In 1994 the National Museum of the American Indian (Alexander Hamilton Custom House, 1 Bowling Green. +1 212 668 6624), part of the Smithsonian Institution, moved into this customshouse, a 1907 beaux arts palace. The collection of Indian artifacts spans over 10,000 years of the native cultures of North, Central, and South America.
Tucked behind 17 State Street, New York Unearthed (+1 212 748 8628. Closed Sun. year-round and Sat. Jan.-March) features a fascinating archaeological gallery with a reconstructed cross section of the layers beneath the pavement, speckled with long forgotten bones and sherds of pottery.
Fraunces Tavern Museum (54 Pearl St. +1 212 425 1778. Adm. fee) Gen. George Washington bade farewell to his triumphant officers after the Revolutionary War in this 1719 Georgian tavern. Fully reconstructed, the tavern features changing exhibits and period rooms with mementos of Washington’s farewell dinner, and American decorative arts.
In 1653 the Dutch built a wall for protection against hostile Indians. By the mid-19th century, Wall Street had become the nation’s financial center. Among the district’s regal-looking facades is the 1903 New York Stock Exchange (20 Broad St. +1 212 656 3000. Closed weekends), where tours showcase the frenetic trading room.
Federal Hall National Memorial (26 Wall St. +1 212 825 6888. Closed weekends) George Washington stood on the balcony of City Hall in 1789 and, before a cheering crowd, became the first U.S. President. The City Hall no longer stands, but a bronze statue of Washington marks the inauguration spot. Federal Hall, a Greek Revival structure built in 1842 as the U.S. customshouse, serves as a mini-museum with exhibits on the U.S. Bill of Rights and Constitution.
At the foot of Wall Street, the 1846 Trinity Church (Broadway and Wall St. +1 212 602 0872. By appt. Guided tours 2 p.m. daily) is the third church on the site. Until 1860 the needle-shaped steeple of the Gothic Revival church was the tallest structure in town (280 feet; 85.3 meters). A small museum contains relics relating to the history of the church. Statesman Alexander Hamilton and steamboat inventor Robert Fulton lie buried in the church’s moss-softened cemetery.
St. Paul’s Chapel (Broadway at Fulton St. +1 212 602 0874. Closed Sat.) After his swearing-in as the country’s first President, George Washington prayed in this 1766 Georgian gem. The chapel is now Manhattan’s oldest public building in continuous use.
1913 Woolworth Building flanked by the twin towers of the World Trade Center
Built in 1913 as headquarters of the chain of five-and-dime stores, the Woolworth Building (233 Broadway) set the standard for skyscrapers. The graceful 792-foot-high [241.4-meter-high], 60-story structure reigned as the world’s tallest building until the completion of the Chrysler Building in 1930.
The stately federal-style City Hall (City Hall Park. +1 212 788 7100. By appointment) has been the seat of New York government since 1812. The magnificent rotunda, with its twin-spiral marble staircase beneath a soaring dome, has welcomed kings, astronauts, and heads of state. The governor’s room now exhibits art objects.
This partial listing is an excerpt from the National Geographic Guide to America's Historic Places.
