The Bostonian Society

The Bostonian Society was a nonprofit historical and preservation organization based in Boston, Massachusetts. Established in 1881 as the Antiquarian Club, it emerged from a campaign to protect the Old State House, one of Boston’s most significant surviving colonial buildings. The building, completed in 1713, is associated with the Boston Massacre, the public proclamation of the Declaration of Independence in Massachusetts, and the political development of the American Revolution. The society’s formation was prompted by concern that the structure might be dismantled and relocated to Chicago, reportedly brick by brick. Its preservation effort became one of Boston’s earliest successful organized historic-preservation movements. The Old State House remained owned by the City of Boston, but The Bostonian Society handled day-to-day stewardship for many years. It operated a museum inside the building and maintained a research library across the street. The organization’s interpretation centered on Boston’s colonial and revolutionary history, the American Revolutionary War, the city’s neighborhoods, and the wider civic and maritime life of Massachusetts. Its collections included materials dating to the Massachusetts Bay Colony period, with holdings reported to include approximately 7,500 books, 350 maps, 30,000 photographs, and other primary-source materials. Museum displays included weapons, nautical instruments, historical images, a colonial-era model of Boston, and an original political cartoon by Paul Revere. The society also preserved and presented documents and objects that connected local places to national events, helping visitors understand Boston’s role in the Revolution and the development of the United States. The Old State House’s location above the State Street MBTA station, within Boston National Historical Park and on the Freedom Trail, made it both a major heritage site and a heavily visited urban museum. Beyond collections and exhibitions, The Bostonian Society offered educational programs for children and adults, teacher-training activities, historic interpretation, and public events. Its Teaching Boston History Workshops brought together historians, teachers, museum educators, and community organizations. The society also administered a historic-marker program in Boston, organized costumed interpretation, made the Old State House available for private events, and oversaw the annual Boston Massacre reenactment held in March. The organization operated retail shops associated with Boston heritage tourism, including locations at the Old State House, Faneuil Hall, and Quincy Market. In 2020, The Bostonian Society merged with the Old South Association in Boston to create Revolutionary Spaces. The merger ended The Bostonian Society as a separate organization, while its preservation, museum, educational, and visitor-service functions continued within the successor organization. The Old State House and the Old South Meeting House remain central sites in Revolutionary Spaces’ interpretation of Boston’s revolutionary history.

The Bostonian Society was created in Boston in 1881, originally under the name Antiquarian Club. Its founding reflected anxiety about the future of the Old State House, a landmark completed in 1713 and deeply connected with Boston’s political and revolutionary history. The building was associated with the Boston Massacre and with the Massachusetts proclamation of the Declaration of Independence. When there was concern that the structure could be dismantled and moved to Chicago, city councilor William Henry Whitmore and other citizens organized to protect it. The resulting preservation campaign is regarded as one of Boston’s first successful organized efforts to save a historic building. The Old State House became the society’s central responsibility. Although the City of Boston retained ownership, the society managed the building’s everyday public and museum functions. Its work developed within a changing urban environment: the Old State House stands in a busy downtown location above the State Street MBTA station, between Downtown Crossing and South Station. It is also within Boston National Historical Park and forms a major stop on the Freedom Trail. These connections positioned the society between local civic preservation, national historical interpretation, and the practical demands of operating a heavily visited public attraction. The organization maintained a museum in the Old State House and a research library across the street. Its collections covered Boston and Massachusetts history from the Massachusetts Bay Colony period onward. Reported holdings included thousands of books, hundreds of maps, tens of thousands of photographs, and other primary materials. Exhibits addressed the American Revolution, the Revolutionary War, Boston neighborhoods, maritime life, and the city’s broader social and political development. Objects included antique firearms and other weapons, nautical instruments from the Age of Sail, historical newspaper imagery from London, a colonial-era model of Boston, and an original political cartoon by Paul Revere donated from the family of Josiah Quincy I. Public education was a major part of the society’s identity. It developed programs for children and adults, supported teacher education through Teaching Boston History Workshops, and connected professional historians with teachers, museum educators, and community organizations. The society also operated or supported a citywide historic-marker program, presented programs with costumed interpreters, and organized the annual March reenactment of the Boston Massacre. These activities extended its work beyond the Old State House by presenting Boston history through public events, classroom resources, neighborhood interpretation, and material culture. The organization also participated in the visitor economy surrounding Boston’s historic sites. It operated shops in the Old State House, Faneuil Hall, and Quincy Market, and made the Old State House available for private events. Its institutional publications and annual proceedings further supported historical research and documentation. The society acquired the Boston Marine Museum in 1947, expanding the scope of its collections and historical interests. The Bostonian Society’s separate institutional existence ended on January 1, 2020, when it merged with the Old South Association in Boston. The combined organization was named Revolutionary Spaces. The successor took over the related sites and operations, including the Old State House, the Old South Meeting House, educational interpretation, and associated retail locations. The merger represents an organizational transition rather than the disappearance of the preserved buildings or the historical programs connected with them.

