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Fraunces Tavern Block
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district

North and west fronts of Fraunces Tavern on Pearl Street at Broad Street
Location	Bounded by Pearl Street, Coenties Slip, Water Street and Broad Street, New York, NY
Built	Various
Architect	Various
Architectural style	Various
NRHP reference No.	77000957
Added to NRHP	April 28, 1977

Significant dates

Fraunces Tavern
U.S. National Register of Historic Places

West front of Fraunces Tavern on Broad Street
Location	54 Pearl Street, New York, NY
Built	1719
Architectural style	Georgian
NRHP reference No.	08000140
Added to NRHP	March 6, 2008

Fraunces Tavern is a famous building in New York City that is both a museum and a restaurant. You can find it at 54 Pearl Street in Lower Manhattan's Financial District. This place played a very important role in American history, especially around the time of the American Revolution.

Over the years, Fraunces Tavern was used for many things. It was a headquarters for George Washington, a place where peace talks happened with the British, and even held government offices when the United States was first starting. Since 1904, the Sons of the Revolution in New York have owned the building. They believe it is the oldest building still standing in Manhattan. Today, the museum inside teaches visitors about the building's history and shows off old art and artifacts. It's a popular spot for tourists and is part of the American Whiskey Trail and the New York Freedom Trail. Fraunces Tavern is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a special landmark in New York City. The whole block where it stands is also a National Historic Landmark District.

Early History of Fraunces Tavern
Fraunces Tavern in the 1800s and 1900s
- Changes and Restoration
- The 1975 Bombing
Fraunces Tavern Today
Gallery
See also

Early History of Fraunces Tavern

From Home to Tavern

In 1671, the mayor of New York City, Stephanus van Cortlandt, built his home on this spot. Later, in 1700, he gave the property to his son-in-law, Étienne "Stephen" DeLancey. DeLancey was a French Huguenot and a very important person in New York.

DeLancey built the building we see today in 1719. It was a large house for its time, made with small yellow bricks imported from the Dutch Republic. In 1762, DeLancey's family sold the house to Samuel Fraunces. He turned the house into a popular tavern, which he first called the Queen's Head.

A Meeting Place for Patriots

Before the American Revolution, Fraunces Tavern was a secret meeting spot for the Sons of Liberty. This group of Patriots wanted freedom from British rule.

In 1773, during a time of tension over British tea taxes, Patriots gathered here. They made a British ship captain apologize for trying to bring tea into New York. Then, like the Boston Tea Party, they dumped the ship's tea into New York Harbor.

The building was also important for other reasons. In 1768, the New York Chamber of Commerce was started there. And in 1771, the first meeting of the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital's leaders happened at Fraunces Tavern.

Fraunces Tavern During the Revolution

In August 1775, a group of American students, including Alexander Hamilton, took cannons from the southern tip of Manhattan. They fired at a British ship called HMS Asia. The British ship fired back, and a cannonball went right through the roof of Fraunces Tavern!

Later, when the war was almost over, the tavern hosted meetings between British and American leaders. They discussed what would happen to "American property" – which included formerly enslaved people who had gained their freedom by helping the British. A British general named Samuel Birch kept careful records of these people in a book called the Book of Negroes. This helped ensure that almost all of the freed Black people who were loyal to the British could leave with the British troops if they wanted to.

Washington's Farewell to His Officers

*"Washington's Farewell to His Officers"*
Engraving after painting by Alonzo Chappel
Date	December 4, 1783 (1783-12-04)
Location	Fraunces Tavern, Broad and Pearl Streets, New York Town

One of the most famous events at Fraunces Tavern happened on December 4, 1783. This was just a week after British troops left New York City. George Washington, the leader of the Continental Army, had a special dinner here. He said goodbye to his officers in the Long Room of the tavern. He told them, "With a heart full of love and gratitude, I now take leave of you." He then shook hands with each officer.

After the Revolution

In January 1785, New York City became the first capital of the United States under the Articles of Confederation. Important government offices, like those for Foreign Affairs, Finance, and War, were located at Fraunces Tavern.

When the United States Constitution was approved in 1789, New York City became the first official national capital. George Washington was sworn in as the first President of the United States that same year. However, the capital soon moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1790, and the government offices left Fraunces Tavern.

Fraunces Tavern in the 1800s and 1900s

Changes and Restoration

Fraunces Tavern, between the 1890 alteration and the 1900 restoration.

Fraunces Tavern continued to operate through the 1800s. It had several serious fires, starting in 1832. Because it was rebuilt many times, its look changed a lot, and we don't know exactly what the original building looked like. In 1852, two more stories were added, making the tavern five stories tall.

By 1900, the owners planned to tear down the tavern to build a parking lot. But many groups, especially the Daughters of the American Revolution, wanted to save it. They convinced New York state leaders to protect the building.

Valentine's City of New York guide book (1920) by Henry Collins Brown, featured the tavern on the cover.

In 1904, the Sons of the Revolution in New York bought the building. They used money left by Frederick Samuel Tallmadge, whose grandfather was Benjamin Tallmadge, George Washington's spy chief. A big reconstruction project finished in 1907, led by architect William Mersereau. He tried to make the building look like it did in the 1700s, but some people debated if his design was truly accurate.

Architects Norval White and Elliot Willensky said in 2000 that the building was "a highly conjectural reconstruction – not a restoration." This means it was rebuilt based on guesses and what typical buildings of that time looked like, rather than exact plans.

Fraunces Tavern was named a New York City landmark in 1965. The whole city block around it became a landmark district in 1978. The building was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

The 1975 Bombing

Fraunces Tavern bombing
Location	Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Date	January 24, 1975
Attack type	bombing
Weapons	bomb
Deaths	4
Non-fatal injuries	50+
Perpetrators	FALN
Assailant	Unknown

On January 24, 1975, a bomb exploded inside Fraunces Tavern. Four people died, and more than 50 others were hurt. A group called the "Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional Puertorriqueña" (FALN) said they were responsible. This group had carried out other bombings in New York in the 1970s. No one has ever been charged for this bombing.

Fraunces Tavern Today

Fraunces Tavern Museum
Established	December 4, 1907 (1907-12-04)
Location	54 Pearl Street, New York, NY
Visitors	25,000
Owner	Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York, Inc.
Public transit access	Bus: M15 Subway: at Wall Street, at Whitehall Street

Since 1907, the Fraunces Tavern Museum has been on the second and third floors of the building. It helps people learn about the tavern's history and see its collection of old items. The museum has nine different rooms, or galleries. These include:

The John Ward Dunsmore collection of paintings about the American Revolution.
The Elizabeth and Stanley DeForest Scott gallery with portraits of George Washington.
The Long Room, where George Washington said goodbye to his officers.
The Clinton Room, which looks like a dining room from the early days of the United States.
The McEntee Gallery, showing the history of the Sons of the Revolution.
The Davis Education Center, also known as the Flag Gallery.
Other spaces for special exhibits that change over time. For example, in 2014, the museum showed 27 old maps from the 1700s and 1800s.

The building used to be the office for the General Society, Sons of the Revolution, until 2002. The Fraunces Tavern Museum still has galleries with art and artifacts about the Revolution. In 2011, the museum even hosted a special ceremony for new American citizens.

Gallery

National Register of Historic Places marker from the U.S. Dept. of the Interior
The George Clinton Room at the Fraunces Tavern museum
A dining room at Fraunces Tavern

Plaques on the outside of Fraunces Tavern
A close-up of the Fraunces Tavern sign
A picture of Sam Fraunces from around 1900
A painting by Henry Hintermeister showing George Washington saying goodbye to his troops