The Old State House is the oldest public building in Boston. It was built in 1713.

The Old State House was built to replace the original Town House, which had
burned to the ground two years prior.
The Declaration of Independence was read out loud from the Old State
Houses balcony in 1776. The enthusiasm was so great that the symbols of Britain,
the lion and the unicorn, were promptly torn from the building and burned.
The Old State House was the seat of the state legislature until 1798. It was then
leased out for commercial purposes until the 1830s, when the Old State House
functioned as Bostons City Hall.
The building was nearly demolished in the 1880s to make way for Bostons
financial district, but the formation of the Bostonian Society was created to save
it.
The Old State House has been under renovation almost constantly throughout
its history. The building has suffered fire, water, and wind damage, as well as the
wear and tear of time and heavy traffic.