In May 1775, Fraunces opened his doors to the New York Provincial Congress, which was then founded in the Long RoomThe 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.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.

&lt;p&gt;A Revolutionary Headquarters 1770's&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt; 

&lt;p&gt;In Provincial congress. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;New York, June 7, 1775. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Resolved, that whensoever doubts shall arise, which respect to the recommendations, or resolutions of the Continental Congress or of this Board, in the minds of private persons, it is the duty of such persons, to apply to this Board for an explanation thereof. And that any attempts to raise tumults, riots, or mobs, either under colour of a dubious interpretation of such recommendations, or resolutions, or for any other reasons or purposes, is a high infraction of the general association; and tends directly to the dissolution of this Confress.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A true copy form the minutes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;John McKesson, Secretary.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Printed by John Holt, is Water-Street, near Coffee House.&lt;/p&gt; 

Fraunces Tavern

New York Provincial Congress is founded

 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, 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. 

 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. 

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;

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.

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.

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

&lt;p&gt;'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.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Plaque provided by the New York Community Trust, 1976.'&lt;/p&gt; 

&lt;p&gt;'United States of America&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;E Pluribus Unum&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;By the United States Department of the Interior&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Circa 1719'&lt;/p&gt; 

In 2019, Fraunces Tavern celebrated the 300th anniversary of the construction of 54 Pearl Street with a new exhibition, &lt;em&gt;A Monument to Memory: 300 Years of Living History&lt;/em&gt;. 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.  

 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.  

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.  

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.  

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

&lt;p&gt;In October 1905, William H. Mersereau, a preservation architect, was contracted by Sons of the Revolution to begin the restoration of 54 Pearl Street.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mersereau&amp;rsquo;s detailed notes and letters offer a closer look into one of the nation&amp;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:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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&amp;rsquo;s original slope.&lt;/p&gt; 

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.  

&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt; 

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 &lt;em&gt;Taverns: For the Entertainment of Friends and Strangers brought national attention to the Museum.&lt;/em&gt;  

 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.  

&lt;p&gt;Samuel Fraunces bought 54 Pearl Street on January 15, 1762 and opened the Sign of the Queen Charlotte (also known as the Queen&amp;rsquo;s Head Tavern). The tavern became a popular meeting place because it was located near Lower Manhattan&amp;rsquo;s bustling Great Dock, and because of Fraunces&amp;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 &amp;ldquo;Fraunces&amp;rsquo; tavern.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Fraunces gives the only known &amp;ldquo;accurate&amp;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, &amp;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.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt; 

Fraunces Tavern Museum

The original Vauxhall Gardens was located in a smaller site on Greenwich Street near the Hudson River between what later became Warren and Chambers streets in the fashionable Sixth Ward; Public School 234 stands at the site today. Ratzer's map shows its square garden plot, conventionally divided in four by walks.

Fraunces operated Vaux-Hall through Summer 1773; in October, he auctioned its contents and sold the property. His notice mentioned two large gardens, a house with four rooms per floor and twelve fireplaces, and a dining hall that was 56 feet long and 26 feet wide, with a kitchen below.? The Vauxhall offered light summer concerts? and featured an outdoor wax museum. For the summer 1768 season, it hosted an exhibit on the life of Scipio Africanus that included a grove with a reconstruction of the military leader at his tent.

By this point, the gardens had two namesake competitors, one of which was primarily popular for its ice cream. As New York City expanded, streets of rowhouses with rear gardens swallowed the site. In 1798, owner Joseph Delacroix moved his operations to Broome Street between Broadway and the Bowery. 

In 1805, it moved, this time to Lafayette Street, stretching from 4th to 8th streets in what were then the northern reaches of the city,? the area that later became Astor Place, 4th Street, Broadway, and the Bowery.? Its theater's boxes faced the garden and blocked the stage from the street. 

 The Vauxhall Gardens (in New York City), was a pleasure garden and theater. It was named for the Vauxhall Gardens of London. Though the venue passed through a long list of owners, and suffered buyouts, closings, relocations, and re-openings, it lasted until the mid-19th century. 

The Vauxhall Gardens - At the intersection of Greenwich and Chamber street 

Public School 234 stands at the site today.

The Vauxhall Gardens

The owner, Samuel Osgood, was a Massachusetts politician and lawyer, who settled in New York City. He married Maria Bowne Franklin, widow of Walter Franklin, the merchant who had built the house in 1770.The Samuel Osgood Papers, at the New York Historical Society, list purchases made to prepare the mansion for Washington occupancy. 'I went the morning before the General's arrival to look at it. The best of furniture in every room, and the greatest quantity of plate and china I ever saw; the whole of the first and second stories is papered and the floors covered with the richest kinds of Turkey and Wilton carpets. There is scarcely anything talked about now but General Washington and the Palace.'

Served as the first U.S. Presidential Mansion. It housed George Washington, his family, and household staff, from April 23, 1789, to February 23, 1790, during New York City's two-year term as the national capital. Congress rented it for Washington's use, and the President-Elect moved in a week before his April 30, 1789, inauguration as first President of the United States. In addition to living quarters, the Osgood House contained the President's private office (the equivalent of the Oval Office) and the public business office (the equivalent of the West Wing), making it the first seat of the executive branch of the federal government.The house was rented for one year at an annual rent of $845, but the president vacated it after ten months when a larger residence became available.Steward Samuel Fraunces, former owner of nearby Fraunces Tavern, managed a household staff of about 20: wage workers, indentured servants, and enslaved servants. Slavery was legal in New York, and Washington brought seven enslaved Africans from Mount Vernon to work in his presidential household.Soon after his inauguration, Washington became seriously ill with a tumor on his thigh (possibly caused by anthrax poisoning). Cherry Street was cordoned off to prevent his being disturbed.The Samuel Osgood Papers, at the New York Historical Society, list purchases made to prepare the mansion for Washington occupancy.

 The Osgood House was demolished in 1856. In 1899, the Daughters of the American Revolution marked its location with a bronze plaque, where Pearl Street crosses under the Brooklyn Bridge approach. 

 Also known as the Walter Franklin House, it was an eighteenth-century mansion at the northeast corner of what was Pearl and Cherry (today Dover) streets in what is now Civic Center, Manhattan, New York City. 

No. 1 Cherry St., Franklin Sq., under Brooklyn Bridge 

Samuel Fraunces

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