to Faunces Tavern.From 1738 until 1740,
Henry Holt rented 54 Pearl Street to teach the latest European styles of dance.
From 1740 to 1759, the building was most likely used to stock merchandise and
for residences. In 1759, the firm De Lancey, Robinson, and Company purchased
the building. The firm, composed of Stephen De Lancey’s son Oliver, Beverley
Robinson, and James Parker, dealt with imported goods from Europe and the East
and West Indies. Despite its prime location, business was slow, so in 1761, the
Company decided to offer rooms for rent, but this wasn’t as successful as they
had hoped. The law firm had to sell the building in 1762.A man named Samuel
Fraunces purchased 54 Pearl Street, and opened Queen’s Head Tavern in 1762. In
1765, he leased management of the tavern but then resumed ownership of the tavern
in 1770. The Fraunces Tavern was a place where travelers and locals would visit
and share news of the day and current ideas. The New York Chamber of Commerce
was founded at the Tavern in 1768. Many New York clubs held meetings at the
Tavern, including the New York Society Library, the Social Club, the Friendly Brothers
of St. Patrick, the Knights of the Order of Corsica, and the Saint Andrew’s
Society.As a rebellion against
England arose in 1755, Samuel left New York and went to New Jersey.&nbsp; He
left the operation of the tavern to his son-in-law, Charles Campbell. The tavern
irregularly provided food, drink, and community throughout the war. In 1780,
Governor Tyron hosted a dinner for seventy people, which included members of
the Council and British generals. By 1783, Fraunces Tavern resumed normal
operations of the tavern, and the American Commissioners made the tavern their
headquarters.On November 25, 1783,
British troops left New York City, which was later referred to as Evacuation
Day. The Evacuation Day celebration was held at Fraunces Tavern. During that
week, George Washington was in the city, and he made use of the tavern by dining
in and ordering take-out. Officers escorted Washington from the tavern to the
Whitehall waterfront, where he boarded a barge that took him to New Jersey.Samuel continued
running the tavern as post-revolution life settled down. In early 1785,
Fraunces agreed to lease the Tavern to the Continental Congress for use as
office space for the Department of Foreign Affairs. Two weeks after the lease
was signed Samuel sold the tavern to a Brooklyn butcher named George Powers.
Two years later, both the War Department and the Treasury had also leased rooms
in the building.As the city continued
to grow, the area around 54 Pearl Street did as well. Between the years of 1827
and 1833, eleven other buildings were built on the block. In 1832, 1837, and
1852, the building suffered serious fires. After each fire, the owner rebuilt
and added contemporary add-ons. New floors and a flat roof were added. Upper
floors were each divided into thirteen bedrooms and a toilet to accommodate
tenants. The growing city was running out of building space, and old buildings
were being replaced with new ones. In 1900, 54 Pearl Street was threatened with
demolition. The Daughters of the American Revolution with the aid of the
Honorable Andrew H. Green, founder and president of the Society for the
Preservation of Scenic and Historic Places (SRNY), came together to attempt to
preserve 54 Pearl Street. They attempted to purchase the building for several
years, but the owners refused.However, the
preservationists persisted, and when restoration was completed in 1907, the
building was dedicated and opened as a museum and restaurant on December 4, the
anniversary of Washington’s farewell address to his officers. The restaurant
was managed by Emil Westerburg. By the 1960s, Fraunces Tavern developed to
include four surrounding buildings. In 1965, 54 Pearl Street was designated as
a New York City Landmark, and in 1977, the entire block was designated a
Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. After extensive
research, the Long Room on the second floor of 54 Pearl Street, was
re-interpreted and exhibited as a colonial urban tavern public room in 1981.
The landmark exhibition “Taverns: For the Entertainment of Friends and
Strangers” brought national attention to the museum.

















The museum galleries&nbsp;are divided throughout the tavern
and four other 19th century buildings on the block. Every gallery focuses on an
aspect of early American history and culture in New York, such as&nbsp;art,
maps,&nbsp;people, and other important features and
artifacts.&nbsp;The&nbsp;art portion of the museum has a collection from the
19th century artist John Dunsmore, whose art portrays events of the American
Revolution and the early&nbsp;Republic. Maps that define the lines and
routes&nbsp;that began forming in America between the 18th and 19th century can
be viewed in another gallery. Two galleries in the museum are&nbsp;dedicated
to&nbsp;informing visitors about George Washington's&nbsp;strong political
symbol during the 18th century as well as his farewell address held in the Long
Room of the museum. Above the Long room, visitors can walk into&nbsp;a gallery
dedicated to the history of&nbsp;SRNY, the group that was responsible for
saving the Fraunces Tavern from destruction and creating the museum.&nbsp; 
 
Guided tours are provided for any age through
all available galleries, as well as performances and lectures on special days
throughout the year. The Fraunces Tavern is a great place for educational field
trips, guided tour programs for elementary schools, and self-guided programs
for high school and college level students and adults. When touring all of the
galleries, visitors can do as the founding fathers did 200 years ago and enjoy
a pint and a meal in the tavern restaurant.&nbsp;

Fraunces Tavern Museum is located inside a building that was completed in 1719 as a home for the family of Stephen De Lancey. Samuel Fraunces purchased the building in 1762 and operated the Queen's Head Tavern. Leading up to the American Revolution, the tavern was the site of many important political discussions among colonists. After the war, the building housed the new government's departments of Foreign Affairs, War, and Treasury from 1785 to 1788.  In 1900, the aging building was almost razed until an effort was made by the Sons of the Revolution, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the founder of the Society for the Preservation of Scenic and Historic Places succeeded in saving the historic building. In 1907, a combination museum and restaurant opened in this building. This business thrived for many years and in 1981, preservationists and historians restored the second floor's "Long Room" as a colonial tavern. The museum continues to expand and now offers nine galleries filled with artifacts and exhibits related to the history of New York and the American Revolution. The restaurant is open daily.

Downtown Manhattan

Fort Amsterdam Historical Marker

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information