All units of the NYPL will be closed July 4.
Alexander Hamilton United States Custom House (New York, N.Y.)
Manuscripts and Archives Division
Restricted access; Manuscripts and Archives Division; Permit must be requested at the division indicated.
The first series, 1792-1894, represents the bulk of the papers and consist of letters, certificates of registration for crews and vessels, returns of manifests, documents regarding imports and exports, petitions for various positions and contracts. The second series, 1833-1840, consists of vouchers and receipts that were generated from the construction of a custom house under Commissioners Samuel Swartwout, Walter Bourne and Elisha Tibbits.
Positions in the custom houses were sought for their political and social influence. Within this collection, individuals who had an interest or were involved in the New York Custom House for the period 1794-1894 include Chester Alan Arthur, who was appointed in 1871 as a collector of the Port of New York by President Grant; Greene Carrier Bronson, appointed as collector for the years 1853-1854; Governors Washington Hunt and Horatio Seymour; and Tench Coxe, Samuel Swartwout, Fernando Wood, and James Madison.
The New York Custom House was established in 1799 by the United States government to regulate New York port and harbor activities. Custom houses raised revenues and controlled shipping, placed duties on imports, prevented smuggling and enforced the laws regulating exports and imports. Fifteen years later the New York Custom House wasdestroyed by fire and the Custom House was moved to Federal Hall. During the years 1832-1842, a new custom house was built on William and Pine Streets. In 1862 the New York Custom House moved to another location and the building in which it had previously resided became the Sub-Treasury.
July. NYPL Art and Architecture Collection.
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