| What makes it historical? |
On this site stood New York’s first City Hall, built in 1700. On its balcony, George Washington swore to uphold the duties of America’s first presidency. Below, Congress held its first two sessions! In the first, they established the Supreme Court, the U.S. Departments of War, Treasury, and Foreign Affairs (State), and the first twelve amendments to the Constitution, ten of which we now call the Bill of Rights! From the second session came the Naturalization Act, Patent Act, Copyright Act, and the future location of America’s national capital!
The original building was demolished after Congress moved to Philadelphia and City Hall moved uptown. It was rebuilt as the country’s first custom house in 1842 and remains one of New York’s best surviving examples of classical architecture! |
