Did you know that not only is New York called “the city at the heart of the American Revolution” but it’s technically where the conflict began and ended? Well, hold onto your hats and get your walking shoes ready, history buffs! The Downtown Alliance teamed up with the City University of New York’s Gotham Center for New York City History to produce the NYC Revolutionary Trail, a three-mile self-guided walking tour of 16 sites pivotal to the American Revolution in Lower Manhattan. In the NYC Revolutionary Trail guide, you’ll read about the events, people and places that defined Lower Manhattan’s central role in the American Revolution throughout the Imperial Crisis (1763 to 1775), the war and occupation (1776 to 1783) and the Critical Period (1784 to 1789) in American history.
As we near the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026, we’re highlighting Lower Manhattan’s storied history at iconic landmarks as well as the lesser known details. Readers of the NYC Revolutionary Trail guide will learn about the sites you know and love like Trinity Church, Fraunces Tavern and Federal Hall, as well as sites of significance that no longer exist like Fort George and Golden Hill, where the first bloodshed of the Revolution occurred. The full, self-guided tour takes about 90 minutes to walk, but you can also make a day of it by hitting up other downtown landmarks or grabbing a bite and a drink at one of the many spots along the way.
You can find the NYC Revolutionary Trail walking tour guide at our Downtown Alliance kiosks or view it online. See below for a gallery of historic images from the guide.
Washington's farewell address to his officers.
main image: “Evacuation day” and Washington’s triumphal entry in New York City, Nov. 25th, 1783. Courtesy the Gotham Center for New York History.
Gallery images all courtesy Gotham Center for New York History.
