First Inauguration

Federal Hall on Wall Street marks the location where, on April 30th, 1789, George Washington took the oath of office to become the first president of the United States.  This particular building was built in 1842. 

In addition to being the spot Washington was sworn in as president, the original Federal Hall was where Congress met under the Articles of Confederation, where the Northwest Ordinance was adopted (leading to the states of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin and the forbidding of slavery in those states).

Federal Hall was also the first Capitol of the United States under the Constitution and is where the Bill of Rights was drafted.  Before and after serving its federal duties the original building served as New York's City Hall until 1812.

The "new" building was intially the country's first Customs House.  After that duty the Treasury stored silver and gold in the basement of the building.  Today it is taken care of by the National Park Service as the Federal Hall National Memorial.

Comments

[Mariecarnes]

Great information and photos, as usual. I like the couple embracing.

[Dane]

Agreed, you always post something interesting. I don't think I ever learned this in school.

[Cheryl]

Thanks for the history lesson! Maybe I knew this 35 years ago, but... nah, I doubt it.

You folks in the East have a whole lot more American history than we do here in the Midwest.

[Joe]

Thanks all! I don't know how much of this I knew in school but the Parks Service and Wikipedia came in handy yesterday.