On a recent Saturday morning, about 230 participants took part in a walking tour through Lower Manhattan, tracing the footsteps of New York City as it appeared roughly 250 years ago. The event, organized by a team of journalists, coincided with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and invited attendees to explore historical sites connected to the city’s role in the American Revolution.

The free, interactive tour, called “Search for the Past,” was designed over several months by reporters, editors, and designers who curated a route linking six locations with rich historical significance. Participants received clues prior to the event, each leading to a distinct site scattered within some of the city’s oldest neighborhoods. The initiative aimed to illuminate how elements of colonial New York remain visible in the modern cityscape.

“We wanted to show how the New York of 250 years ago is still visible today,” said Eden Weingart, a visual editor who contributed to the project’s design. Starting points were distributed via email the day before the tour, and attendees checked in at each destination with volunteer staff before proceeding to the next.

The selection of sites reflected a broad spectrum of New York’s past, including Lenape heritage, African American history, and the city’s Revolutionary era. Efforts were made to incorporate both well-known landmarks and lesser-explored locations, underscoring parallels between historical events and contemporary issues. For example, the 18th-century fence remaining at Bowling Green once enclosed a statue of King George III, which was famously toppled by patriots after the Declaration of Independence was read aloud—a moment Ms. Anna Kodé, Metro reporter and project lead, linked to recent removals of Confederate monuments.

The tour was designed to be accessible to a wide audience, accommodating foot travel, public transit, and wheelchair users, with consideration given to shade and restroom availability. Ms. Kodé relied on a range of historical sources, including maps and preservation reports, while acknowledging the challenges of verifying details from the 17th and 18th centuries. She consulted with local historians, museum directors, and urban foresters to provide context and connect past and present.

In addition to the clues and reporting, participants collected custom postcards depicting each site, created by Ms. Weingart. The postcards featured images on one side and historical narratives on the reverse, along with envelopes designed to hold stamps earned at every location.

Attendees ranged from longtime New Yorkers to recent arrivals, many expressing appreciation for insights into the city’s layered history. Paula Gondiman, a marketing professional who had moved to New York City weeks prior, remarked that the experience sparked her interest in further exploring neighborhoods like Chelsea.

For the organizers, fostering curiosity and encouraging engagement with the city beyond digital screens was the central goal. Ms. Weingart indicated plans to develop similar events in the future, highlighting the value of immersive experiences in deepening public understanding of local history and journalism alike. “It’s fun to get out and actually do something,” she said.