Congress Hall in Philadelphia

Congress Hall is an architectural building situated in the heart of Philadelphia at the intersection of Chestnut and 6th Streets. Designed by architect Samuel Lewis, this edifice was originally built to serve as the Philadelphia County Courthouse. From December 6, 1790, to May 14, 1800, the United States Congress met here. During this time, the country admitted three new states - Vermont, Kentucky, and Tennessee - and ratified the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution.

This hall hosted the presidential inaugurations of both George Washington and John Adams. Today, the building is managed by the National Park Service within the Independence National Historical Park and is open for public tours. It is conjoined with Independence Hall, which is adjacent to the east. The second floor, reserved as the chamber for the Senate, was more ornate and adorned with heavy red drapes.

By 1796, the second floor featured 32 secretary desks very similar to those in the current Senate chamber in the United States Capitol; 28 of the desks at Congress Hall are original. The room has been restored to its original appearance of 1796, where it also featured a fresco of an American bald eagle on the ceiling and a plaster medallion with 13 stars to represent the original colonies.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons