On June 26th, for our class tour we went to Downtown Manhattan. We first start the tour by meeting at the “Staten Island Ferry Station” at 11:30 A.M. After everybody arrived, we proceed on with the tour by walking to one of the most famous shire in New York known as “Shire of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton” who is the first born American saint. 

After the professor explain and talk about the shire importance. We then walk to “Fraunces Tavern”, which is approximately 10 minutes away from the shire. Known for its history of hosting secret meetings to plan for the revolutionary war and give aids to American prisoners. Fraunces Tavern is listed on the “Designated Landmark of New York City” in 1976, and “National Register of Historic Place” in 1719. We then take turns to go inside of Fraunces Tavern and take pictures. Before we headed to the next location we walked pass a street called “The Stone Street” which is known for its cobbler stone and also one of the oldest street in New York City.

The next location that we are heading to is the “National Museum of American Indian”. As we were walking we saw the “Canyon of Heroes” on Broadway Street which is a historic location for the ticker tape parade.

As we were walking to to the New York Stock Exchange and The Federal Hall, we walk past a historical park called “Bowling Green Fence”. We also walked past the “Charging Bull” (symbolizing the stock exchange in the financial district of New York), and the statues of a “Little Girl” (in honor of international women day). Once we arrived at the New York Stock Exchange and The Federal Hall, I notice a beautiful chandelier inside one of the building. I later learned that the chandelier was donated by J.P Morgan.

Before we arrived at our final destination of the tour, we visited the “Trinity Church” which were close for renovation but we were still able to enter into the graveyard area where they buried Alexander Hamilton and his wife together, and Robert Fulton (known for his successful development of steamboat, the Fulton Street was also named after him). After the Trinity Church, we walked to the “9/11 Memorial”.

Fraunces Tavern

My urban tourism class and I went on a tour On June 26. We walked down lower Manhattan. To get there I took the 5 train to bowling green. It would have been better to take the R train to Whitehall street. When I arrived, I was lost I got there 10 mins late to the tour. Thank Goodness for my classmate who kept me updated on where to meet of m classmates. When the tour began I was sweating like crazy because of the weather. They started down Water Street, looking at historic buildings. I was quite fascinating to see The Watson House that was built in the 1800’s. Which was designed by John Macomb. And today it’s a Roman Catholic church.

We walked to Fraunce’s Tavern. I hardly come downtown but after this tour I learn a lot. These so many historical buildings in lower Manhattan and I didn’t realize it until now. It’s where Washington gave his farewell speech to the officers in the continental army. This was one of my favorite places Fraunce’s Tavern it’s a museum and a restaurant. Which I find cool. I walked in the building is very cool nothing I ever seen before. It felt as if the door was even the original door and even looking from the outside in was exiting. It felt like I was walking through history. I’m looking forward to coming back and hopefully touring the museum and having dinner.

Afterwards, we walked to The National Museum of the American Indian apart of the Smithsonian institution. is committed to advancing knowledge and understanding of the Native cultures of the Western Hemisphere—past, present, and future—through partnership with Native people and others. The museum works to support the continuance of culture, traditional values, and transitions in contemporary Native life. It has three facilities: The National Museum of the American Indian on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., which opened on September 21, 2004.

Next, we walked down Broadway past the park we spotted the charging bull statue. To me the little girl in front of the Bull symbolizes strength and power. I do understand the bull doesn’t have nothing to do with the girl. The bull represents New stock exchange. It also reminded me of the first women who is working at the New Stock exchange as a trader; she’s only 23/ It’s quite inspiring.

We then now walked towards The federal Hall and The New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street. I decided to into the federal Hall building to look around, it empty, surprisingly there was a lot people standing and sitting around it and taking loads of pictures. I decided to go in because it was free and I always walked past. It seems like there shooting a movie inside it was actually quite interesting to watch them setup as well. We moved up to the Trinity church, and the first thing I thought was that it was very brown, but it stood out. When we saw it from the Federal hall national memorial, everyone was curious about this church. In the churchyard we saw many graves of officers from the continental army and the navy original members, like Richard Montgomery and Alexander Hamilton. We finally reached the 9/11 memorials, which I’ve never visited before. I will definitely do this tour with my friends, so they will also be aware that we live in a very historical place.

