26 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005
Phone: 212-825-6888 or 212-264-9466
Fax: 212-825-6874
Open All Year
Overview. The original Federal Hall was the site of the first libel suit, which set the stage for freedom of the press in the United States. The year was 1735 and newspaper publisher John Peter Zenger was on trial for "seditious libel" after criticizing the royal governor in print. When his accusations proved to be true, Zenger was found innocent of the libel charge. Federal Hall has also seen other major historical events within its walls. In March of 1789, the fledgling United States government began its operations there; George Washington was inaugurated there two months later; and the Bill of Rights was written in its chambers by James Madison. The original structure was knocked down in 1812 after being vacated by local and national government. The current Greek Revival-style building was completed in 1842 and operated as a national repository until 1920. In 1955, it was designated as a national memorial. What to see and do. The memorial is open weekdays from 9 AM to 5 PM. You can view short films on request about George Washington and his inauguration and see interpretive exhibits about constitutional government and the original building. For larger groups, ranger-guided tours are available. Call the park service for times and dates. The monument is located at Wall and Broad streets in lower Manhattan. It is accessible by subway from the Wall Street Station.
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