Before the White House: New York City's Capital Legacy

Fraunces Tavern Museum

This lecture was recorded as part of Fraunces Tavern Museum's Evening Lecture Series on Thursday, April 28, 2022. In this lecture, Thomas Balcerski* will discuss New York City as the capital of the nation, beginning in 1785 under the Articles of Confederation Congress. Despite debates over whether the capital should be relocated, the first Congress determined to meet there in March 1789, and the first inauguration of an American President happened there in April of the same year. Balcerski reviews the many sites associated with the early capital, between 1785 and 1790, and considers their significance to later developments in the new government, as well as how the legacy of this important history has been largely forgotten today. *The views of the speakers are their own and do not necessarily represent the views Sons of the Revolution℠ in the State of New York, Inc. or its of Fraunces Tavern® Museum.