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Fraunces Tavern

A building was constructed on this site by Stephen De Lancey sometime between 1719 and 1722. After serving a variety of residential and commercial uses, it was opened as a tavern by Samuel Fraunces in 1762. It subsequently became the site of significant political and business activity, perhaps most notably George Washington's 1783 farewell dinner with his troops after the conclusion of the Revolutionary War.

Fraunces sold the tavern in 1785 and over the 19th century, the building suffered numerous fires and reconstructions. After a sequence of negotiations and political interventions, the building was purchased in 1903 by the Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York. In the absence of any documentation of its original appearance, it was restored to approximation of what it might have looked like during the Revolutionary period.

Over the first half of the 20th century, the site grew to encompass four surrounding buildings. It was designated a New York City Landmark in 1965, and the block was designated as a Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

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