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Survey of
Historic Sites and Buildings

	FEDERAL HALL NATIONAL MEMORIAL New York	Federal Hall
Location: Wall and Nassau Streets, New York City; address, Executive Director, Federal Hall Memorial Associates, Inc., New York, N.Y. Federal Hall National Memorial

The old City Hall of New York was the scene of numerous significant events of the colonial and constitutional periods of American history. The imprisonment and trial of editor John Peter Zenger for publishing "seditious libels" took place here in 1734 and 1735. Zenger's acquittal marked a large advance toward winning freedom of speech and the press in America. Colonists expressed the first organized opposition to the Stamp Act when delegates from nine Colonies convened the Stamp Act Congress in City Hall in October 1765. The petition, declaration, and address that came from this meeting helped influence Parliament to rescind the Stamp Act the next year. After the Revolution, when New York City served as the National Capital, the Continental Congress sat in City Hall. On its balcony Washington was inaugurated first President of the United States, and within its walls were created the Departments of State, War, and the Treasury, as well as the Supreme Court. Here, too, Congress adopted the Bill of Rights.

A print of City Hall, New York City, produced in 1790 by A. Doolittle of New Haven, Conn., and apparently intended to depict George Washington taking the oath of office as President, on the balcony. The seat of the Federal Government was removed to Philadelphia in 1790, however, and this building fell into ruin. (National Park Service)

After the transfer of the Federal Government to Philadelphia in 1790, City Hall fell into disrepair and was ultimately sold for salvage. On its site, however, Federal Hail was completed in 1842. An outstanding example of Greek Revival architecture, it served as the New York City customhouse until 1862, then as a U.S. Subtreasury. Designated a National Historic Site in 1939 and a National Memorial in 1955, it now exhibits documents and artifacts interpreting the role of City Hall in the colonial and early republican periods.

This outstanding example of Greek Revival architecture was built in 1842 on the site of City Hall, the first Capitol of the United States. It served first as the New York City Custom House, later as the United States Sub Treasury, and is now Federal Hall National Memorial. (National Park Service)