Federal Hall National Memorial (New York City, New York)

 memorial, museum, NRHP - National Register of Historic Places, Greek Revival (architecture), 1840s construction

3-story Greek-revival civic building completed in 1842. Designed by Town & Davis, Samuel Thompson, William Ross, and John Frazee, it is one of the oldest and most storied buildings in New York. The original structure on this site dated back to 1700. The site is highly regarded for several of the events that had occurred there, two in specifically stand out among the others. The first, and arguably the most important, was President George Washington’s inauguration on April 30, 1789. In view of the fact that Federal Hall was the first capitol of the US, it’s assumed that the first President of our country would have agreed to be inaugurated there. Additionally, it is the place where the United States Bill of Rights was passed, and the foundations of our country were first established.

The original building was later demolished and replaced by its present structure, known then as a U.S. Government Custom House until 1862, when it became the U.S. Subtreasury Building. Today it is known as Federal Hall National Memorial, under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. The current building was designed by Town & Davis, Samuel Thompson, William Ross, and John Frazee, with construction beginning in 1833. It is constructed of marble, limestone and granite, and modeled after the Parthenon in Athens. The Wall Street facade is approached by a steep flight of steps. Eight enormous fluted stone Doric columns on either facade support an entablature with a frieze with triglyphs, and a triangular stone pediment above.

There is a shallow area behind the colonnade on Wall Street, leading to three square-headed entrances, two shorter ones at either side and a taller one in the center. Standing in front of the building, on the steps, is a pedestal supporting a statue of George Washington, by sculptor J.Q.A. Ward. The Pine Street facade also has a central entrance behind the colonnade, as well as four large windows on both the 1st and 2nd stories. The elevation along Nassau Street is a wall of plain square piers standing on a basement and supporting a similar architrave and frieze.

Today, Federal Hall serves as a museum honoring the historic events that occurred there, and welcomes an innumerable amount of individuals who want to learn about America’s history. The John Quincy Adams Ward statue of George Washington dominates the entranceway at the very spot where he was sworn in as President of the United States.