Federal Street is a street in the
Financial District
A financial district is usually a central area in a city where financial services firms such as banks, insurance companies, and other related finance corporations have their headquarters offices. In major cities, financial districts often host ...
of
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
,
Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
. Prior to 1788, it was known as Long Lane. The street was renamed after state leaders met there in 1788 to determine
Massachusetts' ratification of the United States Constitution.
History
In 1727 the Long Lane Meeting House was established; it changed its name to the
Federal Street Church in 1788.
Henry Knox
Henry Knox (July 25, 1750 – October 25, 1806) was an American military officer, politician, bookseller, and a Founding Father of the United States. Knox, born in Boston, became a senior general of the Continental Army during the Revolutionar ...
was born on Long Lane in 1750. The
Federal Street Theatre was built in 1793, designed by
Charles Bulfinch
Charles Bulfinch (August 8, 1763 – April 15, 1844) was an early American architect, and has been regarded by many as the first American-born professional architect to practice.Baltzell, Edward Digby. ''Puritan Boston & Quaker Philadelphia''. Tra ...
; it remained until 1852.
By 1806, residents included engraver Joseph Callender; printer Nathaniel Coverly; merchant
Stephen Higginson; comedian Snelling Powell; dancing master William Turner. In 1823, residents included the Federal Street Coffee House; hairdresser William Lenox; Esther Newell and her "female intelligence office;" grocer Henry Sweetser; seamstress Martha Vincent.
[Boston Directory. 1823.] Dorothy Quincy
Dorothy Quincy Hancock Scott (; May 21 (May 10 Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.) 1747 – February 3, 1830) was an American hostess, daughter of Justice Edmund Quincy (1703–1788), Edmund Quincy of Braintree, Massachusetts, Braintree and Bos ...
and
John Mackay also lived on Federal St. in the early 19th-century. Auctioneer
J.L. Cunningham worked from Corinthian Hall, 1826-1843.
J. H. Bufford's Sons ran a lithography printing business in the 1870s.
In 1928 arose Boston's "first art deco skyscraper," the
United Shoe Machinery Building.
In 1929, the "art deco jewel" at 75 Federal Street was built.
The Blue Cross/Blue Shield building, designed by
Paul Rudolph was built 1957-1960. 150 Federal Street, designed by
Hugh Stubbins Jr. was built in 1988.
Images
Image:1743 FinancialDistrict Boston map WilliamPrice.png, Detail of 1743 map of Boston, showing Long Lane and vicinity
Image:1756 HenryKnox house FederalSt Boston.png, Birthplace of Henry Knox
Henry Knox (July 25, 1750 – October 25, 1806) was an American military officer, politician, bookseller, and a Founding Father of the United States. Knox, born in Boston, became a senior general of the Continental Army during the Revolutionar ...
, 18th century
Image:1841 Barry Bigelow FederalSt Boston.png, Barry & Bigelow, 41 Federal St., manufacturers and importers of paper hangings, c. 1840s
Image:1854 KnowNothingSoap Boston.png, Label for "Know Nothing
The American Party, known as the Native American Party before 1855 and colloquially referred to as the Know Nothings, or the Know Nothing Party, was an Old Stock Americans, Old Stock Nativism in United States politics, nativist political movem ...
Soap", by George A. Hill & Co., 56 Federal St., 1854
Image:Ellis BostonDirectory 1868.png, Ellis Saw Co., 1868
Image:1870 NewYear Bufford Sons FederalSt Boston.png, J.H. Bufford's Sons, lithographers, 1870
Image:Federal Street, looking east, by Charles Taber & Co..jpg, Federal Street after the Great Boston Fire of 1872
See also
*
101 Federal Street
*
Dewey Square
*
Federal Street Church (Boston)
*
Federal Street Theatre
*
First National Bank Building (Boston, Massachusetts)
*
Odeon, Boston
*
One Federal Street
*
Trans National Place
*
United Shoe Machinery Corporation Building
References
External links
* Bostonian Society
Photo of United Shoe Machinery building 160 Federal St.
* Flickr
United Shoe Machinery building 160 Federal St. Postcard
* Flickr
View of Bostonfrom an upper floor, One Federal Street, 2006
{{Streets and squares in Boston
Streets in Boston
History of Boston
Financial District, Boston