Boston's Oldest Buildings and Where to Find Them
Boston's Oldest Buildings and Where to Find Them
By Joseph M. Bagley
Released April 24, 2021
As Boston approaches its four-hundredth anniversary, it is remarkable that it still maintains its historic character despite constant development. The fifty buildings featured in this book all pre-date 1800 and illustrate Boston’s early history. This is the first book to survey Boston’s fifty oldest buildings and does so through an approachable narrative which will appeal to nonarchitects and those new to historic preservation. Beginning with a map of the buildings’ locations and an overview of the historic preservation movement in Boston, the book looks at the fifty buildings in order from oldest to most recent. Geographically, the majority of the buildings are located within the downtown area of Boston along the Freedom Trail and within easy walking distance from the core of the city. This makes the book an ideal guide for tourists, and residents of the city will also find it interesting as it includes numerous properties in the surrounding neighborhoods. The buildings span multiple uses from homes to churches and warehouses to restaurants. Each chapter features a building, a narrative focusing on its historical significance, and the efforts made to preserve it over time. Full color photos and historical drawings illustrate each building and area. Boston’s Oldest Buildings and Where to Find Them presents the ideals of historic preservation in an approachable and easy-to-read manner appropriate for the broadest audience. Perfect for history lovers, architectural enthusiasts, and tourists alike.
Joe Bagley joined the City Archaeology Program in 2011 as the fourth City Archaeologist since 1983. Bagley curates a growing repository of archaeological collections currently housed at the City Archaeology Laboratory at 201 Rivermoor St. in West Roxbury, acts as the review and compliance agent for below-ground cultural resources in the city, educates the public in archaeology through a number of city programs, manages Rainsford Island, and manages the Archaeology Programs social media platforms. In 2016 he was awarded the John L. Cotter Award from the Society for Historical Archaeology for early career achievements. He lives in the Lower Mills neighborhood of Dorchester with his wife, Jen, and their dog, Jack.
