Old State House

Description

The "Old State House" in #Boston, built in 1713, is the city's oldest surviving public building and a prime example of Late Georgian architecture. This brick structure replaced a wooden predecessor destroyed by fire in 1711 and was largely reconstructed in 1748 after another blaze. The first floor originally housed a merchants' exchange, while the second floor served as the seat of colonial government (legislative, executive, and judicial branches) for the Massachusetts Bay Colony. A notable second-story balcony, flanked by lion and unicorn royal symbols, overlooked the street, from which the royal governor issued proclamations and where the Declaration of Independence was first read publicly in 1776. Key historical events include James Otis's 1761 argument against Writs of Assistance (inspiring John Adams) and the 1770 Boston Massacre in the square below.