Boston - Old State House

The Old State House, built in 1713, is Boston's oldest public building. It was the seat of the Royal Government in the colonies before the Revolution. The infamous Boston Massacre took place here on March 5, 1770. On that day, British soldiers fired into a crowd of protestors, killing five people. It was also the meeting place for the Massachusetts Assembly and many fiery speeches were made here leading up to the Revolution. The Declaration of Independence was read from its balcony on July 18th, 1776 and the fledgling government continued to meet here until the new State House was built in 1798.

Today, it is run as a museum by the Bostonian Society, the same organization that saved the building in 1881 from being moved to Chicago for the world's fair. The exhibits include historical objects and artifacts dating back to 1630, with an emphasis on the Revolutionary War, maritime history and domestic furnishings and decorative arts.