Old South Meeting House History

The current structure with its 183 foot steeple dates back to 1729, however, was preceded by another meeting house on this site which dated back to 1670. The architectural style of the current structure is Georgian as evident via its high usage of symmetry throughout and the balustrade square tower.

Located on the fourth level of the tower is a black rounded clock which installed within the tower in 1770. That clock is still functional to this day. While multiple famous incidents have occurred at the Old South, including the baptism of Benjamin Franklin who was born not far from here, it is an incident which transpired on December 16, 1773 which will forever immortalize this former meeting house. With the Stamp Act in 1765, the British under King Charles the II, made one of their first attempts at trying to profit from their colonies by mandating a tax on all legal documents.

The British, however, did not anticipate the public outcry and response they would receive and actually rescinded this tax in less than a year. They were however less lenient on a subsequent tea tax. These taxes were collectively implemented in 1767 via the Townsend Acts, named for a British politician Charles Townsend who proposed the act. The Colonists, in turn, were not willing to concede either. On December 16, 1773 approximately 5,000 individuals gathered here (the largest meeting house in the city at the time) to discuss a course of action.

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Having previously agreed on possible “escalations” and upon realization of lacking any more diplomatic alternatives, Samuel Adams stepped to the podium and gave the signal by announcing, “The meeting can do nothing more to save this country.” As the crowd roared their approval a group of men disguised as Mohawk Indians exited the meeting house and made their way down Milk Street towards what was known as Griffin’s Wharf. Docked here were three ships named the Beaver, Dartmouth and Eleanor which were stocked full of 342 chests of imported Behea or a black tea that was imported from the Wuyi Mountains in China.

The value of that tea today would exceed more than $1 million. Obviously this act was more than the British could take and they responded via MORE legislation, this time in the form of the Coercive Acts. This effectively shuts down Boston Harbor. In further backlash, and getting back to our site at hand here, the British seized control of the Old South Meeting House in 1775, ripped it apart and basically turned it into a stable with a pub located on the balcony. The Old South almost was further desecrated in 1872 as part of the Great Fire of Boston before it was fortunately saved via a fire department which came to its rescue via Portsmouth, NH of all places.

After falling into general disarray after many years, the building was actually scheduled for demolition before a last ditch effort was successful in preserving the landmark. In 1877 the Old South finally found itself a more proper use when it was transformed into the museum as it is to this day. The Old South Meeting House is a popular attraction along Boston’s Freedom Trail. In reference to the site of the Boston Tea Party itself, Griffin’s Wharf (to which we have earlier referred) no longer exists and is now the site of the Intercontinental Hotel. Near the site of this hotel, however, is a bridge off of Seaport Boulevard and it is here that beginning in the Spring of 2012 a new museum will open with a replica of one of the ships from this famous incident.

• Website: http://www.osmh.org 
• Address: 310 Washington Street, Boston, MA 
• Cost: To enjoy the wonderful exterior is free. Museum prices are $6 for adults, $5 for senior and students, $1 children ages 6-18