Old State House

The Old State House stands at 206 Washington Street in downtown Boston, Massachusetts, at the head of State Street. Completed in 1713 to replace an earlier town house, it is the oldest surviving public building in the city. It housed the colonial legislature, the royal governor's council and courts. Its brick Georgian form is topped by a distinctive tiered tower, and ornamental lion and unicorn figures on the east gable recall British authority. The originals were burned in 1776 and replicas were installed later. The building witnessed many events of the Revolutionary era. In 1761 lawyer James Otis argued here against the writs of assistance. On 5 March 1770 British soldiers fired on a crowd in the street below in what became the Boston Massacre. On 18 July 1776 the Declaration of Independence was read from the balcony to the townspeople, and in 1780 John Hancock was inaugurated here as the first governor of the Commonwealth. After the state government moved to Beacon Hill in 1798, the building was used for commercial offices and, in the 19th century, narrowly avoided demolition after the city considered removing it. A preservation campaign led to restoration and its opening as a museum. Today Revolutionary Spaces, which also runs Old South Meeting House, operates the site. Its exhibits follow a thematic and chronological approach, displaying objects such as a vial of tea from the 1773 protest and a piece of the original flag, as well as galleries on the Massacre and Boston's history. The Council Chamber and the Representatives' Chamber have been restored, and they hold programs and reenactments. Its basement is also a subway station entrance. A visit usually takes about an hour.