On November 25, 1783, during Evacuation Day celebrations at Fraunces Tavern, a series of symbolic toasts were made to honor the departure of British troops from New York City and the victory of the American Revolution. These "Thirteen Toasts," hosted by Governor George Clinton in honor of General George Washington, celebrated the United States, its allies, the American Army, fallen heroes, and the ideals of liberty and justice. Each toast was carefully chosen to reflect the significance of the day and the unity of the newly formed nation.1. The United States of America2. His Most Christian Majesty3. The United Netherlands4. The King of Sweden5. The American Army6. The Fleet and Armies of France, which have served in America7. The memory of those Heroes who have fallen for our freedom8. May our county be grateful to her Military children9. May justice support what courage has gained10. The Vindicators of the rights of mankind in every quarter of the globe11. May America be an asylum to the persecuted of the earth12. May a close union of the States guard the Temple they have erected to liberty13. May the remembrance of this Day be a lesson to Princes

Pewter mugs were staples in wealthy eighteenth-century households and used to drink almost every kind of beverage. Early pewter has dangerous levels of lead, a poison that can have severe toxic effects. Lead dissolves into the food and drink stored in pewter vessels and enters the body when consumed.A well-worn hallmark to the upper left of the handle resembles "JAI ATES". Hallmark of James, Yates, Birmingham, England.

Fraunces Tavern

The last major celebration occurred during World War I which was discontinued as it was felt to show poorly on the British who were our allies in the war.&nbsp;

The largest celebration was by far the Centennial. &nbsp;A million people reportedly saw it although 20,000 people marched in the parade. &nbsp;There were ships in the rivers, banquets at Delmonicos, and the statue of George Washington was unveiled at Federal Hall as well as the arch at Washington Square. &nbsp;

 On November 25, 1783, British troops left New York City &amp;ndash; the last American city to be occupied. This day would later be referred to as Evacuation Day. George Washington led his Continental Army in a parade from Bull&amp;rsquo;s Head Tavern in the Bowery to Cape&amp;rsquo;s Tavern on Broadway and Wall Street. New York Governor George Clinton&amp;rsquo;s Evacuation Day celebration was held at Fraunces Tavern. During the week of Evacuation Day, George Washington was in the City, and he made use of the Tavern by dining in and ordering take-out.  

Washington's route from the Bulls Head Tavern to Fort George

Washington's final procession from the Bulls Head Tavern to Fort George

Etienne De Lancey constructed the three-story building at 54 Pearl Street as a family residence. The house was probably three stories and constructed with brick, tile, and a lead roof. It is unclear if the De Lanceys ever lived in it or used it as a rental property. This building is now the main building of Fraunces Tavern Museum.

1905-1907 - In October 1905, William H. Mersereau, a preservation architect, was contracted by Sons of the Revolution to begin the restoration of 54 Pearl Street. Mersereau&rsquo;s detailed notes and letters offer a closer look into one of the nation&rsquo;s first and largest restoration projects of its kind. Most of the surviving architectural elements dating back to 1719 were found within the walls of the Long Room: He did extensive research and site analysis but could not locate any image of the building prior to the first fire, which had significantly changed its appearance. The final design was somewhat conjectural and highly influenced by the Colonial Revival movement. Decades of modernization were stripped, starting with the cast iron facade. The deconstruction of 54 Pearl Street revealed red bricks on the Pearl Street side and yellow bricks on the Broad Street side. A definite difference could be seen in the older bricks and mortar of the second and third floors compared to that of the fourth and fifth levels. The south wall of the fourth story revealed the old roof line, which helped Mersereau determine the roof&rsquo;s original slope.December 4, 1907 - Fraunces Tavern Opens to the PublicWhen restoration was completed in 1907, the building was dedicated and opened as a Museum and Restaurant on December 4, the anniversary of Washington&rsquo;s Farewell to his officers.1907 &ndash; Completed Restoration of Fraunces Tavern1918 - Throughout World War I, Sons of the Revolution sold Liberty Bonds in the Long Room to help raise money for the wartime effort.20th Century - The Long Room for Rent - Throughout the 20th century, the Long Room remained open to the public and could be rented out for parties and banquets until it was reinterpreted as a period room and incorporated into the museum as a gallery.. 1970-1971 - The Long Room Reimagined - Sons of the Revolution hired architect Gerald R. W. Watland, who specialized in 18th century restorations, to restore the Long Room. Watland stripped the Long Room back to its studs and revealed what was believed to be original bricks and beams from the 18th century structure. The Long Room was then reassembled into what is believed to be a more authentic representation of the room George Washington would have seen when he delivered his Farewell Address in 1783.1980s &ndash; The Long Room is Reinterpreted - After extensive research, the Long Room on the second floor of 54 Pearl Street was re-interpreted and exhibited as a colonial urban tavern public room in 1982. The landmark exhibition Taverns: For the Entertainment of Friends and Strangers brought national attention to the Museum.

Samuel Fraunces bought 54 Pearl Street on January 15, 1762 and opened the Sign of the Queen Charlotte (also known as the Queen&rsquo;s Head Tavern). The tavern became a popular meeting place because it was located near Lower Manhattan&rsquo;s bustling Great Dock, and because of Fraunces&rsquo; culinary skills. He offered some of the best food in the City, including steak, mutton, pork chops, and fresh oysters. The Sign of the Queen Charlotte became so popular with the locals that they began simply referring to it as &ldquo;Fraunces&rsquo; tavern.&rdquo;Fraunces gives the only known &ldquo;accurate&rdquo; description of what the building looked like in the 1760s and 70s in an advertisement he published in 1764. He describes the tavern as, &ldquo;three stories high, with a tile and lead roof, has fourteen fireplaces, a most excellent large kitchen, fine dry cellars, with good convenient office, sufficient for a large family, the business above mentioned, a merchant, or any other trader, is a comer house, very open and airy, and in the most compleat repair, near to the ferry.&rdquo;

