Old State House

Want to hobnob with the ghosts of Boston's historic past? Walk in the footsteps of Samuel Adams, John Hancock and the other major players who fueled the American Revolution at the Old State House, an icon of national history nestled in the center of Boston's Financial District.

One of the highlights of the Boston Freedom Trail, the Old State House is the oldest surviving public building in Boston, dating back to 1713. It once served as the seat of the pre-revolutionary Colonial government and subsequently as Boston's City Hall in the 1830s. Falling into disrepair in the late 1800s, the Old State House almost didn’t survive the 19th century until it was restored to its original "no taxation without representation" glory by the Bostonian Society.

Back in its heyday, rabble-rouser Hancock rented out the basement of the tiny red brick building. Official proclamations were read from the Old State House balcony, on the east side of the structure, looking down State Street. For those not in the know, the area beneath the balcony was the site of the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770, when a handful of British soldiers fired into a crowd of rebels, killing five men. There’s a memorial to the massacre outside of the Old State House, marked by a circle of paving stones.

On July 18, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was first read from the balcony to the masses, and the lion and unicorn, along with other British royal symbols, were removed from the roof and burned in effigy.

Today, the Old State House museum boasts a spiral staircase, rotating exhibits and a collection of memorabilia, including a vial of tea from the Boston Tea Party, Benjamin Franklin's shaving bowl, muskets from Bunker Hill and John Hancock's red velvet waistcoat.

For travelers on a budget and not willing to shell out the $7.50 admission, there's a lot to see outside of the Old State House, including the site of the Boston Massacre and plaques around the building giving the lowdown about its history. There are several bookstores, within walking distance, including Commonwealth Books and Borders, both of which have top-shelf sections dedicated to Boston's patriotic past. The building is literally on top of the State Street T stop. Visitors can feel the vibrations of the Orange and Blue lines when checking out the basement-level restoration exhibit.

Also, the Old State House is a popular location for history buffs looking to get hitched. Yep, the building can be rented out for weddings and the nuptials are usually held in the Council Chamber on the second floor, where patriotic couples can be seen getting their wedding photos snapped from the building's famous balcony.

HelloMetro Tip: The building isn't wheelchair accessible and the upper levels of the building can only be explored via the building's historic spiral staircase. Unfortunately, the old structure doesn't have an elevator.

- by Sam Baltrusis, Boston Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Sam Baltrusis

Sam Baltrusis has worked for WHDH.com, Spike-TV, VH1, Independent News, Seventeen, Newsweek, and as a regional stringer for The New York Times. He's currently a full-time freelance editor and writer in Boston, where he's an instructor for Mediabistro.com and contributes to various regional publications including Boston Spirit Magazine. Sam also publishes a successful pop culture site, LoadedGunBoston.com, and was recently featured on WCVB-TV's "Chronicle" and Boston's NPR affiliate WBUR.