Page 63 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Boston

OLD BOST ON AND THE FINANCIAL DISTRIC T  61

3 Old City Hall with carving out the first
distinctively American
45 School St. Map 2 D4.  Park
Street, State, Government Center. literature. The earliest
editions of the erudite
A fine example of French Second Atlantic Monthly peri-
Empire architectural gaudiness, odical were also printed
this was Boston’s City Hall here under editor James
from 1865 to 1969 – it was Russell Lowell, before
superseded by the rakishly he handed the reins
modern New City Hall structure over to William Dean
at nearby Government Center Howells. Julia Ward
(see p64). The renovated 19th- Howe’s rousing tribute Historic image of the Old Corner Book store, the hub of
century building now features to American Civil War American literature
a steak house. bravado, The Battle Hymn
Previous occupants have of the Republic, first appeared entitled Voices of Protest relive
included such flamboyant in the Atlantic’s February 1862 those raucous days as well
mayors as Honey “Fitz” Fitzgerald issue. Although no publishing as more recent occurrences
(see p27) and James Michael activities take place here, the in the 20th century. The
Curley. Statues here memorialize Old Corner Bookstore remains Meeting House offers a series
Josiah Quincy, Boston’s second a touchstone of American of lectures covering a wide
mayor and after whom Quincy literary history. range of New England topics
Market is named, as well as and also holds chamber
Benjamin Franklin, who was 5 Old South music concerts and other
born on nearby Milk Street. musical performances.
Meeting House There is a shop downstairs
containing a broad selection
310 Washington St. Map 2 D4.
Tel (617) 482-6439.  Park Street, of merchandise, which includes
State, Government Center. Open Apr– the ubiquitous tins of “Boston
Oct: 9:30am–5pm daily; Nov–Mar: Tea Party” tea.
10am–4pm daily. & ^ 7 9 Directly across Washington
∑ oldsouthmeetinghouse.org Street, sculptor Robert Shure’s
memorial to the 1845–49 Irish
Built in 1729 for Puritan Potato Famine was added to
religious services, this edifice, the small plaza here in 1998.
with a tall octagonal steeple,
had colonial Boston’s biggest
capacity for town meetings –
a fact capitalized upon by a
group of rebellious rabble-
19th-century French-style façade of rousers calling themselves
Boston’s Old City Hall the Sons of Liberty (see p22).
Their outbursts against British
4 Old Corner taxation and other royal annoy-
ances drew increasingly large
Bookstore and vociferous crowds to the
pews and upstairs galleries.
1 School St. Map 2 D4.  Park Street,
State, Government Center. During a candlelit protest
rally on December 16, 1773,
A dormered gambrel roof fiery speechmaker Samuel
crowns this brick landmark, Adams flashed the signal that
which opened as Thomas led to the Boston Tea Party (see
Crease’s apothecary shop in p77) down at Griffin’s Wharf
1718 and was reestablished as several hours later. The British
the Old Corner Bookstore in retaliated by turning Old South
1829. Moving in 16 years later, into an officers’ tavern and
the Ticknor & Fields publishing stable for General John
company became a gathering Burgoyne’s 17th Lighthorse
place for a notable roster of Regiment of Dragoons. In
authors: Emerson, Hawthorne, 1877, the budding Historic
Longfellow, Thoreau, early Preservation Movement
feminist writer Margaret Fuller, saved the building from
and Uncle Tom’s Cabin novelist destruction and created a
Harriet Beecher Stowe. The museum. Displays, exhibits, Old South Meeting House, in stark contrast
firm is often credited and a multimedia presentation to the modern city

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