In October 1905, William H. Mersereau, a preservation architect, was contracted by Sons of the Revolution to begin the restoration of 54 Pearl Street.Mersereau&rsquo;s detailed notes and letters offer a closer look into one of the nation&rsquo;s first and largest restoration projects of its kind. Most of the surviving architectural elements dating back to 1719 were found within the walls of the Long Room:He did extensive research and site analysis but could not locate any image of the building prior to the first fire, which had significantly changed its appearance. The final design was somewhat conjectural and highly influenced by the Colonial Revival movement.Decades of modernization were stripped, starting with the cast iron facade. The deconstruction of 54 Pearl Street revealed red bricks on the Pearl Street side and yellow bricks on the Broad Street side. A definite difference could be seen in the older bricks and mortar of the second and third floors compared to that of the fourth and fifth levels. The south wall of the fourth story revealed the old roof line, which helped Mersereau determine the roof&rsquo;s original slope.

Throughout the 20th century, the Long Room remained open to the public and could be rented out for parties and banquets until it was reinterpreted as a period room and incorporated into the museum as a gallery.  

In 1832, 1837, and 1852, the building was damaged by several serious fires. After each fire, the owner at the time rebuilt and added modern additions. By the end of the 19th century the building bore little resemblance to the original structure. Two new floors and a flat roof were added. Upper floors were each divided into thirteen bedrooms and one toilet to accommodate boarders. The Long Room, however, was not divided into small rooms and remained a public room.  

Fraunces Tavern Opens to the Public - When restoration was completed in 1907, the building was dedicated and opened as a Museum and Restaurant on December 4, the anniversary of Washington&amp;rsquo;s Farewell to his officers.  

 Throughout the 20th century, the Long Room remained open to the public and could be rented out for parties and banquets until it was reinterpreted as a period room and incorporated into the museum as a gallery.  

Samuel Fraunces bought 54 Pearl Street on January 15, 1762 and opened the Sign of the Queen Charlotte (also known as the Queen&rsquo;s Head Tavern). The tavern became a popular meeting place because it was located near Lower Manhattan&rsquo;s bustling Great Dock, and because of Fraunces&rsquo; culinary skills. He offered some of the best food in the City, including steak, mutton, pork chops, and fresh oysters. The Sign of the Queen Charlotte became so popular with the locals that they began simply referring to it as &ldquo;Fraunces&rsquo; tavern.&rdquo;Fraunces gives the only known &ldquo;accurate&rdquo; description of what the building looked like in the 1760s and 70s in an advertisement he published in 1764. He describes the tavern as, &ldquo;three stories high, with a tile and lead roof, has fourteen fireplaces, a most excellent large kitchen, fine dry cellars, with good convenient office, sufficient for a large family, the business above mentioned, a merchant, or any other trader, is a comer house, very open and airy, and in the most compleat repair, near to the ferry.&rdquo;

After extensive research, the Long Room on the second floor of 54 Pearl Street was re-interpreted and exhibited as a colonial urban tavern public room in 1982. The landmark exhibition Taverns: For the Entertainment of Friends and Strangers brought national attention to the Museum.

Jacob Etzel ran the tavern and boarding house between 1881 and 1895, allowing renters to board by the week. This picture shows Etzel to the left of the lamp, standing with the people who were boarding at the time. His wife and child are in the Long Room, looking out of one of the second-floor windows. The Etzel family lived in the boarding house alongside its tenants, serving communal meals in the Long Room. Etzel advertised &amp;ldquo;the best selected Stock of Imported Wines, Liquors and Segars&amp;rdquo; on small business cards for the tavern below.  

 Throughout the 1800s, 54 Pearl Street was run predominantly as a boarding house with a bar on the first floor. As the City continued to grow, so did the area around 54 Pearl Street. Between the years of 1827 and 1833, eleven other buildings on the block were built.  

 Etienne De Lancey constructed the three-story building at 54 Pearl Street as a family residence. The house was probably three stories and constructed with brick, tile, and a lead roof. It is unclear if the De Lanceys ever lived in it or used it as a rental property. This building is now the main building of Fraunces Tavern Museum.  

Sons of the Revolution hired architect Gerald R. W. Watland, who specialized in 18th century restorations, to restore the Long Room. Watland stripped the Long Room back to its studs and revealed what was believed to be original bricks and beams from the 18th century structure.The Long Room was then reassembled into what is believed to be a more authentic representation of the room George Washington would have seen when he delivered his Farewell Address in 1783.

In 2019, Fraunces Tavern celebrated the 300th anniversary of the construction of 54 Pearl Street with a new exhibition, A Monument to Memory: 300 Years of Living History. The exhibition explores the many roles 54 Pearl Street has played in the public life of Lower Manhattan, inviting visitors to discover how the stories we tell through historic preservation and inquiry shape our memories of the past.

The New York Sons of Liberty used 54 Pearl Street as one of their secret headquarters in the 1770s, likely meeting in the Long Room. In the mid-1770s, taverns were important public spaces for colonists to gather and discuss, deliberate, and debate their grievances against Parliament. Samuel Fraunces was a well-known patriot, opening his tavern to those sympathetic to the revolutionary cause. The first floor of the tavern was open to the public and the second floor was made up of smaller rooms, like the Long Room, which were reserved for private events. In May 1775, Fraunces opened his doors to the New York Provincial Congress, which was then founded in the Long Room

The Committee of Fifty-one was a committee of correspondence in the City and County of New York that first met on May 16, 1774. On May 30, the Committee formed a subcommittee to write a letter to the supervisors of the counties of New York to extort them to also form similar committees of correspondence, which letter was adopted on a meeting of the Committee on May 31.

