GoNOMAD | GoNOMAD Travel

Your First Europe Trip: What to Know Before You Go

SPEED VEGAS: If You Could Drive Any Car in Las Vegas, Which One Would You Choose?

Moms Will Love These!

How to Really Save Money on Hotels.com

Layover Hacks: Finding Real Deals in the World’s Most Expensive Airports

Get an eSIM Before You Land in Japan.

A Gamers’ Travel Guide: Countries Where Players Feel Right at Home

Explore Israel: From Desert Silence to Mediterranean Vibrance

The Fascinating Terracotta Warriors of Xi’an

Xi'an is one of the three cities that most travelers visit in China, after Beijing and Shanghai. seeing Terracotta Replica Museum, the Terracotta warriors.

Cambodia: A Guide to Koh Rong Island

A guide to Koh Rong Island, one of the beautiful islands in Cambodia. Either be lazy on the beach here, or go pub crawling all…

Montana’s Wildest Winter Resorts

Montana’s Wildest Winter Resorts By Sonja Stark Moonlight Basin, Big Sky, Bridger Bowl and Red Lodge, in that order I braved the elements and skied […]

The Year in Beer: An Interview with the Beer Geeks

Chris Nelson and Merideth Canham-Nelson of TheBeerGeek.com, after a year visiting more than 500 breweries, pubs and beer festivals in five countries and seven US…

The Beautiful Omni Homestead Resort for Virginia’s Finest Hospitality

The Omni Old Homestead Resort is a magnificent five-star property hidden in the Allegheny Mountains in Hot Springs, VA

Advice for the Last Day of Your Cruise

An excerpt from a new book by Aaron Mase "Beginner's Guide to Cruising," providing information on what do to on the last day of a…

Norse Atlantic Airways Lands Boeing Dreamliner in Antarctica

Norse Atlantic Airways lands a Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Antarctica, for the second year in a row, a charter for the purpose of scientific research.

Wineries and Wine Tours Around the World

Wine tours and wineries around the world. A list of wine tourism websites worldwide.

SHOW NOTES

In this episode, we head to Lower Manhattan to explore the layers of history hidden beneath the skyscrapers of Wall Street. Longtime GoNOMAD contributor Susmita Sengupta, a New Yorker with a sharp eye for the city’s past, takes us on a walking journey through the Financial District — revealing the colonial streets, early American landmarks, and sacred spaces that shaped the beginnings of the United States.

We begin at the New York Stock Exchange, but instead of watching the crowds, Susmita leads us to the Federal Hall National Memorial, the “Birthplace of American Government,” where George Washington took the oath of office in 1789. The Doric columns, the bronze Washington statue, and the preserved balcony inside all bring the early republic vividly to life.

Just steps away stands Trinity Church Wall Street, a Gothic masterpiece and the oldest public building still in use in Manhattan. Inside, its stained glass windows glow above the grave of Alexander Hamilton, one of America’s most influential Founding Fathers.

We continue to St. Paul’s Chapel, the Georgian-era sanctuary where Washington prayed after his inauguration, before wandering toward Stone Street, a cobblestone lane dating back to the Dutch colonial era — built by enslaved Africans and now lined with lively restaurants.

Susmita then guides us to Fraunces Tavern Museum, a Revolutionary War landmark where patriots gathered and history unfolded. Across the street, she discovers the preserved remains of 17th‑century New Amsterdam, including the 1667 foundations of the Lovelace Tavern, visible beneath glass panels in the sidewalk.

The journey concludes at the powerful and moving African Burial Ground National Monument, the largest colonial-era burial site for enslaved and free Africans in North America. Rediscovered in 1991, it now stands as a solemn memorial and educational center honoring more than 400 individuals whose labor helped build New York City.

This episode is a thoughtful walk through the origins of the city — a reminder that beneath the financial capital of the world lies a deep, complex, and essential American story.

Written by GoNOMAD contributor Susmita Sengupta.

SHOW NOTES

SUBSCRIBE & LISTEN