Federal Hall National Memorial - Antique Photograph

Antique photograph of the Federal Hall National Memorial at 26 Wall Street. Photographer: Wurts Bros. (New York). Source: NYPL Digital Collections. Photo can be dated between 1939 and 1954, when the sunken areaway along Nassau Street was eliminated.

This classical Greek style building stands on the site of New York City's 18th-century City Hall. Later, it became the Federal Hall, the U.S.A.'s first capitol under the Constitution, the historic building that Washington was inaugurated as the first President on April 30, 1789. It housed the executive offices and the Congress.

This current structure was built as a Customs House, opening in 1842. It was designated as the Federal Hall Memorial National Historic Site, in 1939.