On the afternoon of April 8, 1918, Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks decided to do their part in the fundraising and made their way to the Sub Treasury Building. Between 20,000 and 30,000 people turned out to see their antics, the largest crowd ever assembled on Wall Street up to that time. Chaplin threw himself into the war effort, embarking on a nationwide tour to promote the sale of bonds. That year he would make a propaganda film called 'The Bond'. But there may have been a bit of self-promotion in his appearance at the Sub Treasury. His film 'A Dog&rsquo;s Life' would conveniently open in movie theaters five days later. People weren&rsquo;t used to hearing their movie stars speak in 1918. &ldquo;I never made a speech before in my life,&rdquo; he proclaimed through a megaphone that noon, standing in front of the statue of George Washington. &ldquo;But I believe I can make one now.&rdquo; Fairbanks &mdash; known for swashbucklers and romances &mdash; happily broke character, goofing around with Chaplin to the delight of the crowd. &ldquo;Folks, I&rsquo;m so hoarse from urging people to buy Liberty bonds that I can hardly speak.&rdquo;

The 4th Liberty Loan ceremonies in New York City and Washington, Sept. 1918, inaugurating a national drive for the sale of liberty bonds, President Wilson, his wife Edith, and mother-in-law, Mrs. W. H. Bolling, arrive in New York on Sept. 27, 1918. At Pennsylvania Railroad Station they are greeted by crowds and joined by the President's two daughters, Margaret Wilson and Eleanor McAdoo, as they enter a touring car en route to the Waldorf-Astoria. Views of flag-lined Fifth Avenue on the following day, with flags of the twenty-two Allied nations and banners supporting liberty bonds filling the Avenue. Emile Cartier, Belgian Minister to the United States, speaks at the dedication of the Altar of Liberty, an open-air structure in Madison Square designed by Thomas Hastings in support of the Liberty Loan effort; marching soldiers and band. On the south portico of the U.S. Treasury Building in Washington, D.C., Geraldine Farrar, member of the Metropolitan Opera Company, ceremonially sells bond to Secretary of the Treasury William Gibbs McAdoo as Leo S. Rowe, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, watches.

 Throughout World War I, Sons of the Revolution sold Liberty Bonds in the Long Room to help raise money for the wartime effort, 1918  

New York Stock Exchange

 After a few years of little activity, an elaborate "turtle feast" was held on December 4, 1883, in the Long Room of historic Fraunces Tavern. The banquet was to commemorate the centennial of General George Washington's farewell there to his officers. The 1883 dinner helped recruit 40 new members, and the group was reorganized as the Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York Inc. 

 Sons of the Revolution was founded in New York City, primarily by leading members of The Society of the Cincinnati and the businessman John Austin Stevens. He disagreed with the Society of the Cincinnati requirements limiting membership to the eldest male descendants based on the rules of primogeniture. Stevens held a preliminary meeting on December 18, 1875, at the New-York Historical Society in New York. At a second meeting held in January 1876, the first constitution was adopted and a flier that invited members was published. 

 Sons of the Revolution was founded in the Long Room on the 100th anniversary of Washington&amp;rsquo;s Farewell to his officers. Sons of the Revolution is a genealogical society that traces their ancestors back to men who participated in the Revolutionary War. In 1904, the organization purchased 54 Pearl Street and, to restore the building, undertook one of the largest preservation projects in the early 20th century.  

 Fraunces Tavern Opens to the Public - When restoration was completed in 1907, the building was dedicated and opened as a Museum and Restaurant on December 4, the anniversary of Washington&amp;rsquo;s Farewell to his officers.  

On December 4, 1783, nine days after the last British soldiers left American soil, George Washington invited the officers of the Continental Army to join him in the Long Room of Fraunces Tavern to bid them farewell. The best-known account of this emotional parting comes from the Memoirs of Colonel Benjamin Tallmadge, written in 1830 and now in the collection of Fraunces Tavern Museum.George Washington shaking hands with an officer, among other officers of the Continental Army, as he bids them farewell in 1783, at the end of the American Revolution.

Fraunces Tavern Museum's mission is to preserve and interpret the history of the American Revolutionary era through public education. This mission is fulfilled through the interpretation and preservation of the Museum's collections, landmarked buildings and varied public programs that serve the community. You can stand in the room where General George Washington bid farewell to his officers and explore seven additional galleries that focus on America's War for Independence and the preservation of early American history.

Frederick Samuel Tallmadge New York MDCCCXXIVMCMIV To live in hearts we leave behind is not to dieChamber of Commerce founded here 1768Washington's Farewell to his officers December 4th 1783Centennial celebration of Washington's farewell 1883Sons of the Revolution reorganized here December 4th 1883Building purchased and restored by the Sons of the Revolution as a memorial to Fredericks Tallmadge 1905Ceremony attending restoration December 4 1907'

'After the American Revolutionary War, on December 4, 1783. General George Washington bade an emotional farewell to his officers at a banquet held in the Long Room, located on the second floor of this tavern. Samuel Fraunces, a West Indian innkeeper was the proprietor; he later became Washington's chief steward. Fraunces, also an American Patriot, was host to secret meetings of the Sons of Liberty and gave aid to American prisoners of war. The present building, purchased by the Sons of Revolution in 1904, was restored by them on this site and has since been maintained by them.&nbsp;Plaque provided by the New York Community Trust, 1976.'

'United States of AmericaE Pluribus Unum&nbsp;By the United States Department of the InteriorCirca 1719'

 Originally built in 1719 but was controversially reconstructed in 1906 in an attempt to restore a colonial appearance.  

Fraunces Tavern Museum

 At the final stop on the tour, Kaplan discusses the historic Fraunces Tavern/Museum, the location of Washington's farewell address to his troops. The tavern remains today, owned by the Sons of the Revolution. 

