Results tagged “federalhall”

       

While the folks in DC have the real front row seat to history today, New Yorkers were once at the center of the Inaugural events. Our own Joe Schumacher looks back to April 30th, 1789 when George Washington took the oath of office at Federal Hall on Wall Street; his address from that day can be seen here (transcript). By giving an address he began a tradition that's been followed by every elected president after him (four years later he delivered the 2nd one, which still holds the record for the shortest at 135 words). This morning New Yorkers gathered on the steps of the historic address for a special ringing of the NYSE bell.

While plans for a joint John McCain-Barack Obama town hall forum at Federal Hall in lower Manhattan fell through, McCain still appeared and took advantage of being the only presidential candidate there, saying, "It would have been a little more interesting tonight if Senator Obama had accepted my request."

Given the presidential candidates' interest in a series of town hall-style forums for them to show their stuff to voters, Mayor Bloomberg and ABC News president David Westin proposed this morning that Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama kicks things off in NYC and participate in a 90-minute town hall at Federal Hall in lower Manhattan. However, McCain's and Obama's campaigns aren't so sure.

Reader Bill Leahy recently scanned a number of slides that his father took in New York City during the 1950s. Above is a picture of the intersection of Main St. and Northern Blvd. in Flushing, Queens. There are many more pictures that are fascinating looks at the city more than a half century ago. Looking westward up Wall St. at Trinity Church. City Hall when pedestrians could still stroll right past the front steps. St. Paul's Church from across Fulton St. The Manhattan Supreme Courthouse from across Lafayette St. Nuns on a quiet street in front of a church. A meeting house in Flushing. And Federal Hall on Wall and Broad Sts. in Manhattan. What's most striking about these photos is how little has changed in NYC from certain perspectives over the last 50 years. In many of these pictures, one could change the hats men wear and the cars on the street and they could have been taken last week. Thanks to Bill Leahy for making them available online.

That look on the faces of former Mayors David Dinkins and Ed Koch comes "Listening to President Bush Speak." The President is in NYC today, speaking at Federal Hall downtown, giving a "State of the Economy" speech, and you can read about it here at the White House website. We'll update later with more of his specific remarks.

This weekend seems to be all about the music. Outside, in parks, on rooftops. It'll be everywhere, and here is where we would be if we were you...

After all the drama of their issues working together, Libeskind and Childs will no longer be working together, as they will respectively focus on master planning and tower building. Yes, until the engineering says the tower cannot be built that way.