On April 30, 1789, a pivotal moment unfolded on Wall Street as George Washington took the oath of office, becoming the first President of the United States. This momentous event took place on a balcony of what was then New York's city hall, a building rich with historical significance. Before its transformation into Federal Hall, this structure played a crucial role in the early gatherings of colonial leaders, including the Stamp Act Congress, which paved the way for the American Revolution.
After the Revolution, the building took on new importance as Federal Hall. For a brief period, it was the heart of the newly established government, housing Congress, the Supreme Court, and Executive Branch offices. However, this era came to an end when the national capital was moved to Philadelphia, leaving behind a legacy of historical moments within its walls.
The present-day structure dates back to 1842 and has undergone several transformations. Initially serving as a Customs House, it later became the US Sub-Treasury, with its basement vaults safeguarding millions of dollars in gold and silver. Today, the building is under the care of the National Park Service and functions as a museum dedicated to preserving the rich history of the site.
Visitors to Federal Hall can step back in time by taking guided tours or simply wandering through the halls. One of the highlights is the rotunda, an architectural marvel that captivates all who enter. Among the artifacts on display is the Bible used by Washington during his inauguration, a tangible link to the past that offers insight into the birth of a nation.
Source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Hall
48 magnificent gardens and plant collections on a 250-acre historic site.
The Asia Society is a unique educational organization like no other in the area promoting relationships and understanding among and of leaders, people, and organizations of Asia. It features a vast array of Asian art including art, business, culture, and education, promoting collaboration and a new, progressive understanding of Asian relations. The opportunities for discovery here are endless, with lessons about art, calligraphy, language, literature, politics, and religion.
The first museum in the U.S. devoted to artists of African descent. Temporarily relocated from 144 W 125th St building for construction of new museum building.
Housed in a 560,000-square-foot, Beaux-Arts building, the Brooklyn is the 2nd largest art museum in New York City and one of the largest in the USA. Its world-renowned permanent collections include more than one million objects, from ancient Egyptian masterpieces to contemporary art, and represent a wide range of cultures. It is a 30-minute subway ride from Midtown Manhattan, and has its own subway station (renovated in 2019-20), the museum is part of a complex of 19th-century parks and gardens that also includes Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and the Prospect Park Zoo. On the first Saturday of each month, the museum is open until 11PM with free admission and special events.
The lesser-known historic district on the other side of the Park. It was developed at the turn of the 20th century by Dean Alvord as one of the first suburbs.
A small museum dedicated to finance and the markets, with exhibits that change periodically. Closed to find a new location as of Mar 2024.
The historic heart of the Financial District and the home of the New York Stock Exchange, Wall Street is a metonym for American big business, stock trading and the entire financial industry, although most New York financial firms are no longer headquartered on the street itself, but housed nearby in new offices, and some have moved to Jersey City. A narrow street running downhill from Broadway to the East River, Wall Street was named for the wall that was built here in 1652 to keep Manhattan's indigenous peoples out of the growing Dutch settlement. The wall was demolished by the British in 1699. By the late 18th century, traders and speculators would gather under a buttonwood tree at the foot of Wall Street to trade informally - this was the origin of the New York Stock Exchange that was established in 1817.
The garden is 52 acres and the layout was well planned. It is definitely worth a visit. Designed by the Olmsted Brothers in 1910 and open to the public since 1911, the garden includes an authentic Japanese garden, a Children's Garden, and the Cranford Rose Garden. The garden has the largest cherry blossom trees in one place outside of Japan. There are 42 gorgeous varieties. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden hosts various festivities throughout the year, including Hanami Sakura in May and the Chile Pepper Festival in October.
Home of the US Open and also the largest public tennis facility in the world. It features 3 stadium courts, 9 indoor courts, and 14 outdoor courts that are available to the public year-round.
This neo-Romanesque fairy castle was built in 1891, and a northern addition in very similar style was built in 1933. The older building is a busy post office serving Downtown Brooklyn and the northern addition houses the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York.
So named in 1981 in memory of John Lennon, the former Beatle, who was murdered close by outside his home in the Dakota building. Lennon's widow Yoko Ono, who still lives in the Dakota, subsequently donated $1 million to upgrade the area with hundreds of tree and flower species, including strawberries. The area serves as a Garden of Peace and includes a memorial floor mosaic (donated by the Italian city of Naples) that says simply "Imagine", referring to the title of one of Lennon's evocative songs.
An Episcopalian (Anglican) church and parish was first established on this site in 1697 under charter by King William III. The present Neo-Gothic Revival church building (the third incarnation) dates from 1846 and remains a significant landmark within Downtown. The original burial ground at Trinity Church includes the graves and memorials of many historic figures, including Alexander Hamilton, William Bradford, Robert Fulton, and Albert Gallatin.
Probably the most famous of the Guggenheim foundations (others found in Bilbao and Venice), which hold avant-garde modern art by artists such as Kandinsky and Mondrian, the New York branch is housed in a unique and famous building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and rendered in a rounded, organic form and completed in 1959. Be sure to take the elevator to the top floor, then follow the spiral viewing floors downwards to the street level. One of eight buildings by Wright to be listed as a world heritage site.
The One World Trade Center skyscraper rises 1,776 feet above the street and is the tallest building in the United States (and for that matter, the Western Hemisphere). Despite its colossal size, its simple design allows it to blend remarkably well into the Lower Manhattan skyline. An observation deck on the top floors offers 360-degree views of the city.
This park was operated as a United States Army airfield from 1919-1969. Now, it is a large, mostly grass park with baseball fields, soccer fields, and a children's playground.
Dates back to 1680, and held an abortive peace conference during the Revolutionary War.
The John Bowne House was built by John Bowne in 1661. It is the oldest building in Queens, and it is one of the oldest buildings in New York City. John Bowne was a Quaker who advocated religious freedom, which was later written into the Bill of Rights. John Bowne's great-grandson, Robert Bowne, strongly advocated for the end of slavery in America. The house was the home of several generations of the Bowne House until 1945, when it was donated and converted into a museum.