Peter C. Hein, &nbsp;Past President, Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York, speaking at ‘It Happened Here - 1700’s Symposium: The Path to Liberty’ on July 4, 2025

Ted Knudsen speaking at It Happened Here on July 4th, 2023 at Fraunces Tavern

Melinda H. Allison speaking at It Happened Here on July 4th, 2023 at Fraunces Tavern

Nicole Scholet speaking at It Happened Here on July 4th, 2023 at Fraunces Tavern

Scott Dwyer speaking at It Happened Here on July 4th, 2023 at Fraunces Tavern

Peter C. Hein speaking at It Happened Here on July 4th, 2023 at Fraunces Tavern

Dwight Jon Zimmerman speaking at It Happened Here on July 4th, 2023 at Fraunces Tavern

George Washington was an American political leader, military general, statesman, and Founding Father of the United States, who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Washington led the Patriot forces to victory in the American Revolutionary War, and presided at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, which established the Constitution of the United States and a federal government for the United States

A study for a larger, fullsize canvas at Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Connecticut

Mount Vernon

George Washington Birthplace National Monument

1st Presidential Mansion

2nd Presidential Mansion

George Washington Gravesite

George Washington

 This sculpture depicts the moment after President Washington took the oath of office, which he did at Federal Hall on Wall Street in 1789. 

Samuel Fraunces came to New York City from the Caribbean. An American restaurateur and the owner/operator of Fraunces Tavern in New York City. During the Revolutionary War, he provided for prisoners held during the seven-year British occupation of New York City, gave money, and claimed to have been a spy for the American side. At the end of the war, it was at Fraunces Tavern that General George Washington said farewell to his officers. Fraunces later served as steward of Washington's presidential household in New York City and Philadelphia.&nbsp;His daughter, Phoebe, once saved the General Washington’s life when she foiled a plot to poison him. But today little is known about Samuel Fraunces—even his race is a bit of a mystery. He was called “Black Sam,” but he was, and still is, described as being white, Negro, “colored,” Haitian, and mulatto.

Samuel Fraunces

Fraunces Tavern Museum’s mission is to preserve and interpret the history of the American Revolutionary era through public education. This mission is fulfilled through the interpretation and preservation of the Museum's collections, landmarked buildings, and varied public programs that serve the community.

Join Anne and Ridley Enslow for Celebrate 250: Music of the American Revolution, a concert of lively 18th-century songs about the struggle for American independence. The show will include “liberty songs,” humorous ballads lampooning the British troops, and songs celebrating American victories, plus drinking songs and a dance tune or two. There will even be a song by a signer of the Declaration of Independence about the so-called Battle of the Kegs. &nbsp;&nbsp;As always, Anne and Ridley perform in 18th-century dress and on instruments of the period—hammered dulcimer and a 1776 violin. They will have their little dancing man called a limberjack, who pleases audience members from 9 to 90! Before each song Anne will provide an interesting and entertaining introduction to the piece, setting the context in American history. &nbsp;&nbsp;This program was created for the celebration of the U.S. Semiquincentennial, which is commemorated in our special 250th exhibition: Path to Liberty: The Emergence of a Nation.

Fraunces Tavern® Museum

Celebrate 250: Music of the American Revolution - 250th Program

Ticket

Join author Michael Cecere for a lecture in our special 250th series, covering important events in 1775 across all of the thirteen colonies, with a special emphasis on the Middle Colonies and New York.*

The Conflict Spreads: The American Colonies After Lexington & Concord - 250th Lecture

The HMS Asia shelling of lower Manhattan, which included a cannonball through the roof of Fraunces Tavern, began the evening of August 23, 1775, and continued into the early morning of August 24, 1775. This commemorative event will include a social reception with hors d'oeuvres and drinks together with brief remarks, followed by an optional dinner (starting at 7:30 pm). Attendees at the reception can view the first installment of our recently opened 250th anniversary special exhibition Path to Liberty: The Emergence of a Nation (which includes recognition of the HMS Asia shelling event).&nbsp;

HMS Asia Cannonball 250th Commemoration Bash

Spies, espionage, and intelligence operations during the American Revolution have long captured the public's imagination, thanks in part to popular books and television series. While these dramatizations highlight a captivating aspect of the Revolutionary War, they often blur the line between fact and fiction. Join historian Charles Dewey to uncover the real stories of the men and women—soldiers and civilians alike—who risked or sacrificed their lives for the cause.*

The Spies, Spycraft, and Intelligence Operations of Greater New York - 250th Lecture

Please join cultureNOW, the Lower Manhattan Historical Association, Sons of the RevolutionSM &nbsp;in the State of New York, &nbsp;Inc. and its Fraunces Tavern® Museum for a hybrid symposium. &nbsp;&nbsp;Speakers&nbsp;- Mike Duncan, history podcaster; author of Hero of Two Worlds: The Marquis de Lafayette in the Age of Revolution.&nbsp;- Professor Robert Snyder, Manhattan Borough Historian; Professor of Journalism and American Studies at Rutgers Newark; co-author&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;of All Nations Under Heaven.&nbsp;- Professor Moisette Broderick, Clinical Professor in the Department of Art History, New York University; Director of the London&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;MA Programme in Historical and Sustainable Architecture

Federal Hall National Memorial

1800’s Symposium: Lafayette and the Gilded Age Symposium

Professor Robert Snyder, speaking at the ‘It Happened Here - 1800’s Symposium: Lafayette and the Gilded Age Symposium’ on July 5, 2025

Professor Mosette Broderick, speaking at the ‘It Happened Here - 1800’s Symposium: Lafayette and the Gilded Age Symposium’ on July 5, 2025

John Tauranac, Cartographer, Historian, and Writer, speaking at the ‘It Happened Here - 1800’s Symposium: Lafayette and the Gilded Age Symposium’ on July 5, 2025

Mike Duncan, History Podcaster speaking at the ‘It Happened Here - 1800’s Symposium: Lafayette and the Gilded Age Symposium’, on July 5, 2025

