Boston Massacre Site

The Boston Massacre site is marked by a ring of cobblestones set into the traffic island at the intersection of State Street and Devonshire Street in downtown Boston, Massachusetts, directly in front of the Old State House. In 1770 this thoroughfare was called King Street, and British troops had been stationed in the city since 1768 to enforce the Townshend duties. On the evening of 5 March 1770, a crowd confronted a sentry posted outside the Custom House. Captain Thomas Preston and several soldiers arrived, and in the confusion the troops fired into the crowd. Crispus Attucks, Samuel Gray, James Caldwell, Samuel Maverick and Patrick Carr died of their wounds. The soldiers were tried in the fall of 1770, with John Adams serving as defense counsel; Preston and most of the soldiers were acquitted, and two were convicted of manslaughter. Paul Revere's engraving of the event, widely circulated, portrayed the shooting as a deliberate slaughter and became a powerful propaganda tool. The site itself is an outdoor memorial rather than a museum. A circular marker of cobblestones, installed in the 20th century, denotes the approximate spot, while a nearby plaque and the Boston Massacre Monument on Boston Common commemorate the victims. Interpretation comes from signage and from the neighboring Old State House museum, which holds exhibits on the Massacre and runs related programs. The surrounding street is busy with traffic and tourists, and the marker is easy to overlook. Reenactments and ranger-led or costumed programs are sometimes held on the anniversary in March. A visit takes only a few minutes on its own, but it works best combined with the Old State House galleries. It lies on the Freedom Trail, and the marker is passable day and night.