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**[New York City's 'Lost Holiday' To Be Celebrated Once
Again]{.underline}**

**- National Park Service to Observe 225^th^ Anniversary of Evacuation
Day -**

**New York, NY --** On November 25, 1783 the British military withdrew
from New York City, ending its occupation and marking the cessation of
hostilities between Great Britain and its former colonies. The historic
day gave rise to a new holiday in the City called Evacuation Day.

Evacuation Day was once the largest annual celebration in New York City,
with lavish military parades, patriotic oratories, fireworks and
banquets. To this day, the 1883 centennial marking the evacuation is one
of the greatest events ever held in the City. Statues were unveiled in
honor of the 100^th^ anniversary, to include the George Washington
statue that now graces the steps of Federal Hall National Memorial on
Wall Street, the site of the first capitol of the United States of
America and the swearing in of Washington as our first president.

Following World War I, as America's friendship with Great Britain
deepened, the enthusiasm for celebrating Evacuation Day gradually
decreased to the point where the holiday has been more or less lost to
history. But to mark the 225^th^ anniversary of the end of America's War
for Independence and the beginning of Evacuation Day, the National Park
Service (NPS) is hosting a day of special programming at Federal Hall.

The commemoration includes period re-enactors and will examine the
military, social and cultural impacts on all groups affected by the end
of the Revolution -- patriots, loyalists, foreign military, Native
Americans and African Americans. Collections from the National Archives
and private collectors will be on display.

**WHAT:** 225^th^ Evacuation Day Commemoration

**WHEN:** Nov. 25, 2008 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

\- more -

**PROGRAM:**

-   10 a.m. --- Opening remarks followed by keynote address by historian
    and author Barnet Schecter

-   10:30 a.m. --- Special oration by General George Washington

-   11 a.m. --- Barnet Schecter presentation on New York and the
    American Revolution followed by book signing

-   NOON --- Special service at Trinity Church by Trinity clergy

-   12:45 --- wreath laying at graves of Alexander Hamilton and Francis
    Lewis, Order of Cincinnati Plaque, Prison Ship Memorial at Trinity
    Church

-   1:30 p.m. --- People of the Brigade presentation

-   2 p.m. --- Change of Command Ceremony (British flag lowering and
    American flag raising), exchange of keys to city hall, final oration
    by General George Washington

**WHO:** National Park Service

> National Archives and Records Administration

Brigade of the American Revolution

New York State Parks --- New Winston Cantonment

Fraunces Tavern Museum

Old Stone House

Van Cortland House Museum

Trinity Church

VA New York Harbor Health Care System Day Hospital

Dr. Eric Sanderson

Author and historian Barnet Schecter

**WHERE:** Federal Hall National Memorial, 26 Wall Street, New York, NY

Trinity Church, Broadway and Wall Street

***About Federal Hall National Monument***

26 Wall Street was the site of New York City\'s 18^th^-century City
Hall. After the Revolution, the Continental Congress met at City Hall.
Pierre L\'Enfant was commissioned to remodel City Hall for the new
federal government. The First Congress met in the new Federal Hall, and
wrote the Bill of Rights, and George Washington was inaugurated here as
President on April 30, 1789. When the capital moved to Philadelphia in
1790, the building again housed city government until 1812, at which
time Federal Hall was demolished. The current structure on the site was
built as the Customs House it later became the U. S. Sub-Treasury until
that system was replaced by the Federal Reserve.

***How to Get There***

Federal Hall is located at 26 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan. There are
numerous ways to get there using public transportation. Please visit
www.mta.info for more information and transportation maps.

\- NPS -