• 2020

  Merger into Revolutionary Spaces

  [1]The Bostonian Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The Bostonian Society merged with the Old South Association in Boston on January 1 to create Revolutionary Spaces.

• 1947

  Boston Marine Museum acquired

  [1]The Bostonian Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The society acquired the Boston Marine Museum, broadening its institutional collection and historical remit.

• 1881

  Founding as the Antiquarian Club

  [1]The Bostonian Societyen.wikipedia.org

  William Henry Whitmore and other Boston citizens formed the organization to prevent the Old State House from being dismantled and relocated, beginning a successful campaign for its preservation.

• 1880

  Paul Revere political cartoon enters the collection

  [1]The Bostonian Societyen.wikipedia.org

  An original political cartoon by Paul Revere was donated to the society in the 1880s through the family of Josiah Quincy I.

A civic historical society focused on preserving Boston landmarks, maintaining public access to primary-source collections, and interpreting the city’s colonial and revolutionary past for visitors, students, teachers, and local communities.

• Museum

  Old State House museum

  The society’s principal public operation was a museum in Boston’s Old State House. Exhibitions interpreted the building’s links to the Boston Massacre, the American Revolution, colonial government, and the city’s subsequent history. Displays used objects, images, documents, and architectural context to connect the site to wider national events.

• Research service

  Research library and historical collections

  A research library and archival collection supported scholarship on Boston and Massachusetts. Holdings included books, maps, photographs, and other primary sources dating from the Massachusetts Bay Colony period and later. The materials served researchers, educators, exhibitions, and public-history programs.

• Education

  Teaching Boston History Workshops

  These teacher-training workshops brought together subject specialists, community organizations, classroom teachers, and museum educators. They used the society’s primary-source collections and expertise to help educators teach Boston history through evidence, local places, and multiple historical perspectives.

• Public history

  Historic-marker program

  For several years, the society oversaw a program of historic markers across Boston. The initiative extended historical interpretation beyond museum walls and identified places connected with the city’s civic, neighborhood, and revolutionary history.

• Public program

  Boston Massacre reenactment

  The society oversaw an annual March reenactment of the Boston Massacre. Together with costumed interpretation and other historical programs, the event presented a public-facing interpretation of the confrontation and its role in the political escalation preceding the American Revolution.

• Museum retail

  Heritage retail shops

  The society operated gift shops at the Old State House, Faneuil Hall, and Quincy Market. These outlets supported the visitor experience and offered history-related merchandise. Their management transitioned to Revolutionary Spaces after the 2020 merger, alongside a shop at the Old South Meeting House.

• 1881Old State House preservation campaign

  Boston, Massachusetts

  The organization was formed to mobilize public support for saving the Old State House from removal to Chicago. The campaign made preservation of the building its defining institutional mission.

  Outcome. The Old State House remained in Boston and became the society’s principal managed historic site.

  Source

• 2020

  Merger with the Old South AssociationM&A

  Background

  Both organizations operated and interpreted major Boston sites associated with the American Revolution and civic history.

  Action taken

  The Bostonian Society and the Old South Association combined on January 1, 2020, creating Revolutionary Spaces.

  Aftermath

  The Bostonian Society ceased operating as a separate organization. Revolutionary Spaces assumed related site management, programming, and retail operations.

  Source

• 2020

  The Bostonian Society merges with the Old South Association to form Revolutionary Spaces[1]The Bostonian Societyen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Leadership change · Other

  On January 1, 2020, The Bostonian Society and the Old South Association in Boston combined to establish Revolutionary Spaces. The successor organization assumed responsibility for the related historic sites, museums, educational activities, and visitor retail operations.

1. 1The Bostonian Societyen.wikipedia.org
2. 2The Bostonian Society official websitebostonhistory.org