Historic Buildings, Fraunces Tavern Block

The Fraunces Tavern and other buildings in the same historic block, in Lower Manhattan. Photograph taken in October 1952 by Angelo Rizzuto (1906-1967). Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

The adjacent building at 101-103 Broad Street was reconstructed in 1940. Then the Anglers' Club moved into the second floor. The Club was founded in 1916 and had among its members President Harding, Hoover and Eisenhower. The former building was five stories high, with a different façade (see on the right).

The historic Tavern, located at 54 Pearl Street, on the southeast corner of Broad Street is owned and operated by the Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York, since 1904.

The block was created entirely on landfill, about 1689. Some of New York's most prominent families including the Van Cortlandts, de Lanceys and the Philipses, were involved in its development. Samuel Fraunces bought the de Lancey mansion in 1762 and established a tavern in the place, which served as an important meeting place and held offices during the Revolutionary War in the 18th Century.

Eleven of the present 16 buildings in the block were constructed between 1827 and 1833. In the late 1830, the old tavern was known as Broad Street Hotel (101 Broad Street) and it was a voting place for the First Ward.

In 1978, the Fraunces Tavern Block was designated a New York City Historic District. In 2008, Fraunces Tavern was added to the National Register of Historic Places.