Old State House (Boston) facts for kids

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Old State House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark

Old State House in 2013
Location in Boston Show map of Boston Location in Massachusetts Show map of Massachusetts
Location	Boston, Massachusetts
Built	1713
Architect	Original Architect: Thomas Joy (rebuilt 1748) Repairs and alternations: Thomas Dawes (c. 1772) Alterations: Isaiah Rogers (1830) Restoration: George Albert Clough (1881–1882) Renovation: Goody, Clancy and Associates (1991)
Architectural style	Georgian
NRHP reference No.	66000779
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966
Designated NHL	October 9, 1960

The Old State House is a very old and important building in Boston, Massachusetts. It was built in 1713. For many years, it was where the government of Massachusetts met to make laws. This building is found where Washington and State Streets meet. It is one of the oldest public buildings in the entire United States.

Today, the Old State House is a key stop on Boston's famous Freedom Trail. It is the oldest public building still standing in Boston. It now works as a history museum. The museum was run by the Bostonian Society until 2019. In 2020, this group joined with another to form Revolutionary Spaces. The Old State House was named a National Historic Landmark in 1960. It also became a Boston Landmark in 1994.

History of the Old State House
The Old State House Museum Today
- Keeping the Building Safe: Recent Work
Other Old State House Buildings
Images for kids
See also

History of the Old State House

The First Government Building: 1713–1776

Before the Old State House, there was a wooden building called the Town House. It was built in 1657 but burned down in a big fire in 1711. The brick Old State House we see today was built right after, from 1712 to 1713. Some people think Robert Twelves designed it.

The building has two large wooden statues on top. They are a lion and a unicorn. These animals were symbols of the British king and queen. A special royal symbol was taken down from inside the building during the American Revolution.

The first floor of the Old State House was a place for merchants to trade goods. Warehouses were in the basement. On the second floor, the Royal Governor had his meeting room. Other rooms were used for courts. The main part held the meeting room for the Massachusetts General Court. This was the group that made laws for the colony. It was special because it had public areas where people could watch their elected leaders.

In 1747, a fire damaged the inside of the building. But the strong brick walls on the outside were okay. The inside was rebuilt in 1748. Scientists have also studied how the building handled a big earthquake in 1755.

In 1755, a leader named Spencer Phips signed a paper at the Old State House. This paper told settlers to hunt and kill Penobscot people for money and land. This was one of many such papers given out in the U.S. between 1675 and 1885. In 2021, leaders and children from the Penobscot Nation visited the Old State House. They read the old paper out loud.

In 1761, a lawyer named James Otis spoke in the Royal Council Chamber. He argued against special search warrants called "Writs of Assistance." He lost the case, but his speech made many people think about freedom. It helped lead to the American Revolution. John Adams later said that this speech was when "the child independence was born."

This engraving by Paul Revere shows the Boston Massacre. The Old State House is clearly seen behind the action.

A very important event happened right in front of the building. On March 5, 1770, the Boston Massacre took place. British soldiers shot at a crowd of colonists. The Lieutenant Governor, Thomas Hutchinson, stood on the building's balcony. He told the crowd to go home.

The State's New Home: 1776–1798

On July 18, 1776, a man named Colonel Thomas Crafts stood on the east balcony. He read the Declaration of Independence to a cheering crowd. Most people in Boston, about two-thirds, wanted independence. The lion and unicorn statues on the building were taken down. They were burned in a big bonfire on King Street.

After the American Revolution, the Old State House was still the main government building for Massachusetts. This lasted until 1798. Then, the government moved to the new Massachusetts State House.

Boston's City Hall: 1830–1841

From 1830 to 1841, the Old State House became Boston's city hall. The city's offices moved there. In 1830, a designer named Isaiah Rogers changed the inside of the building. He added a beautiful spiral staircase that is still there today. A fire in 1832 caused some damage to the building.

The city hall shared the building with the Boston Post Office. Many private businesses also rented space there. On October 21, 1835, Mayor Theodore Lyman, Jr. helped William Lloyd Garrison. Garrison was an editor who spoke out against slavery. A large, angry crowd was chasing him. The mayor kept Garrison safe in the Old State House. Then, he was taken to jail for his own protection. In 1841, City Hall moved to a different building.

The steeple on the west end

Commercial Use: 1841–1881

After the city government left, the entire building was rented out. Many different businesses used the Old State House. These included tailors, clothing stores, and insurance companies. Even railroad offices were there. Sometimes, as many as fifty businesses were in the building at once.

The Museum Years: 1881–Present

In 1881, a group called The Bostonian Society was formed. They wanted to save the Old State House. There were plans to tear it down to build new buildings. From 1881 to 1882, George A. Clough helped restore the building. In 1882, new lion and unicorn statues were put back on the east side. These were copies of the original ones that were burned in 1776. On the west side, there is a statue of an eagle. This eagle shows the Old State House's link to American history.

The lion and unicorn on the roof are like those in the British Royal Coat of Arms. They remind us of the building's past.

Since 1904, a subway station has been in part of the building's basement. This is the State Street MBTA station. The Blue Line subway opened in 1904. The Orange Line subway opened in 1908. The Boston Marine Museum also used rooms in the building from 1909 to 1947.

Queen Elizabeth II of England visited the Old State House. She came with her husband on July 11, 1976. This was part of her trip to Boston to celebrate 200 years of the United States. She stood on the historic balcony. She gave a speech to a large crowd.

If Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, and other patriots could have known that one day a British monarch would stand on the balcony of the Old State House, from which the Declaration of Independence was first read to the people of Boston, and be greeted in such kind and generous words—well, I think they would have been extremely surprised! But perhaps they would also have been pleased to know that eventually we came together again as free peoples and friends to defend together the very ideals for which the American Revolution was fought.

The Old State House in the 1950s

The Old State House Museum Today

Today, the Old State House is surrounded by the tall skyscrapers of Downtown Boston.

Today, very tall buildings surround the Old State House. These are part of Boston's financial district. But you can still see the Old State House clearly from far away. The building is right above the State Street subway station. You can enter the station from the basement of the Old State House. The building can also be rented for special events. The museum is open most days of the year.

The next stop on the Freedom Trail is the spot of the Boston Massacre. This is on a busy street right in front of the museum. A circle of cobblestones marks the spot. The museum offers many programs and exhibits. Some of these are about the Boston Massacre.

Keeping the Building Safe: Recent Work

The Old State House often has projects to keep it in good shape. In 2006, workers fixed water damage to the building's stone walls. This damage had been a problem for a long time. It got worse after Hurricane Wilma in 2005. This repair project was even shown on a TV show called Save Our History.

In 2008, the museum's tower was fixed up. The weathervane on top, which was made in 1713, was re-covered in gold. The windows were repaired and sealed. Old wood was replaced. This work helps protect the building and the things inside it. It also protects the old clock made in 1831.