Reservation

Experience the story of a new founding figure for America, an enslaved Black woman named Liss, and see historic lower NYC in a new way.&nbsp;Experience the story of a new founding figure for America named Liss - and see New York City in a whole new way. You'll also follow in the footsteps of the spy Robert Townsend of the Culper Spy Ring who risked his life to send intelligence across enemy lines. As Robert and Liss’s story unfolds, prominent figures cross their path, including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Benedict Arnold, John Graves Simcoe, John André and John Adams. Liss’s escape with the British, re-enslavement in Manhattan and later Charleston, and her complex struggle for freedom gives new insight into the country's founding era, through the eyes of an enslaved Black woman seeking liberty in a country fighting for its own.This talk is given by Claire Bellerjeau, the historian and author who discovered Liss's amazing story. From well-known sites like Bowling Green and South Street Seaport to more hidden corners and courtyards that reveal her unique journey, this talk reveals the untold history of enslaved New Yorkers during the Revolution.&nbsp;Presented by Remember Liss, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to sharing her story.

Liss and the Culper Spy Ring in Historic Lower Manhattan

In Person: Included in Museum Admission (Special Admission on July 4th will be $1)Virtually: Free

This talk is a prelude to the ‘1700’s Symposium : The Path to Liberty’ Please make the reservation here

Fraunces Tavern was a witness to history throughout the Revolutionary War Era. Among the many historic events that took place there, Fraunces Tavern served as a meeting place for the Sons of Liberty, a site for trials that were part of a process that led to the emancipation of thousands of Black Loyalists, and the setting for Washington’s farewell to his officers. &nbsp;&nbsp;On Exhibit are:&nbsp;- The Birch Trials at Fraunces Tavern&nbsp;- Path to Liberty: The Emergence of a Nation&nbsp;- Lafayette: A Hero’s Return&nbsp;- Governing the Nation from Fraunces Tavern

Link

On April 21, 2025, Sons of the Revolution℠ in the State of New York, Inc. invite you to gather with us to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which took place on April 19, 1775. At this commemoration, we will also honor the winner of the 2025 Fraunces Tavern Museum Book Award and present our new exhibition, Path to Liberty: The Emergence of a Nation, officially opening to the public the following day.The Fraunces Tavern Museum Book Award is presented annually to the author of the best newly published work on the American Revolutionary War that combines original scholarship, insight, and good writing. This year's winner is George Washington’s Momentous Year: Twelve Months that Transformed the Revolution—Vol. 1: The Philadelphia Campaign, July to December 1777 by Gary Ecelbarger*.Commemorating the United States Semiquincentennial, the Museum's newest upcoming exhibition, Path to Liberty: The Emergence of a Nation, will be a chronological, multi-year exhibition telling the history of the American Revolution from 1775 to 1783. With a distinctive focus on what occurred in New York State and the surrounding areas, the first segment of the exhibition will focus on the years 1775 to 1776.

Battles of Lexington and Concord Dinner (including Fraunces Tavern® Museum Book Award Presentation)

Tickets

The Lower Manhattan Historical Association, in conjunction with the Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York and its Fraunces Tavern Museum, the Sephardi Federation, the Temple of Universal Judaism, the Bowling Green Association, The Museum of Jewish Heritage - &nbsp;A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, the Chinatown Partnership, the Chinatown Business Improvement District, The American Historical Association in the State of New York, The New York Board of Rabbis, cultureNOW, and the Jewish Learning Experience is commemorating the founding of New York City’s (and North America’s) first temple.On the seventh day of Passover April 8, 1730 the nascent Jewish community of New York City consecrated the Mill Street Synagogue at what today is 26 South William Street. &nbsp;Congregation Shearith Israel which was has long since moved to the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The history of the Jewish communities in New York and its first native born Jewish leader, the most dedicated and influential Hazzan, Gershom Mendes Seixas, is well documented. &nbsp;In addition to his contributions to the Revolutionary War effort, he was also a trustee of Kings College and participated in George Washington’s Inauguration. &nbsp;The street was co-named Seixas Way on April 8,2019. &nbsp;In August 2019 a plaque was installed at 22 South William Street to commemorate the Mill Street Synagogue. &nbsp;It is, therefore, our intention to raise the community’s awareness regarding the important contribution of Seixas and his congregation to the rise of New York as that most cosmopolitan of American cities.The ceremony will involve the presentation of &nbsp;the Gershom Mendes Seixas Religious Freedom Award to the Rabbi Nissi Eber, The Jewish Learning Experience who has fostered Rabbi Seixas’ ideals of religious freedom.

Shearith Israel Synagogue

President, Lower Manhattan Historical Association

Ambrose Madison Richardson, President, Lower Manhattan Historical Association &amp; James S. Kaplan, Co-Founder &amp; Chair, Lower Manhattan Historical Association

Co-Founder &amp; Chair, Lower Manhattan Historical Association

Founder &amp; CEO, The Tour for Tolerance2023 award recipient&nbsp;

President, New Amsterdam History Center

Shamash/Assistant Hazzan, Congregation Shearith Israel

Vice President for Marketing, Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust

Past President, Sons of the RevolutionSM in the State of New York, Inc. Secretary, Lower Manhattan Historical Association

Director, The Chabad Jewish Center Of FiDi &amp; Peter C. Hein, Past President, Sons of the RevolutionSM in the State of New York, Inc. Secretary, Lower Manhattan Historical AssociationPresentation of the GERSHOM MENDES SEIXAS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AWARD

Reading of the Letter from George Washington to the Hebrew Congregation Newport, R.I, August 18, 1790

President, cultureNOW; Vice President, Lower Manhattan Historical Association

&nbsp;across the street from Dubliners restaurant and up the street from 85 Broad Street, the old Goldman Sachs building. In a city of perhaps more than 2 million Jewish residents, there is nothing that would inform a passersby or others of the importance of this place.

