Boston was founded in 1639, making it one of the oldest cities in the U.S. Many historic structures have survived, some of which are shown below, but first, a few fun facts. Boston:
Has the oldest public beach–1896
Built the first subway–1897
Has the oldest public park–1634
Had the first chocolote factory–1765
Built the first lighthouse—-1716
Has the oldest original baseball stadium still in use–1912
Has the first college–Harvard 1636
Some Historical Sites
Copley Square
Copley Square is an open, public land surrounded by some of Boston’s most recognizable buildings. Trinity Church is pictured in this 1906 photo.
Corner Bookstore
This is the oldest commercial building in Boston, having been built in 1718. It began as a bookstore in 1828 and is seen here in an 1898 photo.
Custom House
The current custom house building was constructed in 1850, and the tower addition was completed in 1915. In 1986 Customs moved, and the City of Boston purchased the building. It sat idle for 14 years until Marriott converted it into a time-share hotel. The first photo is dated 1859, and the second was taken in 1913.
Faneuil Hall
Faneuil Hall is a marketplace and meeting hall that was completed in 1761. The first photo is dated 1900.
Fenway Park
Fenway opened in 1912 and is the country’s oldest ballpark in continuous use. Its first game was overshadowed by the sinking of the Titanic five days earlier. The first photo shows opening day in 1912.
Old State House
The Old State House was completed in 1713, making it one of the oldest public buildings in the country. The “new” Declaration of Independence was read from the second floor balcony to a large, enthusiastic crowd on July 18, 1776. The first photo is dated ca. 1860.
