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Old State House
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| Address |
Corner of State Street and Washington Street |
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| Hours |
9 am to 5 pm daily |
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| Phone |
617-720-1713 |
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The Old State House was built in 1713, and served as the seat of Boston’s
government for nearly 85 years. Once the tallest building in Boston,
it now stands modestly among skyscrapers, and is instead renowned
for being the oldest public building in Boston. Currently owned
by the Bostonian Society, the Old State House acts as a museum of
Boston history. Although it houses many artifacts, the most significant
historical item is the building itself. The circle of cobblestones
in front of the Old State House marks the site of the Boston Massacre,
during which five Bostonians were killed by British fire. A few
feet above the street, the building’s white balcony sits prominently
underneath a gold-rimmed clock. This balcony served as the podium
for the speaker who delivered Boston’s first reading of the
Declaration of Independence in 1776. The Old State House is truly
representative of Revolutionary Boston, both as a museum and as
an independent monument.
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