Celebrating Evacuation Day 1783: Honoring a Former NYC Holiday (and one that should still be).

Free with optional donation to your guide (pay what you wish).  Bring proof of full vaccination (required).

This is a great tour for people newer to living in NYC as we traverse quite a few downtown neighborhoods along with taking a deep dive into our city's earlier history.

WHAT IS EVACUATION DAY?

Evacuation Day was an annual local holiday in New York City and was given equal, or even greater importance than the Fourth of July!  Celebrating the departure, or evacuation of British troops from New York following the Revolutionary War which lasted 7 years, November 25th was observed from the late 18th century to the early 20th century until the WW1 era when The British became close allies.

On November 25, 1783 the British military officially withdrew from New York City ending its occupation by British forces and marking the end of the American Revolution and a beginning for this fledgling country, the United States of America.

The picture above is an artist's rendering of George Washington making his triumphant return to lower Manhattan. He is riding along Wall Street near the future first U.S. Capitol, Federal Hall, where he will eventually be sworn in as our first President. After the Revolutionary War, Evacuation Day was celebrated with military parades, patriotic oratories, fireworks and banquets.

The tour route:

We'll begin at Union Square, where George Washington was greeted by locals before heading all the way downtown. In tracing his route, we'll travel down Broadway, stopping at various locations, including the site of the Bull's Head Tavern on The Bowery, where the large procession gathered before heading down to Wall Street.

This route will provide the opportunity to learn about and experience parts of the NOHO neighborhood, Lower East Side (restroom and snack break at Essex Market), Chinatown, Civic Center/City Hall and finally the Financial District and some of the historic sites. During the course of this guided walk we'll stop at key locations associated with the American Revolution and our early history.

Pictured here is an artist's rendering of George Washington making his triumphant return to lower Manhattan. He is riding along Wall Street near the future first U.S. Capitol, Federal Hall, where he will eventually be sworn in as our first President. After the Revolutionary War, Evacuation Day was celebrated with military parades, patriotic oratories, fireworks and banquets.

The tour ends at Fraunces Tavern, at the corner of Broad and Pearl Streets, convenient to the #1, R, 2,3,4,5 subways. Optional visit at the end to the Fraunces Tavern Museum, where we can visit the dining room where General Washington had is farewell dinner with his officers.  Optional afterparty for brunch.