The statue here is of George Washington, and it stands at Federal Hall and marks the spot where Washington was sworn in as the first president in 1789. The building also served as the first capital building for the United States, and is the spot where the first Congress met. It was also in this spot where the Bill of Rights was ratified. In 1790, the capital was moved to Philadelphia, and Federal Hall reverted back to its original purpose as the City Hall for New York City. But when a new City Hall was built in 1812, the old Federal Hall was torn down. The current building here was built to be a US Custom's House, and is now a museum. br/The George Washington statue and Federal Hall both sit along Wall Street, where they overlook the New York Stock Exchange. Wall Street is surprisingly very narrow, thanks to the colonial era street plan. Wall Street got its name because in the 1600s, this was the edge of the city and there was a wall here to protect the city from attack. br/ br/021718-2982