Old State House

The Old State House, completed in 1713 at the head of Boston's commercial district, served as the seat of colonial and state government. The Boston Massacre occurred on March 5, 1770, on the street just outside the building, and the Declaration of Independence was publicly read from its balcony on July 18, 1776. Today it operates as a museum interpreting colonial government and Revolutionary-era events and is a key stop on the Freedom Trail.