The Old State House Museum
The Historic Seat of Boston Politics
Aug 12, 2009 Holly Beth Anderle
In true Yankee style, the Old State House has served many purposes over the years. Built of wood in 1657, the original Boston Town House was donated by a local merchant. It included space for shops, a room for the Courts to meet year-round, and a room for the town elders.
In 1711 the original building burned to the ground but one wall still remains from that original wood building. A new brick structure opened on this spot in 1713. In 1747 a large portion of that structure also burned and was rebuilt. There was a Merchant’s Exchange on the first floor, while the basement was rented for storage space by Boston businessmen, including John Hancock. During these years it served as a social center, an informal meeting place to catch up on the days important political news as well as to hear the juiciest local gossip.
Seat of Massachusetts Politics
This unique building was divided into several parts. Upstairs to the east end of the building was the Council Chamber of the Royal Governor. This was the main center of politics and debate. Many speeches that led to the ultimate split with England were delivered in this Chamber.
On the west end of the second floor were the chambers for the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and the Courts of Suffolk County. The central portion contained the rooms, called chambers, for the elected Massachusetts Assembly. It was the first political chamber to include public galleries for regular people to watch the debates. It was also the original home of the carved wooden Sacred Cod, the symbol of Massachusetts’ fishing industry.
The Old State House and the Boston Massacre
As the tensions grew between America and Britain, the Old State House became a gathering place to hear the latest political news. Official proclamations were read from the balcony on the east side of the building. The area beneath the balcony was the site of the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770. On the traffic island in front of the east side of the building, there is a cobblestone ring. This ring marks the site where five colonists, including Crispus Attucks, Samuel Gray, and Patrick Carr, were killed by a small group of British soldiers firing into a rowdy crowd.
At one o'clock in the afternoon on July 18, 1776, people gathered in the street to hear the Declaration of Independence read from the building's balcony, the first public reading in Massachusetts. This act was courageous, but not very dangerous; by this time the Continental Army had driven the British troops out of Boston so the readers had no real fear of immediate arrest. After the reading, the crowd tore down all symbols of the Crown, including the Lion and the Unicorn, and burned them in a huge bonfire.
The Old State House Post-Revolution
In 1798 the new State House was built on Beacon Hill and the Old State House was again converted to use as shops and meeting rooms. From 1830 to 1840 it served as the Boston Town Hall. After 1840 the building fell into disrepair and had a number of slipshod additions. In 1881 the Bostonian Society was formed to preserve the Old State House for future generations. The Society restored the building to its original colonial appearance. Most of the details on this building are reproductions, including the Lion and the Unicorn displayed on the east facade, replacing those burned in the bonfire of 1776.
The Old State House Today
Today the Bostonian Society operates the Old State House as a museum,with many displays and interactive exhibits of Boston’s history, including original tea from the Boston Tea Party. This hands-on approach to history allows visitors to come to a understanding of the various important roles a building can play in the life of a city. Many famous people have toured the building, including Queen Elizabeth II. She visited during America’s Bicentennial and gave a speech from the balcony from which the newly born United States of America declared its independence from her own country of England.
Sources:
The Bostonian Society - The Boston Historical Society, "The Old State House Museum," accessed 12 August 2009.
City of Boston, "Old State House," accessed 12 August 2009.
A View of Cities - Boston, "Old State House," accessed 12 August 2009.
Old State House, Boston, MA
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