I went down to Fraunces Tavern the other day. I’ve been down to “The Porterhouse” section of it multiple times for drinks & food, But I had never gotten the chance to check out the museum portion of the building. This Porthouse, By the way is one of my favorite places in the city.

The building, located at 54 Pearl Street at the corner of Broad Street, has been owned by Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York Inc. since 1904, which claims it is Manhattan’s oldest surviving building. The building is also a part of the American Whiskey Trail and the New York Freedom Trail.

From a plaque located on the building: After the American Revolutionary War, On December 4th, 1783, General George Washington bade an emotional farewell to his officers at a banquet held in the long room located on the 2nd floor of this tavern. Samuel Fraunces, a West Indian innkeeper, was the proprietor; he later became Washington’s chief steward. Fraunces, also an American patriot, was hot to secret meetings of the Sons of Liberty, and gave aid to the American prisoners of war. The present building, Purchased by the Sons of the Revolution in 1904, was restored by them on this site and has since been maintained by them.