The Tree of Liberty: Federal Hall

Tucked into Lower Manhattan's intimate colonial streets sits a quiet landmark, hidden in plain sight. Federal Hall may be overshadowed by its saucier neighbor, the New York Stock Exchange, but its stately form and its cultural significance make it a site worth visiting.

When New York was the nation's capitol city, Lower Manhattan saw a lot of action. The intersection of Wall, Broad, and Nassau streets is one of the most significant locations in all of the city. Here, outside of the original Federal Hall, George Washington gave his first inaugural address. On this site Congress debated and ratified the Bill of Rights, and the judiciary held the first trial over freedom of the press. After the national capital relocated to Philadelphia in 1790, the Federal Hall became New York's City Hall again. In 1812 the original building was demolished.

The Federal Hall we see today is a handsome classical revival building designed by Ithiel Town and Andrew Jackson Davis, and built in 1842 as a custom house. Town & Davis chose monumental Doric columns outside as a nod to the ideals of Greek democracy. The interior's main domed chamber, designed by John Frazee, borrows from the Roman Pantheon. After the Customs House opened at Bowling Green, the building became the sub-treasury, housing millions of gold and silver in its vaults. In 1939 the building was designated a National Historic Site, more recently it was designated an interior and exterior city landmark.


Federal Hall National Memorial is open to the public, managed by the National Park Service. Admission is free and it's open 9-5. A visit on any given day will reveal tourists snapping pictures, New Yorkers noshing on the steps below George Washington's statue.

The cool classical restraint of the Federal Hall's exterior communicates strength and permanence, the interior conveys power yet approachability. How American. After the attacks on September 11, 2001 Federal Hall's existing structural issues became pressing emergencies. The building was reinforced, restored, and reopened in 2006. Federal Hall is a beautiful expression of democratic ideals, and despite deeply unsettling days, it stands resolute.

All Photos by The Preservator.

Two Staten Island Majestic Maritime Beauties at Auction

West Bank Lighthouse, Ambrose Channel / Lower NY Bay

Ever dreamed of living along a rugged oceanic coast, left peacefully removed from neighbors but for the gulls, yet still able to come to the big city when you wish? Are you in the market for a retreat complete with round rooms and majestic 360-degree views of New York Harbor? The U.S. General Services Administration has two lighthouses that might just suit your fantasy.

The Staten Island Advance reported yesterday that the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), the federal government's property ownership/management agency, has put two surplus lighthouses on Staten Island up for auction. Old Orchard Shoal Lighthouse (top) and West Bank Lighthouse (below) are both open for bidding.  The opening bid, which enables a tour on September 1, is $20,000.

Old Orchard Shoal Lighthouse, Gedney Channel / Lower NY Bay

Surplus lighthouses pose a special problem for the federal government - they're expensive to maintain and operate, and many are landmarked.  If a surplus property listed (or eligible for listing) in the National Register of Historic Places, as both lighthouses are, the National Park Service offers these properties to state, county or local governments at no cost through the Historic Surplus Property Program. The objective is to put these buildings into productive public use, and are often leased to local nonprofit groups, while protecting their historic integrity.  If there are no takers, the property can be auctioned by the General Services Administration, which is what's happening with the Old Orchard Shoal and West Bank Lights.

Old Orchard Shoal Light, was built of cast iron and first lit in 1893 to protect ships from hitting the rocky shoals of Lower New York Bay.  Below its octagonal lantern is an observation room, and the keepers's quarters are roughly 1000 square feet.  The West Bank, or Range Front, Light was built on a man-made island and was first lit in 1901, and boasts a 100 foot breakwater.  Both properties are only accessible by boat. (How exclusive!)

Lest you fret about sailors busting up along the rocky shores of Staten Island, know that the lights are automated and will remain operational. And if you're the new owners of one of these lights, the U.S. Coast Guard will still come by to do maintenance (think of them as the super for the light).

Bid info here:
GSA Old Orchard Shoal Light auction website
GSA West Bank Light auction website

Both images are U.S. Coast Guard Photos found here.