Walking the Freedom Trail in Boston 9 Old State House and 10 Boston Massacre Site, Nov12 2010
The seat of the British Colonial government from its construction in 1713 until the end of the American Revolution in 1776. After the revolution the building was used as the Commonwealth's State House until 1798, when they moved into the new (and current) State House.
The square in front of the Old State House is the site of the Boston Massacre, where on March 5, 1770, British troops opened fire on colonists who had been taunting them throwing rocks and hurling insults. Five colonists were killed that day in what proved to be one of the catalytic events leading to the American Revolution.