Historic Lower Manhattan To many people Lower Manhattan means financial district, where the large buildings are designed to facilitate the exchange of money. The buildings, streets and open spaces, however, recall events that gave birth to a nation and have helped shape the destiny of western civilization. Places such as St. Paul's Chapel and Federal Hall National Memorial exemplify a number of sites which have been awarded special status by the Federal Government. The sites appearing in this guide are included in the following programs which have given them public recognition and helped to assure their survival. National Park Service Since its inauguration in 1916, the National Park Service has been dedicated to the preservation and management of our country's unique national, historical and recreational areas. The first national park in the world—Yellowstone—has been followed by the addition of over 300 sites in the 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. National Park areas near and in Manhattan are: Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site, Fire Island National Seashore, Gateway National Recreation Area, Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Hamilton Grange National Memorial, and General Grant National Memorial. National Historic Landmarks National Park Service historians study and evaluate historic properties throughout the country. Acting upon their findings the Secretary of the Interior may declare the properties eligible for designation as National National Parks are staffed by Park Rangers who can provide information As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the Department of the Historic Landmarks. The owner of such a property is offered a certif­ to facilitate your visit to Lower Manhattan. The National Park Sites Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally owned public icate and bronze plaque designating it a National Historic Landmark. In contain exhibits, displays and audio/visual programs and are open lands and natural resources. This includes fostering, the wisest use return he agrees to preserve those significant historical values for which year round seven days a week. For information please call the of our land and water resources, protecting our fish and wildlife, it was singled out. phone numbers listed inside. preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks The National Register of Historic Places and historical places, and providing for the enjoyment of life through Historic properties recognized as nationally significant, either by their outdoor recreation. The Department assesses our energy and mineral Do not allow your visit to be spoiled by an accident. Efforts are made to inclusion in the National Park System or by designation as National resources and works to assure that their development is in the Historic Landmarks, are placed on the National Register of Historic provide for your safety but there may be hazards which require your best interests of all our people. The Department also has a major alertness and vigilance. Exercise common sense and caution. Places. Historic properties of state and local as well as national responsibility for American Indian reservation communities and for importance may be nominated to the National Register by the States and people who live in Island Territories under U.S. administration. Funding for this brochure has been provided by the National Park territories and by Federal agencies. Non-Federal properties on the Foundation, Washington, DC. National Park Service National Register may be considered for Federal historic preservation U.S. Department of the Interior grants-in-aid. Federally assisted or licensed undertakings that may affect properties on or eligible for inclusion on the National Register are Designed by Donovan and Green, Inc. under the supervision subject to review. of New York Interface Development Project, Inc. Heritage Trail The Heritage Trail has been established by the Mayor's Office of Lower Manhattan Development. It is an easily walkable route along which buildings, open spaces and monuments represent key events in the economic, social and political growth of New York City and the nation. Stops are identified by markers which present a brief history of the historic site. Historic Lower Manhattan National Historic Landmarks The National Register Wool worth Building 1911-1913 • Admiral's House, 1840 233 Broadway between Park PI. and (Commanding General's Quarters) Barclay St. Designed by Cass Gilbert. Tallest Governor's Island edifice in the world until the Empire State • The Block House, 1843 Building (1931). Governor's Island St. Paul's Chapel of Trinity Parish, • Castle Williams, 1807-1811 1764-1766 Governor's Island Broadway between Fulton and Vesey Streets. • Fort Jay, 1794-1798, 1806 Designed by Thomas McBean. George Governor's Island Washington's house of worship. • Governor's House, 18th Century Alfred E. Smith House ca. 1880 Governor's Island 25 Oliver St. Victorian rowhouse, home of • Chamber of Commerce Building, 1901 Alfred E. Smith, four-term governor of New 65 Liberty Street York, defeated in his bid for the presidency • City Pier A, 1886 by Herbert Hoover. South end of Battery Place City Hall 1803-1811 • Firehouse, Engine Company 31, 1895 City Hall Park between Broadway and 87 Lafayette Street Park Row. Designed by Joseph F. Mangin and • First National City Bank, 1834 1842 John McComb, Jr. One of America's finest (formerly The Merchant's Exchange) Federal Period buildings. 55 Wall Street Brooklyn Bridge 1867-1883 • India House, 1851-1854 City Hall Park, Manhattan, to Cadman Plaza, 1 Hanover Square Brooklyn. Planned and engineered by John A. • J.P. Morgan and Co. Building, 1913 and Washington A. Roebling. Largest 23 Wall Street suspension bridge of its day and one of the • John Street Methodist Church, 1841 greatest engineering feats of the 19th century. 44 John Street Fraunce's Tavern 1719, reconstruction 1907 • Municipal Building, 1914 54 Pearl St. at Broad St. Originally built for Chambers at Centre Street merchant Stephen DeLancey. The site of • Schermerhorn Row Block, 1811-1812 Washington's farewell address to his (New York State Maritime Museum Block) officers after the evacuation of New York Bounded by Front, Fulton and South Streets by the British. • South Street Seaport, 18th- 19th centuries Bounded by Burling (John Street) and Peck Slips, Water and South Streets • St. James Church, 1835-1837 National Park Service Heritage Trail 32 James Street Federal Hall National Memorial 1 Civic Center • Surrogates' Court, 1899-1911 26 Wall Street at Nassau Street (264-8711) 2 City Hall/City Hall Park (Hall of Records) The present building, constructed in 1842 as 3 Woolworth Building 31 Chambers Street a U.S. Customs House, is on the site of the 4 St. Paul's Chapel • Tweed Courthouse, 1872 original Federal Hall where the trial of John 5 Trinity Church (Criminal Court of the City of New York) Peter Zenger helped to establish freedom of 6 Custom House/Bowling Green 52 Chambers Street the press in 1735; the Stamp Act Congress 7 Battery Park •U.S. Customs House, 1901-1907 convened 1765; the Second Continental 8 State Street Row/Ferry Sites Bowling Green Congress met, 1785; Washington took the oath 9 Fraunces Tavern/Fraunces Tavern • James Watson House, 1793, 1806 as first U.S. President, and the Bill of Rights Block (Mission of Our Lady of the Rosary) was passed , 1789. 10 India House/Hanover Square 7 State Street Castle Clinton National Monument 11 New York Stock Exchange/Federal Hall • 170-176 John Street Building, 1840 The Battery (344-7220) 12 Bank of New York/First National (Baker, Carver and Morell Building) Built 1807-11 this structure served City Bank 170-176 John Street successively as a defense for New York 13 Federal Reserve Bank/Chamber of • 75 Murray Street, ca. 1858 Harbor, a promenade and entertainment center, Commerce Building (Bogardus Cast-iron Building) an immigration depot through which more 14 John Street Methodist Church 75 Murray Street than 8 million people entered the United 15 South Street Seaport States, from 1855-1890, and as the New York aquarium. Statue of Liberty National Monument Additional Sites • Liberty Island (732-1236) The famous 152-foot copper statue bearing the World Trade Center torch of freedom was a gift of the French people Bounded by West/Vesey/Liberty Streets in 1886 to commemorate the alliance of the and Trinity Place two nations in the American Revolution. The Observation Tower Open monument includes the American Museum of Statue of Liberty Ferry Immigration, in the base of the statue, and Ellis Staten Island Ferry Island, an immigration port from 1892-1954. Ellis Island was opened to visitation on May 29, 1976. .