Old Congress Hall (Baltimore)
| "Henry Fite House" (later Tavern/Hotel) | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Alternative names |
"Congress Hall" "Old Congress Hall" |
| General information | |
| Type | tavern |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Location |
Southwest corner, West Baltimore (then Market) Street, and Liberty - South Sharp Streets, Hopkins Place |
| Address |
(current site): Baltimore Civic Center [1962], (now Royal Farms Arena) |
| Town or city | Baltimore Town, seat of Baltimore County, |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 39°17′19″N 76°37′8″W / 39.28861°N 76.61889°WCoordinates: 39°17′19″N 76°37′8″W / 39.28861°N 76.61889°W |
| Current tenants | burned by fire |
| Completed | c. 1770 |
| Destroyed | Sunday/Monday, February 7–8, 1904 |
| Owner |
Henry Fite, (1722–1789), later: daughter, Elizabeth Fite Reinicker |
| Height | three-and-half stories |
| Dimensions | |
| Other dimensions | 92 ft. X 50/55 ft. |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3 plus attic and cellar |
"Congress Hall"
Southwest corner, West Baltimore (then Market) Street,
(current site): Baltimore Civic Center [1962],
Henry Fite, (1722–1789),
The "Henry Fite House", located on West Baltimore Street (then known as Market Street), between South Sharp and North Liberty Streets (also later known as Hopkins Place), in Baltimore, Maryland, was the meeting site of the Second Continental Congress from December 20, 1776 until February 22, 1777. Built as a tavern in 1770 by Henry Fite (1722–1789), the building became known as "Congress Hall" during its brief use by Congress, and later in local history as "Old Congress Hall". It was tragically destroyed by the Great Baltimore Fire on Sunday and Monday, February 7–8, 1904, which started a block to the southwest at North Liberty (east of North Howard) and German (later West Redwood) Streets at the John E. Hurst Company building (dry goods) and swept north to Fayette Street and finally to the east to the Jones Falls, burning most of the downtown central business district and waterfront, of which only a few modern "fire-proof" skyscrapers, though burned, had enough structural support left to save, rebuild and restore later.
The Second Continental Congress moved from Philadelphia to Baltimore in the winter of 1776 to avoid capture by British forces, who were advancing on Philadelphia, the new American capital city, after having sailed up the Chesapeake Bay from newly conquered New York City making a feint towards, but bypassing Maryland's newest large town, and landing to the northeast at the "Head of Elk". As the largest building then in forty-seven-year-old Baltimore Town, Henry Fite's tavern provided a comfortable location of sufficient size for Congress to meet; its site at the western edge of town was beyond easy reach of the British Royal Navy's ships should they try to sail up the Harbor and the Patapsco River to shell the town. A visitor described the tavern as a "three-story and attic brick house, of about 92 feet front on Market Street, by about 50 or 55 feet depth on the side streets, with cellar under the whole; having 14 rooms, exclusive of kitchen, wash-house and other out-buildings, including a stable for 30 horses."
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