Seixas Way - Northwest Corner

295th Anniversary of the Founding of New York City's First Synagogue

RSVP required :

More than 3 years passed between the last battle in the North and the British surrender at Yorktown. In this lecture, Alan Pell Crawford tells what actually happened in those 3 too-little known years that forced the British to lose the war–and enabled America to win it.*This lecture will take place in-person and via Zoom.&nbsp;

This Fierce People: The Untold Story of Americas Revolutionary War in the South Lecture

George Washington and Samuel Fraunces developed skills of risk-taking, judgement, and leadership through their entrepreneurial ventures that would later advantage them and the new nation when they chose to join the cause of American patriots. In this lecture, John Berlau will spotlight the successes and struggles of both men in their respective business careers that intertwined at important points in American history.*This lecture will take place in-person and via Zoom.&nbsp;

Entrepreneurs & Patriots: George Washington, Samuel Fraunces, and Their Bold Business Ventures Lecture

Clement Clarke Moore is known the world over for his masterpiece of juvenile fiction, Twas the Night Before Christmas — less well-known is Moore's own life story and the involvement of his parents and grandparents during the revolutionary period. Join author and historian Pamela McColl for a festive presentation on the life and times of Clement Clarke Moore (New York, NY 1779-1863) and the Moore and Clarke families' involvement in the Revolutionary War.*&nbsp;This lecture will take place in-person and via Zoom.&nbsp;

Fraunces Tavern® Museum 

Twas the Night: The Life and Times of Clement Clarke Moore Lecture

November 25, 1783 marks the conclusion of the Revolutionary War and ends the 7 year British occupation of New York.&nbsp;

Site of Battle of Monmouth

Mount Rushmore

Battle Site for Battle of Brandywine 

Site of Battle of White Plains 

Site of Encampment of Valley Forge

Site of Battle of the Assunpink Creek

Site of Battle of Princeton

Site of Battle of Trenton

Battle of Germantown

Washington Monument

Evacuation Day Plaza

Evacuation Day Commemoration

In this lecture, join author, photographer, and licensed NYC sightseeing guide Tommy Silk as he discusses how he decided on the 120 buildings that constitute the hidden landmarks of the five boroughs. Discover the histories of the city's remaining buildings from the 18th century and earlier, including Fraunces Tavern itself, and learn why so few of these structures remain today.*&nbsp;This lecture will take place in-person and via Zoom.&nbsp;Note: We have reached capacity for general admission in-person bookings, but please consider registering to join for free via Zoom. There is still limited availability for Museum members who should contact our public programs department at 212-425-1777 or <a href="mailto:programs@frauncestavernmuseum.org">programs@frauncestavernmuseum.org</a> to reserve tickets.

The Hidden Landmarks of New York Lecture

A commemoration of the American Victories of Saratoga on October 17, 1777 and Yorktown on October 19, 1781. Each October the LMHA celebrates two of the Continental Army’s most decisive Revolutionary War victories, the battles of Saratoga and Yorktown. Both General Horatio Gates, the commanding general at the Battle of Saratoga, and Alexander Hamilton, a key aide to General George Washington and the leader the climactic charge against redoubt 10 at the Battle of Yorktown, are buried at Trinity Churchyard. Additionally, the Battle of Yorktown is symbolic of the United States of America’s oldest military alliance. Powerful French land forces, commanded by the Comte de Rochambeau, and an equally important and sizable French fleet, commanded by the Comte de Grasse, played a crucial role in the defeat and capitulation of the British army.&nbsp;This will be the Inaugural Frederic P. Vigneron Award Federation of French War Veterans

Depicts the surrender of the British General John Burgoyne at Saratoga. Colonel William Prescott stands right of center wearing all brown, just behind Captain Morgan in white.&nbsp;

Saratoga Yorktown Celebration

The full day celebration will begin with a flag raising at Castle Clinton followed by a parade that will end at the Seaport. &nbsp;The afternoon will feature a symposium at Fraunces Tavern Museum.&nbsp;

Castle Clinton

July 4th, 2024: The 248th Anniversary of the Founding of America

A talk by Abby Suckle at Fraunces Tavern Museum, New York on July 4, 2024

A talk by Kenneth T. Jackson at Fraunces Tavern Museum, New York on July 4, 2024

A talk by Scott Dwyer at Fraunces Tavern Museum, New York on July 4, 2024

A talk by Seth Kaller at Fraunces Tavern Museum, New York, on July 4, 2024

A talk by Peter C. Hein at Fraunces Tavern Museum, New York on July 4, 2024

Join licensed tour guide Bruce Racond to visit the New York City that George Washington would have known from 1776 to 1790! This walking tour explores the people and places of NYC during the Revolutionary War and Washington’s first term as president, including the important contributions of women and African Americans.

George Washington's New York Walking Tour

We don't always consider the powerful impact that the War of Independence had on the physical landscape of 18th century America – much less how those impacts might still be seen and felt today. Join Professor David C. Hsiung for fascinating insights into the lasting legacies of the Revolution on the natural world, including deforestation at Valley Forge, raids that seized animals but also produced some surprisingly "positive" effects, and lead musket balls left on battlefields that may only now be poisoning the land.

Environmental Legacies: How the War of Independence Affected the Natural World in Predictable and Surprising Ways Lecture

Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York, Inc. are pleased to invite you to our annual Evacuation Day Dinner celebration held at Fraunces Tavern!Evacuation Day marked the final British evacuation from New York City in 1783, after seven years of occupation. The evening culminated in a festive dinner given by Governor George Clinton, honoring George Washington and his officers at Samuel Fraunces' tavern.Evacuation Day remained a New York City holiday into the 1910s, with celebrations rivaling those of the Fourth of July.We look forward to celebrating this event with you at Fraunces Tavern as George Washington did that night, by raising our glasses for the very same thirteen toasts given at the first Evacuation Day Dinner at Fraunces Tavern on November 25, 1783.

