Congress Hall
| Congress Hall | |
|---|---|
(2007)
|
|
| Former names | Philadelphia County Courthouse |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Location |
Chestnut Street at 6th, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Coordinates | 39°56′57″N 75°09′03″W / 39.9491°N 75.1507°WCoordinates: 39°56′57″N 75°09′03″W / 39.9491°N 75.1507°W |
| Current tenants | National Park Service |
| Construction started | 1787 |
| Completed | 1789 |
| Owner | City of Philadelphia |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Samuel Lewis |
Congress Hall is a building near the intersection of Chestnut and 6th Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that served as the seat of the United States Congress from December 6, 1790 to May 14, 1800. During Congress Hall's duration as the capitol of the United States, the country admitted three new states, Vermont, Kentucky, and Tennessee; ratified the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution; and oversaw the Presidential inaugurations of both George Washington (his second) and John Adams.
Congress Hall was restored throughout the 20th century to its original appearance in 1796. The building is now managed by the National Park Service within the Independence National Historical Park and is open for tours by the public. Congress Hall should not be confused with Independence Hall, which is located next door.
Philadelphia served as the capital of the United States both during and immediately after the American Revolutionary War. Independence Hall, located next door, served as the meeting place of the Continental Congress until the Pennsylvania Mutiny in June 1783. The failure of the Pennsylvania government to protect Congress from a mob of angry mutineers caused the representatives to withdraw to Princeton, New Jersey. The national capital then moved to Annapolis, Maryland in November 1783, then to Trenton, New Jersey in November 1784 before finally moving to New York City in January 1785. State delegates did not return to Independence Hall in Philadelphia until the United States Constitutional Convention in 1787; however, New York City remained the official capital even during the convention. Designed by architect Samuel Lewis, Congress Hall was originally built to serve as the Philadelphia County Courthouse; construction began in 1787 and was completed two years later.
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