With antique brick facade set among downtown skyscrapers, any passerby can pick this building out as a relic from an earlier time. Now a museum run by The Bostonian Society, the site has a long and distinguished history. The Boston Massacre, one of the catalysts for the American Revolution, took place just outside. The Declaration of Independence was first read to Boston here on July 18, 1776. The structure served as the new state's capital until 1797. Exhibits at the museum take visitors through the stories of the revolution and the people involved in them.
Looking southwest from the Prudential tower, you can just locate the gingerbread tower that marks Fort Hill. If you squint, you can almost make out Rapunzel's golden locks, but Highland Park is even more idyllic up close. The park is often deserted and offers a nice view of Boston at sunset. One end of the park provides rocks for young kids to climb and plaques offer a bit of a history lesson as well. The original 'Fort Hill' was simply a hill with some earthworks, and was used in the Revolutionary War. Years later, a water tower was built on the hill.
