Downtown Third Thursdays

The Downtown Alliance is sponsoring a series of lectures that should be of interest to our NYC-based readers. Called “Downtown Third Thursdays,” the lectures feature prominent architects, authors, and historians talking about subjects pertaining to the history of downtown Manhattan. Each lecture takes place in an “architecturally significant location.” The first lecture is actually a panel discussion, and it takes place on Thursday, January 15 at the Federal Hall National Memorial (26 Wall Street). Federal Hall is a Greek Revival building designed by Ithiel Town and
Alexander Davis, and it stands on the site where George Washington was sworn in
as the country’s first president in 1789.

The panel discussion is called “Why American Begins in New York: How the Dutch Distinguished the Nation’s Greatest City” and features Charles T. Gehring, Director, New Netherland Project; Kenneth T. Jackson, Barzun Professor of History, Columbia University, and editor of The Encyclopedia of New York City; and Russell Shorto, author of The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony that Shaped America. The moderator is Sam Roberts, urban affairs correspondent for The New York Times. Doors open at 6:00 p.m.; the panel begins at 7:00 p.m.

Future events are scheduled for the third Thursday of each month, from Feburary through May. You can find information about the entire series here.