Day #2 in Boston, Massachusetts

Day #2 began the same as day #1 with the trolley picking us up at our hotel at 7:15 a.m.  We rode to stop #5 and got off to tour the Old State House Museum at Washington and State Streets. Built in 1713, it is one of the oldest public buildings in the U.S., and the oldest surviving public building in Boston.  It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960.

On July 18, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed from the balcony [which can be seen in the photo below].  The lion and unicorn - symbols of British royal power - are still mounted in the top left and right corners of the building's exterior. Later, Governor John Hancock used the building as the first Massachusetts State Capitol.

~ Boston Massacre sign affixed to the side of Old State House ~

~ Opposite End of Old State House ~

Interior of Old State House and one of the two chamber rooms on the second floor.

~ Chamber room at opposite end ~

Winding stair case in the middle separating the two chamber rooms.  The docent was relating historical facts and events associated with the building.

 ~ Artifacts in the building, including a tea caddy. ~

In the museum's first floor gift shop was the tea-themed T-shirt below.  Amazingly, I didn't buy it!

From Old State House Jerry and I walked up Court Street because I wanted to see the Giant Steaming Tea Kettle that hangs over Starbucks on the corner of Court and Tremont Street. Currently it's a heavy construction area, and would you believe a truck hit it the day before we arrived and knocked it down. I was so bummed I didn't get to see it!  Below is an Internet photo of the kettle. It was manufactured in 1873 as a symbol for the Oriental Tea Company, and holds 227 gallons of water.  

All I got to see was the sign that hangs a short distance from the kettle.  We were told the kettle will be repaired and rehung because it' a Boston landmark and tourist attraction.

Jerry and I walked up Tremont Street and viewed several more interesting sites which I'll tell you about in my next post.