Rising above Boston’s historic streets from its prominent perch atop Beacon Hill, the Massachusetts State House commands attention with its iconic golden dome, one of the most recognizable features of the city’s skyline. Completed in 1798, the building has served as the seat of government for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for more than two centuries. It replaced the colonial-era Old State House, which had housed the government since 1713.
Its construction came after the American Revolution, as the United States was defining its new civic and governmental identity. Work on the building began with a cornerstone ceremony on July 4, 1795, led by Governor Samuel Adams and Paul Revere, who presided in his official capacity as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Masons.
