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Federal Hall National Memorial
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Memorial
New York City Landmark
Federal Hall front.jpg
Federal Hall National Memorial in 2006
Federal Hall is located in Lower Manhattan
Federal Hall
Location of Federal Hall in New York City
Federal Hall is located in New York
Federal Hall
Federal Hall is located in the US
Federal Hall
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Location
26 Wall Street, Financial District, Manhattan, New York City
Coordinates
40°42′26″N 74°0′37″WCoordinates: 40°42′26″N 74°0′37″W
Area
0.45 acres (1,800 m2)
Built
May 26, 1842
Architect
John Frazee
Architectural style
Greek Revival
Visitation
156,707 (2004)
Website
Federal Hall National Memorial
NRHP reference #
66000095[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP
October 15, 1966[3]
Designated NMEM
August 11, 1955
Designated NYCL
December 21, 1965[2]
Federal Hall is the name given to the first of two historic buildings located at 26 Wall Street, New York City. The original, a Greek Revival structure completed in 1703, served as New York's first City Hall. It was the site where the colonial Stamp Act Congress met to draft its message to King George III claiming entitlement to the same rights as the residents of Britain and protesting "taxation without representation". After the American Revolution, it served as meeting place for the Congress of the Confederation held under the Articles of Confederation.
In 1788, the building was remodeled and enlarged under the direction of Pierre Charles L'Enfant,[4] becoming the first example of Federal Style architecture in the United States. It was renamed Federal Hall when it became the first Capitol of the newly created United States in 1789 and hosted the 1st United States Congress. On its steps George Washington was sworn in as the first President. It was demolished in 1812.
The current structure, completed in 1842 and one of the best surviving examples of neoclassical architecture in New York, was built as the U.S. Custom House for the Port of New York.[5] Later it served as a sub-Treasury building. Though never referred to as "Federal Hall", today it is operated by the National Park Service as a national memorial and designated the Federal Hall National Memorial to commemorate the historic events that occurred at the previous structure.