French Arms Tavern facts for kids
The French Arms Tavern was a very important building in Trenton, New Jersey. It was also known by other names like the Thirteen Stars or the City Tavern. For a short time, from November 1 to December 24, 1784, it even served as the capitol of the United States! This is where the Congress of the Confederation met. The building stood from 1730 until 1837, when it was taken down. It was located at the corner of what are now Warren and State Streets.
Contents
History
Early Days of the Tavern
A historian named William Backes described the original building. He said it was a two-story stone house with a sloped roof. It was about 45 feet wide and 53 feet deep. There was a kitchen in the back with rooms for servants upstairs. It was considered the most beautiful and comfortable house in Trenton back then.
From 1740 to 1742, the French Arms Tavern was the official home of Royal Governor Lewis Morris. A Royal Governor was a leader chosen by the King of England to govern the colony.
A Sad Event During a Battle
During the Second Battle of Trenton, a sad event happened near the tavern. Reverend John Rosburgh was killed by Hessian troops. Hessians were German soldiers who fought for the British during the American Revolution.
Changing Names and Owners
From April 1780 to February 1781, the tavern was called the Thirteen Stars. It was run by a man named Jacob Bergen. In 1781, John Cape took over and changed the name to the French and Indian Arms. People usually just called it the French Arms Tavern.
Jacob Bergen returned to run the tavern again in 1783. In 1784, the building got a big makeover. Several rooms on the first floor were combined into one large room called the Long Room. Three men, Moore Furman, James Ewing, and Conrad Knotts, rented this space from Bergen. They paid 150 pounds a year for "the use and purpose of Congress of the United States to set in." This meant it was rented for the United States Congress to meet there.
The building kept the name French Arms Tavern until January 4, 1785. Then, Francis Witt leased it and renamed it the Blazing Star.
Important Meetings and Famous Visitors
The tavern was also a place for other important meetings. From December 11 to December 18, 1787, it hosted the New Jersey ratification convention. This was where New Jersey officially approved the United States Constitution.
On April 1, 1789, Henry Drake became the new owner and changed the name to the City Tavern. A very famous event happened here on April 21, 1789. George Washington, on his way to New York to become the first president, stopped in Trenton. He had been welcomed by the people of Trenton at the Assunpink Creek Bridge. After this welcome, he dined at the City Tavern.
The End of an Era
In 1836, the First Mechanics and Manufacturers Bank bought the property. They tore down the old tavern building. A new two-story building was built in its place. Today, a branch of Wells Fargo bank is located on this historic site.
Gallery
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Plaque commemorating the ratification of the United States Constitution on the One West State Street building now at this site
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One West State Street building on this site
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Bronze doors at One West State Street, featuring bas-relief portraits of George Washington, Marquis de Lafayette, Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin.
