The building at 276-278 Washington Street is known as the Winthrop Building in honor of former Boston Governor John Winthrop, whose final resting place is located within King’s Chapel Burying Ground. It was at this site that the former governor’s second and final home in Boston was situated. This home dated back to 1644 and you can read more about Governor Winthrop and this former building via a historical plaque situated along the south wall in the alleyway of Spring Lane if you are so interested.
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| Winthrop Building |
Our interest, however lies in the current structure residing at this locale which dates back to 1893. This nine story building was actually the first steel frame skyscraper in all of Boston. What is interesting to note when observing this structure is its gentle curve. This curve was by no means intended as an aesthetically pleasing addition, it was actually dictated via the existing space available to build. The surrounding roads of Spring Lane (to the south) and Water Street (to the north) served as immovable boundaries that determined the design of this building.
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