Congress Hall

General view of north and west elevations from northwest corner of Sixth and Chestnut Streets with Independence Hall and Old City Hall in the background. 1975. Courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

Transcription:

John Weber: Hi, I'm John Weber, and this is your WHYY Philly Phun Phact. If you're near Independence Hall, check out the brick building next to it on 6th Street. That's Congress Hall, site of many important historic events from 1790 to 1800. That's when Philadelphia was the temporary capital of the United States.

Jim Murphy: On the plus side, the Bill of Rights was passed there and the First Bank of the U.S., the Federal Mint, and the Department of the Navy established. But on the negative side, the first Fugitive Slave Act became law here, and the Alien and Sedition Acts did too.

John Weber: That's tour guide Jim Murphy, author of Real Philly History Real Fast, who tells us Congress Hall was originally built to serve as the Philadelphia County Courthouse when it was completed in 1789.

Jim Murphy: The big news here is that George Washington stepped down from office on March 4, 1797, and John Adams became the new president.

John Weber: That was one of the first peaceful exchanges of power in the modern age. I'm John Weber, and that's your WHYY Philly Phun Phact.