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"The Old South is
the most famous meeting house in Boston, by reasons of its historical associations. The Old South Society was organized in 1669, and the original meeting house was built soon
afterwards. In 1729 the first meeting house was taken down, and the present brick
structure was built on the same spot. The events associated with the Old South Meeting House make it precious to Boston and its citizens. In March 1770, after the Boston Massacre, a large group of
citizens waited here while Samuel Adams went back and forth to the
Old
State House, until Governor Hutchinson yielded to the request to remove the British troops to Castle William (where Fort Independence in South Boston now stands).
Leading to the Boston Teaparty, on November 27, 1773, a meeting of 5,000 citizens took place
and it was again resolved that the tea should not be landed. A few weeks later, on December 16th, another meeting of 7,000 was held. That night, a party of citizens
disguised as Native Americans rushed to the ships lying at Griffin's Wharf,
and threw the tea overboard in protest of the Tea Tax. This event
became known as the Boston Tea Party.
Joseph Warren, three months before he was killed at
Bunker
Hill in 1775, delivered an ovation commemorating the
Boston Massacre. The aisles of the Old South Meeting
House were full, and even the pulpit steps were filled by British Officers and soldiers. Late in 1775, the church was used as a rifling school by
British troops until their evacuation. In 1776, after arriving at Boston, George Washington paused at the Old South Meeting House to take notice of the vandalism by the British troops.
Contact Information
Phone Number: 617.482.6439
Web Address: www.oldsouthmeetinghouse.org
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