Old State House (Boston)
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The Old State House is a historic building located at the intersection of Washington and State Streets in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Built in 1713, it is the oldest surviving public building in Boston.
The original building housed a Merchant's Exchange on the first floor and warehouses in the basement. On the second floor, the east side contained the Council Chamber of the Royal Governor while west end of the second floor contained chambers for the Courts of Suffolk County and the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. The central portion contained the chambers for the elected Massachusetts Assembly. This chamber is notable for including public galleries, the first known example of such a feature being included in a chamber for elected officials.
In 1761, James Otis argued against the Writs of Assistance in the Royal Council Chamber. Though losing the case, Otis's speech was one of the events which led to the American Revolution. During this period, a Stamp Act Congress was formed in the Massachusetts Assembly chamber. On July 18, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed from the east side balcony to jubilant crowds.
After the American Revolution, the building served as the seat of the Massachusetts state government before its move to the present Massachusetts State House in 1798. From 1830 to 1841, the building was Boston's city hall before being converted to commercial use. In 1881, after threats of the building's being dismantled and moved to Chicago, Illinois, the Old State House was restored to its original exterior appearance.
Today, the Old State House sits atop the State Street stop on the MBTA's Orange Line subway line. Located on the Freedom Trail, the building houses a museum and is the home of The Boston Historical Society.
Also located on the Freedom Trail is a cobblestone ring on the traffic island in front of the east side of the Old State House. This cobblestone ring marks the site where five colonists were killed by the British on March 5, 1770, in the event that became known as The Boston Massacre. The colonists killed were Crispus Attucks, Samuel Maverick, James Caldwell, Samuel Gray, and Patrick Carr.
See also
References
- Old State House History. The Boston Historical Society. May 16, 2005.