Evacuation Day Dinner, Join Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York

Each October the LMHA celebrates two of the Continental Army’s most decisive Revolutionary War victories, the battles of Saratoga and Yorktown. Both General Horatio Gates, the commanding general at the Battle of Saratoga, and Alexander Hamilton, a key aide to General George Washington and the leader the climactic charge against redoubt 10 at the Battle of Yorktown, are buried at Trinity Churchyard. Additionally, the Battle of Yorktown is symbolic of the United States of America’s oldest military alliance. Powerful French land forces, commanded by the Comte de Rochambeau, and an equally important and sizable French &nbsp;eet, commanded by the Comte de Grasse, played a crucial role in the defeat and capitulation of the British army.  The 2nd annual Frederic P. Vigneron Award

St Paul’s Chapel

Saratoga Yorktown Celebration 2025

The Lower Manhattan Historical Association, in conjunction with the Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York and its Fraunces Tavern Museum, the Sephardi Federation, the Temple of Universal Judaism, the Bowling Green Association, The Museum of Jewish Heritage - &nbsp;A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, the Chinatown Partnership, the Chinatown Business Improvement District, The American Historical Association in the State of New York, The New York Board of Rabbis, cultureNOW, and the Jewish Learning Experience is commemorating the founding of New York City’s (and North America’s) first temple. &nbsp;On the seventh day of Passover April 8, 1730 the nascent Jewish community of New York City consecrated the Mill Street Synagogue at what today is 26 South William Street. &nbsp;Congregation Shearith Israel which was has long since moved to the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The history of the Jewish communities in New York and its first native born Jewish leader, the most dedicated and influential Hazzan, Gershom Mendes Seixas, is well documented. &nbsp;In addition to his contributions to the Revolutionary War effort, he was also a trustee of Kings College and participated in George Washington’s Inauguration. &nbsp;The street was co-named Seixas Way on April 8,2019. &nbsp;In August 2019 a plaque was installed at 22 South William Street to commemorate the Mill Street Synagogue. &nbsp;It is, therefore, our intention to raise the community’s awareness regarding the important contribution of Seixas and his congregation to the rise of New York as that most cosmopolitan of American cities. The Gershom Mendes Seixas Religious Freedom Award will be bestowed.

294th Anniversary of the Founding of New York Citys First Synagogue

In recognition of George Washington’s birthday and Black History Month there will be an online discussion of the important role played by the Fraunces Tavern in U.S.history and the significance of the Birch Trials—the culminating event in one of the largest emancipations of Black people prior to the American Civil War.

Hosted by The New York City Department of Records and Information Services/Municipal Archives

Lunch & Learn: George Washington & The Birch Trials at the Historic Fraunces Tavern

Third (Current) Location

Second Location

First Location

African Burial Ground National Monument

Bunker Hill Grounds

Castle Clinton National Monument 

Trinity Church and Graveyard

DAR Constitutional Hall

Santa Monica Park

A living history portrayal of Marquis de Lafayette, Major General, Continental Army

Federal Hall

Naturalization Ceremony at Federal Hall

Chief Judge Laura Taylor Swain, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York

An individual delivering a dramatic interpretation of Marquis de Lafayette’s speech in period military attire at Federal Hall on July 3, 2025

Speaking at the Naturalization Ceremony at Federal Hall, July 3, 2025

The Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York, Inc. celebrated the signing of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787, featuring a lecture on the formation and implementation of the United States Constitution by Tom Hand, author of An American Triumph: America’s Founding Era through the Lives of Ben Franklin, George Washington, and John Adams, an honorable mention for the 2024 Fraunces Tavern Museum Book Award. Hand is also the creator of the website Americana Corner that shares informative stories of the momentous events, significant documents and influential leaders that helped create and shape our country.* This lecture was recorded on Monday, September 16, 2024.

Perhaps no single day in US history was as threatening to the survival of the nation as August 24, 1814, when British forces captured Washington. This unique moment might have significantly altered the nation's path forward, but the event and the reasons why it happened are often forgotten. In this lecture, Dr. Robert Watson explores the British campaign and American missteps that led to the fall of the capital city, but also tells the redeeming stories of the courageous young clerks and the bold first lady who risked their lives to save priceless documents from the flames, including the Constitution. Join Dr. Watson for the shocking, behind-the-scenes story of the British attack on Washington and the rebuilding of the capital and nation.This event was co-sponsored by the Society of the Second War with Great Britain in the State of New York and The State of New York Society, United States Daughters of 1812.This lecture was recorded as part of Fraunces Tavern Museum's Evening Lecture series on Monday, July 8, 2024.

We don't always consider the powerful impact that the War of Independence had on the physical landscape of 18th century America – much less how those impacts might still be seen and felt today. Join Professor David C. Hsiung for fascinating insights into the lasting legacies of the Revolution on the natural world, including deforestation at Valley Forge, raids that seized animals but also produced some surprisingly "positive" effects, and lead musket balls left on battlefields that may only now be poisoning the land.This event was a collaboration with the Paul Revere House.This lecture was recorded as part of Fraunces Tavern Museum's Evening Lecture series on Monday, July 15, 2024.

In this lecture, Tyson Reeder traces early America's rocky beginnings, when foreign interference and political conflict threatened to undermine its aspirations and ideals, even its very existence. Spanning the period from the Revolution to the War of 1812, and focusing particularly on the career of James Madison, it reveals a nation adjusting to rancorous partisan politics, aggravated by the untested and imperfect new tools of governance and the growing power of media.*The event was co-sponsored by the Society of the Second War with Great Britain in the State of New York and The State of New York Society, United States Daughters of 1812.This lecture was recorded as part of Fraunces Tavern Museum's Evening Lecture series on Monday, August 12, 2024.

