Old South Meeting House
- City
- Boston, MA
The Old South Meeting House at 310 Washington Street was built in 1729 for the Congregational congregation of the Old South Church, replacing an earlier 1669 meeting house on the site. Its size made it a natural overflow venue for Boston town meetings, and in 1773 it was where colonists organized the Boston Tea Party. A museum since 1877, it survives today as a landmark stop on the Freedom Trail.
the building
British occupation. During the Revolution, British troops occupied the meeting house and gutted its interior, converting the sanctuary into a facility for riding horses. The interior was rebuilt in 1783.
Twelves' meeting house. The building was designed by Robert Twelves and built by Joshua Blanchard, replacing the congregation's original 1669 Cedar Meeting House on the same site.
significance
The Old South Meeting House is a National Historic Landmark, a Boston Landmark, and part of Boston National Historical Park. It became a symbol of free speech for its role hosting pre-Revolutionary town meetings, and today functions as a museum operated by Revolutionary Spaces along the Freedom Trail.
nearby
- Old Corner Bookstore
- International Trust Company Building
- Compton Building
- Old City Hall
- McCormack Federal Bldg/Post Office/Courthse
- King's Chapel