Customs House

I think the most important part of the "U.S. Customs House" (located just south of Bowling Green) is knowing exactly what a Customs House IS.  I certainly didn't really know.  It's the place where government officials processed the necessary paperwork for goods being imported and exported into the country.  This paperwork can include taxes, tariffs, animals and agriculture (that may or may not be indigenous to the country and may or may not bring in diseases or crazy swarms of locusts), or hazardous items that may or may not be restricted or forbidden.  Back in 1902 when the Alexander Hamilton Customs House was completed, this was a very important place, necessary to trade between countries.  Then, the 20th century happened and technology took over.  Computers could process the information far faster and in greater volume than those working in a customs house.  Thus, Customs Houses became beautiful relics of the past.  (Fun Fact before moving on - the "Customs Agency" is the oldest federal agency in the U.S. dating back to 1789.)

In 1899 - renowned architect Cass Gilbert won a design competition for the new "U.S. Customs House" in NYC.  Construction started in 1900 - and seven years later the Customs House was completed.  It housed the Customs Service until the completion of the original World Trade Center Towers.  Appropriately, the Customs Service move into the World Trade Center.  

The Customs House was one of the very first buildings to be honored with "National Historic Landmark Status."  It was assigned this status in 1976.  

In 1994, the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian moved into the Customs House.