What did “the pursuit of happiness” mean to our nation’s founders and how did that famous phrase become the foundation of our democracy?The Declaration of Independence identifies “the pursuit of happiness” as one of our unalienable rights, along with life and liberty. In his new book, National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen profiles six of the most influential founders—Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton—to show what pursuing happiness meant in their lives.In this lecture Rosen not only elucidates the meaning of the Declaration’s famous phrase, but also takes us on a revelatory journey into the minds of the Founders, providing a deep, rich and fresh understanding of the foundation of our democracy.

Martha Washington’s worst memory was the death of her husband. Her second worst was Thomas Jefferson’s awkward visit to pay his respects subsequently. Indeed, by the time George Washington had died in 1799, the two founders were estranged. But that estrangement has obscured the fact that for most of their thirty-year acquaintance they enjoyed a productive relationship. In this lecture, Francis D. Cogliano considers the significance of one of the most important but understudied personal relationships of the founding era: the connection between George Washington and Thomas Jefferson that spanned three turbulent decades. This lecture was recorded as part of Fraunces Tavern Museum's Evening Lecture series on Monday, April 8, 2024.&nbsp;

Although among the best-known Revolutionary War soldiers, Benedict Arnold is overwhelmingly remembered as little more than a traitor — yet his enormously important contributions to the patriot cause in the early years of the war are, in many ways, far more important than his treason. Join Jack Kelly, author of God Save Benedict Arnold: The True Story of America's Most Hated Man, as he highlights some of Arnold's achievements and paints a realistic portrait of a still-notorious figure of American history. This lecture was recorded as part of Fraunces Tavern Museum's Evening Lecture series on Monday, March 18, 2024.&nbsp;

1775 belonged to Boston but after April of 1776, the Revolutionary War's focus became New York City and the highly strategic Long Island, from Brooklyn's terminal moraine high ground to Queens's Hell Gate. 1776 was the year when revolution came to Long Island, and in particular the future Long Island City. The failures, defeats and eventual occupation of the area at the hands of the British forged the resolve and strength of character that would later ensure Patriot victories on distant battlegrounds throughout the rest of the colonies. The British did not evacuate western Queens County until November of 1783, but the events of 1776 would not soon be forgotten during the seven long years of occupation afterword. Join author Richard Melnick as he charts the military, political and cultural history 1776 in Long Island City. This lecture was recorded as part of Fraunces Tavern Museum's Evening Lecture series on Thursday, November 16, 2023.&nbsp;

When John Hancock needed to win people over, he didn’t talk about resisting taxes or policy improvements; instead, he served alcohol. He offered rum punch and wine at his home and paid for lavish meals in taverns to bring people together. Guests included lower class men, French officers, and Black women and men. By throwing parties, Hancock gained social and political power among myriad groups, which repeatedly paid dividends. He was consistently elected to political office and when he smuggled madeira into Boston, one of the most memorable and violent mobs during colonial resistance defended him.In this forty-five-minute talk, Brooke Barbier discusses an oft-ignored aspect of colonial life: the high rate of alcohol consumption. Listen to lively and evocative stories that illuminate the critical and complex role that alcohol played in the social, political, and cultural fabric of the American Revolution and how John Hancock used it to his advantage.This lecture was recorded as part of Fraunces Tavern Museum's Evening Lecture series on Thursday, October 26, 2023.&nbsp;

Sons of the Revolution℠ in the State of New York, Inc. celebrates the signing of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787, featuring special guest Justice Mark Dillon, author of The First Chief Justice: John Jay and the Struggle of a New Nation, published March 1, 2022.&nbsp;This lecture was recorded for SRNY's Constitution Week celebration on Monday, September 18, 2023 at Fraunces Tavern® Museum.

In this lecture, Robert Watson discusses his book America's First Plague: The deadly 1793 epidemic that crippled a young nation. Watson will explore the wave of fear that swept across the fledgling republic, and the numerous unintended but far-reaching consequences it would have on the development of the United States.This lecture was recorded as part of Fraunces Tavern Museum's Evening Lecture series on Sunday, September 10, 2023.&nbsp;

In this virtual lecture, Major General Jason Bohm explores the origins of the United States Marines. He will explore the parallel stories of the creation and early operations of the Continental Marines, Navy, and Army during the American Revolution, culminating in the Battles of Trenton, Assunpink Creek, and Princeton.This lecture was recorded as part of Fraunces Tavern Museum's Evening Lecture series on Thursday, July 27, 2023.&nbsp;

In this lecture, Christopher Minty focuses on the origins of the American Revolution in New York City from the perspective of those who became loyalists. It argues that longstanding political partisanship played a hitherto underappreciated role in determining their allegiance during the Revolution.This lecture was recorded as part of Fraunces Tavern Museum's Evening Lecture series on Monday, June 12, 2023.

On September 21, 1776, five days after the British occupied New York City, a devastating fire burned down about a fifth of the city. This mystery brings together a startling cast of characters from around the Atlantic World: soldiers and officers, but also Loyalists, women, and people of African and Indigenous descent.Fraunces Tavern Museum hosts the New York Genealogical &amp; Biographical Society and author Benjamin L. Carp&nbsp;to&nbsp;explore these themes in the context of&nbsp;his new book, The Great New York Fire of 1776: A Lost Story of the American Revolution.This lecture was sponsored by the New York Genealogical &amp; Biographical Society.

Fraunces Tavern Museum

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Fraunces Tavern Museum ALBUM

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Evacuation Day Commemoration ALBUM

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Evacuation Day Commemoration ALBUM

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Lunch & Learn: George Washington & The Birch Trials at the Historic Fraunces Tavern ALBUM

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Environmental Legacies: How the War of Independence Affected the Natural World in Predictable and Surprising Ways Lecture ALBUM