History and architecture
George Washington took his first presidential oath at Federal Hall in 1789, but the building visible today came later. The present marble structure was built between 1834 and 1842 as a United States custom house, on the site of the earlier City Hall and Federal Hall. It became a federal subtreasury in 1862.
Town & Davis and John Frazee gave the new building a Greek Revival temple form, with Doric columns at both ends. John Quincy Adams Ward's Washington statue, erected in 1882, marks the inauguration site on the steps. Looking down Broad Street also brings the Stock Exchange's contrasting columned front into view.
What to look for
- The shallow grooves and plain capitals of the Doric columns.
- The Washington statue facing Broad Street.
- The second columned portico on the Pine Street side.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service: Federal Hall National Memorial
- NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission: Federal Hall
Reviewed September 5, 2026.