Emerging from the MBTA subway (blue line), we exited onto State Street. To our surprise we were in front of the south wall and entrance to the Old State House. The subway goes under the building.
Across the street is the National Park Service Visitors Center. They have a good assortment of books, information and gifts pertaining to Boston's history. Upstairs from it is the Boston Society Library a fantastic place to see original historical books and articles.
Turning left from the subway exit we walked a few steps to the east side of the Old State House on Washington Street. The brick circle in the median in the road in front of the Old State House is the site of the Boston Massacre, the shooting of a group of protestors by the British and another dramatic cause for the war.
The front of the Old State House still keeps the symbols of British rule, the lion and the unicorn majestically reminding the citizens of Boston they were the subjects of His Majesty King George III a long time ago. The Declaration of Independence was first read to the people of Boston from the balcony right under those very symbols of monarchy. In fact they are replicas put back in place in 1882 because the originals were torn down during the Revolution. The clock was originally installed in 1831. It was restored in 1992. The entire facade is a beautiful reminder of our democratic freedom.
We walked back to the south entrance on State Street (formerly called King Street) and noticed the red brick line in the side walk indentifying this as part of Freedom Trail, the walking tour of Historic Boston. The Old State House was built in 1713 to house the government offices of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The museum is open from 9:00am to 5:00pm except on holidays. Before going upstairs we watched a movie presentation about the place.
The Council Chamber of the Royal Governor is upstairs at the east end of the building. A major cause for the Revolutionary War, the Writs of Assistance, were argued by James Otis in 1761 right in that room. Looking
out the window on the east wall we could see the wharf and harbor. The central area of the second floor was the meeting place of the Massachusetts Assembly, the legislative body of the colony. Looking out the window on the north side of the building we saw the tower of the Old North Church, famous for containing the lanterns as a signal to warn the Americans the British were coming. The west end of that floor was used for the Supreme Judicial Court, responsible for decisions of important landmark trials. There John Adams, the second president of the United States, argued the case of the Boston Massacre. He represented the British soldiers. Original papers relating to that case and other important cases from that era are on display.