It is a truism that Lower Manhattan has been America’s town square since its founding in 1524, even though its history is much deeper. Virtually every aspect of global, local and national significance can be in some manner traced to this Downtown stage. Some have been forgotten and some have been transformative in our culture and many have fallen between. This is both a project in urban archeology and a way of describing the city over time. It Happened Here captures the multiple and overlapping stories that are woven throughout our city’s life. It embraces America’s history as the museums, monuments and memorials that dot its streetscape do. It highlights many of the concerns, events and places that the people who lived, fought, worked and visited here thought were important at their moment in time.&nbsp;It takes another look at the issues that they were preoccupied with and how they solved them: their politics, religion, social protest, health and safety, commerce, disasters and defense, scandals and crime, education, publications, art and culture, parades and celebrations, architecture and engineering. It encapsulates the events that shaped the physical and cultural landscape within the changing geography at the water’s edge. And it raises questions that need to be considered as we plan a more resilient city in our future.It Happened Here seeks to excavate its many historical layers: from its inception as the precolonial Lenapehoking territory (once inhabited by the Munsee Lenape and Wappinger tribes), to the creation of New Amsterdam by the Dutch, to the establishment of the first free African settlement in North America, to the establishment of British control, to the gateway for immigration, to being the site of the American Revolution, to its present-day significance as the nation’s cultural and financial nerve-center.To kick off the United States’ upcoming 250th birthday It Happened Here will be a weekend on July 4, 2025 which will compress our 400 years into 4 days with each day being devoted to a century. The program will feature multiple types of activations, including tours, panels, and special events that will take place in many of the sites downtown where highlighted historical events occurred supplemented with our digital museum without walls app.

Seixas Way - Northwest Corner

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

The Battery

WSA NYC

Prequel Events and A Historic Timeline

Fraunces Tavern Museum

Evacuation Day Plaza

At the juncture of Wall, Broad, and Nassau streets

Federal Hall National Memorial

Meet at the Broadway entrance to the Park across from Bowling Green.

Lower Manhattan

Museum at Eldridge Street

Please enter between Broadway & Church Street

St Paul's Chapel

The NYC Department of Records and Information Services

Online

Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse

Castle Clinton

It Happened Here

Archtober (ärk'tob?r) is New York City's annual Architecture and Design Month. The collaborative initiative between New York City's leading cultural institutions and professional organizations aims to raise the public's awareness of architecture and design in everyday life. Daily architecture activities, programs, tours, lectures, films, and exhibitions will celebrate the lasting civic and international impact of the richness of the City's built environment. Moreover, New York City is home to over 40,000 design professionals, the largest pool of design talent in the country. Archtober's programming lineup demonstrates this sector's powerful economic impact and will draw global attention to one of the City's leading exports. Archtober's curated calendar guide of over 100 events can be found at all participating organizations and online. The first event series launched on Oct 1, 2011,&nbsp;

The Center for Architecture

Archtober

The&nbsp;Architecture &amp; Design Film Festival, celebrates the unique creative spirit that drives architecture and design. With a curated selection of films, events and panel discussions, ADFF creates an opportunity to entertain, engage and educate all types of people who are excited about architecture and design.

Recurring Programs