Staten Island Ferry, Battery Park sign, and the shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton .

On our Urban Tourism class tour to Downtown, Lower Manhattan on Tuesday June 26, 2018, allowed me to rethink of the positive side of things in New York City, about how the city has evolved from ever since I was born. Being informed from Professor Phillip helped me to reflect more about our history, reminding me that we should all value what we have today. Learning about the background of how downtown Manhattan, especially the Battery Park area and the Staten Island Ferry area has transformed from a landfill, help me acknowledge about how New York City have improved economically, visually, and technologically. In addition, learning about the different historical structures, buildings, and monuments such as, the Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, the Frances Tavern, the U.S. Custom House, and the Federal Hall National Memorial, provided me more understanding of why people travel and the importance of history.

Fraunces Tavern

During the beginning of the trip, Professor Phillip told us that lower Manhattan, New York City used to be New Amsterdam. She also told us the Battery Park and the Staten Island Ferry used to be a landfill. This lower part of Manhattan is where the city started, where immigrants entered because of Ellis Island. Where the banks begun, commerce trade happened, and where the mayor and the president conducted their businesses. Next stop, the “shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton who was the first American born saint,” a chapel was built as a home for Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton and her daughter Rebecca. On our walk to another historic site, I saw a mix of modern and older architecture buildings (amazed). If a tourist was interested in food and history, why not stop at the Fraunces Tavern? It is a museum and restaurant (The Dingle Whiskey Bar). According to a plaque on the side of the building it states that this Tavern is where George Washington had his farewell speech after the American Revolutionary War. They also had meetings in this tavern. The building was purchased as a memorial to Fredericks Taumadge. Next stop, our class walked on Stone Street (which had cobblestones from the Dutch) to the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, which is now the National Museum of the American Indian. This building structure had many different statues or monuments in front of it. This building was listed as the “National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976.”

The U.S. House Custom, Bowling Green park sign, and Charging Bull.

The Federal Hall National Memorial.

Standing right in front of this building is the Bowling Green park. In the park there is a fountain, which once was a statue of George Washington. The fence around the park was very important, there were once crowns part of the fence but were removed. North of the park stood the Charging Bull which is a significant symbol of Wall Street. Next to the Charging Bull is a building called Cunard Line building, where the building had many different uses in the past (a ticketing hall). Now, it is currently open for banquet events, there is also a restaurant and bar service inside. Later, we walked more north to the New York Stock Exchange and the Federal Hall National Memorial. Our class got to enter in the memorial and I thought the interior was gorgeous. This monument was where George Washington was inaugurated and where the first Bill of Rights was adopted. Another site we walked to is the Trinity Church, where there were many gravestones and monuments. I learned that it was the tallest buildings before Brooklyn Bridge towers were built. It is one of the oldest buildings and it was built in 1846. People of importance such as Alexander Hamilton and his wife were buried here. In my culture it is unlucky to tour graveyards, therefore it was a little awkward walking in there.

The Oculus, 9/11 Memorial, Bowling Green Buildings, Trinity Church.

Last but not least, we got to travel to the 9/11 Memorial and the Oculus. Our class discussed that there is some controversial of having a shopping mall next to where New York City had this tragic attack and is it right for them to make it into a tourist attraction (touristic mall). I mean this place is supposed to be a place of grieve and memorial for the tragic event, but then there is now a touristic attraction to go shopping? This mall is also targeting people of wealth and possibly tourists. The last stop would have been Brookfield place, but me and a few classmates had to leave for another class tour in Long Island City.

I would like to sum it up that this trip will help remind me of the importance of different historical buildings and remind me to be more curious about different things.