NYC - The Nation's Capital

You may not know (or remember) this, but New York (along with Philadelphia and a couple of other cities) was once the capital of the United States.  What distinguishes New York from the other "capitals" is that the nation's first president, George Washington, was inaugurated there.  It's also where the first U.S Congress met.

Washington's inauguration took place on April 30, 1789 at the Federal Hall on Wall Street.  The original Federal Hall building was demolished in 1812.  In it's place stands the Federal Hall National Memorial.  In front of the memorial is a statue commemorating Washington's inauguration.

The New York Stock Exchange is just across the street from the Federal Hall National Memorial.

Kind of like "the early bird that catches the worm", you have to get up very early to get shots of attractions in NYC if you want photos that aren't crowded with tourists.  These two pictures were shot just after sunrise.