Old South Meeting House

When the Old South Meeting House was built in 1729, its Puritan congregation could not foresee the role it would play in American history. In colonial times, statesman Benjamin Franklin was baptized here. Phillis Wheatley, the first published black poet, was a member, as were patriots James Otis, Thomas Cushing, and William Dawes. In the 19th century Old South was one of the first buildings in the United States to be preserved as an historic site. Today, after the most comprehensive renovation in its near 300 year history, Old South is an impeccable example of how colonial Boston actually looked. The ongoing exhibit "Voices of Protest" tells visitors the story -- often inspiring, sometimes disturbing, frequently controversial and always fascinating -- of the Old South Meeting House and of the men and women whose achievements have shaped its history.