Coast Guard to commemorate its 220th anniversary with program, exhibition at Federal Hall
The U.S. Coast Guard will commemorate its 220th anniversary at Federal Hall National Memorial beginning at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Federal Hall, the nation’s first capitol, was chosen as the venue because within the walls of the original hall Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, established a revenue cutter service in 1790, the forerunner of the U.S. Coast Guard.
The ceremony at Federal Hall coincides with an art exhibition of 41 original works of art of the Coast Guard in action by noted artists, including several from New York, that are part of the U.S. Coast Guard Art Program. Both the ceremony and the exhibit are free and open to the public.
- WHAT: 220th anniversary of the United States Coast Guard observance
- WHERE: Federal Hall National Memorial
- 26 Wall Street
- WHEN: Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010
- 11:30 a.m. – The Brass Quintet from the U.S. Coast Guard Band performs
- Noon – Program opens with remarks by Karen Loew, Art Program docent.
- 12:15 p.m. – Chief Warrant Officer Raymond Pagan, US Coast Guard, speaks about the Coast Guard and Alexander Hamilton.
- 12:30 p.m. – Keynote speaker Captain Linda Fagan, Captain of the Port of New York and Commanding Officer of U.S. Coast Guard forces in New York and northern New Jersey, discusses the historic and current ties between New York City and the Coast Guard.
- 12:45 p.m. – Ceremony concludes.
- 12:50 p.m. – The Brass Quintet will perform a second concert
- WEB: www.nps.gov/feha
26 Wall Street was the site of New York City's 18th-century City Hall. After the Revolution, the Continental Congress met at City Hall. Pierre L'Enfant was commissioned to remodel City Hall for the new federal government. The First Congress met in the new Federal Hall, and wrote the Bill of Rights, and George Washington was inaugurated here as President on April 30, 1789. When the capital moved to Philadelphia in 1790, the building again housed city government until 1812, at which time Federal Hall was demolished. The current structure on the site was built as the Customs House it later became the U. S. Sub-Treasury until that system was replaced by the Federal Reserve.
How to Get There: Federal Hall is located at 26 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan. There are numerous ways to get there using public transportation. Please visit www.mta.info for more information and transportation maps.
