Old South Meeting House

On December 16, 1773, a herd of angry colonists (5,000 to be precise), fed up with having to pay outrageous taxes on their beloved “cuppa tea” (among so many other things) decided that they had enough! The Old South Meeting House, being the largest building in Colonial Boston, provided the perfect place for protest and set the stage for future events of the American Revolution, including the often-referenced Tea Party.

This beautiful work of early American religious architecture and historic treasure was once home to a congregation that regularly included Phillis Wheatley, the first published African-American poet and writer, and statesman Benjamin Franklin. The former church, located in busy Downtown Crossing, boasts a 56 meter- steeple that makes it very recognizable among the skyscrapers of Boston’s financial district and is a prominent stop along the historic and well-traversed Freedom Trail.

You can’t avoid seeing The Old South Meeting House when out and about in the former colonial stronghold of Boston, but it is well worth taking the time to enter. The wooden floors and stately but simple design are a reminder of our country’s early religious past. In the pulpit area you can imagine not only pastors preaching their fiery Christian sermons, but also emboldened political figures rallying citizens to take the first steps towards their own independence. Don’t miss the Old South Meeting House’s special exhibits, which include “Voices of Protest”, a retelling of the controversial and fascinating events that occurred in the building, and “If These Walls Could Speak”, a state-of-the-art audio exhibit. No longer a city of tea drinkers, Bostonians now turn to Dunkin Donuts coffee to fight the chill of a cold winter morning.