Old City Hall

Erected between 1789 and 1791, Old City Hall was first intended for use as City Hall, but from 1791 to 1800, the building housed the United States Supreme Court, which was presided over by John Jay until 1795. During the Supreme Courts stay in Philadelphia, the position of a Justice served to be a strenuous and often dangerous duty. The poor weather conditions and long hours led to sickness in the ranks of the justices and thus their stay in Philadelphia was short lived. With the departure of the Supreme Court to Washington DC, the hall then served as Philadelphia’s City hall from 1800 to 1874, when the city government moved to its present site.

• Philadelphia's first City Hall was home to two unique political parties: the Propietary Party and the Country Party, and votes were turned in manually at the balcony of the Hall
• Immigrants in the late 18th century were naturalized in this very courthouse

For more information, visit the official website at http://www.ushistory.org/tour/old-city-hall.htm.

.