State Street Block (Boston)
Encyclopedia
State Street Block is a granite building near the waterfront in the Financial District of Boston
, Massachusetts
. Architect Gridley James Fox Bryant
designed it. In the 1850s "the Long and Central Wharf Corporation ... sold each bay to individual owners, requiring that 'the granite to be used for the sidewalk & facade of each bay must be purchased from the Corporation & erected according to the architect's plan.'"
Walt Whitman
visited Boston in 1860, and wrote about what he saw: "Noblest of all State Street Block, east of the Custom House
, rough granite. The above probably one of the finest pieces of com[merical] architecture in the world." Another visitor travelling through Boston (in 1859) called it "a magnificent block."
In the mid-20th century, "nearly three-quarters of the original 22-bay building ... was amputated for construction of the Central Artery
... and the roofline of the remainder has been destroyed."
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. Architect Gridley James Fox Bryant
Gridley James Fox Bryant
Gridley James Fox Bryant was a famous 19th century Boston architect and builder. His work was seen in custom houses, government buildings, churches, schoolhouses, and private residences across the United States.Bryant was born to Marcia Winship Fox and Gridley Bryant, noted railway pioneer...
designed it. In the 1850s "the Long and Central Wharf Corporation ... sold each bay to individual owners, requiring that 'the granite to be used for the sidewalk & facade of each bay must be purchased from the Corporation & erected according to the architect's plan.'"
Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman
Walter "Walt" Whitman was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse...
visited Boston in 1860, and wrote about what he saw: "Noblest of all State Street Block, east of the Custom House
Boston Custom House
The Custom House in Boston, Massachusetts, was established in the 17th century and stood near the waterfront in several successive locations through the years. In 1849 the U.S. federal government constructed a neoclassical building on State Street; it remains the "Custom House" known to Bostonians...
, rough granite. The above probably one of the finest pieces of com[merical] architecture in the world." Another visitor travelling through Boston (in 1859) called it "a magnificent block."
In the mid-20th century, "nearly three-quarters of the original 22-bay building ... was amputated for construction of the Central Artery
Central Artery
The John F. Fitzgerald Expressway, known locally as the Central Artery, is a section of freeway in downtown Boston, Massachusetts, designated as Interstate 93, U.S. Route 1 and Route 3. It was initially constructed in the 1950s as a partly elevated and partly tunneled divided highway...
... and the roofline of the remainder has been destroyed."
External links
- Google news archive. Articles about State Street Block.
- Flickr. photo, 2008
- Flickr. photo, 2008
- Flickr. photo, 2008