View of the Federal Edifice in New York.

Contemporary Image of the First Capitol of the United States

In September, 1788, Congress selected New York City as the temporary site of the new government. "The citizens of New York, desirous of testifying their attachment to the new national government, and of making their city the place of permanent residence of the Federal Legislature, have enlarged and repaired their city Hall, and made it a convenient and elegant structure, worthy of the respectable body for whose use it is designed." (Columbian Magazine, p. 473).

The conversion of City Hall to the "Federal Edifice," or Federal Hall, was directed by L'Enfant at a cost of $65,000. The Executive offices, the Senate and House chambers and the Supreme Court were all housed in this building. It was the nation's first Capitol under the Constitution. Although New York City's tenure as the new nation's capital was brief (lasting only until 1790), Federal Hall was the site of several highly significant historic events. Washington's inauguration was held on the balcony of Federal Hall and he gave his inaugural address in the Senate chambers. Also, the Hall was the meeting place of the first Congress; it was here that Congress adopted the Bill of Rights.

There is no engraver noted on the image, but several other engravings in The Columbian Magazine from this time period have been ascribed to James Trenchard, the Magazine's publisher. The image appeared a year before Amos Doolittle's famous (and virtually unobtainable) engraving which portrays Washington's inauguration on the balcony of Federal Hall.

References: Cresswell, The American Revolution in Drawings and Prints: 554 (illustrated p. 203). Lewis, Guide to Engravings in American Magazines, 1741-1810: p. 6. For the Doolittle engraving, see Deak, Picturing America, 1497-1899: 181.

[ICN 3112.]