Congress Hall Philadelphia 1789

William Penn laid out the streets of Philadelphia in a limited area between the Schuylkill and the Delaware Rivers, extending from Vine Street to South Street (( Philadelphia Historic District - Historic Philadelphia ))
Tables for delegates of 16 States
Second floor Senate chambers

Completed in 1789 as the County Courthouse in the Federal style by the architect Samuel Lewis. The interior of the building was altered when Philadelphia got the contract to house the temporary Capital of the United States in Philadelphia. ((The Residence Act of 1790, officially titled An Act for establishing the temporary and permanent seat of the Government of the United States)) This was ratified with Article One of the U.S. Constitution ((Congress Hall (wikipedia) )) which also laid the plans for moving the Capitol from New York City to Philadelphia and eventually to a new District of Columbia. George Washington and John Adams were inaugurated as President in the building.

Home of the Senate and House of Representatives from the years 1790 – 1800. There are enough chairs for delegates of the thirteen original States in the Union, and three more added during those years – Vermont, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Congress met in these chambers for the last time on May 14, 1800 when the entire government moved to the new Capitol in Washington, D.C. (( States in the Senate Timeline )), created by Pierre Charles L’Enfant in the Virginia wilderness.

Congress Hall is part of Independence National Historical Park (( National Park Service )) which includes several historic buildings. Independence Hall on the adjoining lot was the original Pennsylvania State Building (1756). Philosopher’s Hall, around the corner on Fifth Street, was completed in the same year as the County Courthouse (Congress Hall). Carpenters’ Hall was completed in 1773 (( Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings Independence National Historical Park )). The nearby Hall of the Library Company was built in 1791, the same year that City Hall was completed at the center of the Philadelphia street grid.

 

Congress Hall and adjacent Independence Hall

Congress Hall exterior
Winder stairs and balcony
Congress Hall double stair vestibule

Detailed Drawings

Plans, elevations and details of the classic Federal Style architecture showing the windows and doors on the first and second floor. The grand double-staircase was used by Representatives and Senators of the original colonies. Wrought iron balcony elevation drawing, and the plaster ceiling medallion or rosette in the Senate chamber.

Federal style fanlight and entry door drawing
Round top window drawing
Window elevation and jamb detail drawing
Wrought iron balcony guardrail drawing
Ceiling medallion drawing
Plaster ceiling medallion

    Completed
1789