The Boston Stone — Attraction in Boston

On Marshall St., a very short street along the Freedom Trail, in one of the oldest neighborhoods of Boston with buildings dating to the 1600s, is one of the dumbest monuments in the city.

The Boston Stone is set like a cornerstone in a building there, and the only identification is the words carved into the building itself.

It looks like it should be significant, right?

The Boston Stone is actually a discarded piece of early industrial hardware from colonial days. It's a rounded hand cut ball of stone, imported from England, that was used for grinding pigment, in the manufacture of paint.

When the stone eventually was no longer useful, it was discarded. In this case, someone thought they'd build it into the wall of a building, for what reason no one actually knows anymore. But there it sits, the Boston Stone, as though it were a significant revolutionary artifact. But it's no more revolutionary than a paintbrush from the era, or a bucket, or a ladder.

There are genuinely cool things on Marshall Street, including the oldest continually operating tavern in North America, and several other old, colonial era eateries that have survived in one form or fashion to today.

But few people look up at another interesting artifact. Overhead, along Marshall Street, with nothing to call them out or call your attention to them, are the original electric street lights purchased and installed by the Edison Company, back when it was still being run by Tom Edison. The electrical guts of the lights have been updated, but the metal work and overall structure is original. To my amateur sleuthing knowledge, these are the only such lamps remaining in the city.

Marshall Street is interesting and worth visiting, but not for the...

In the warmth of a summer afternoon, we embarked on a journey to visit the historic Boston Stone. Armed with a sense of curiosity and google in hand, we wandered through the charming cobblestone streets of the city. The air was filled with the chatter of fellow travelers and the enticing aroma of food from street vendors.

As we arrived at the Boston Stone, we couldn't help but marvel at the significance it held. This simple slab of rock, embedded in the ground, was a silent witness to centuries of history. We learned that it was once part of a larger millstone brought to Boston by settlers in the early 1600s. It had served as a milestone, marking the distance to other colonial towns and cities, and had even been used as a pulpit for public speeches.

As we ran my fingers over the weathered surface, we felt a connection to the generations that had stood where we were standing, their dreams, aspirations, and challenges echoing through time. The Boston Stone seemed to tell a story of resilience, growth, and transformation, mirroring the city itself.

Leaving the stone behind, we continued to explore Boston, walking along the Freedom Trail, and soaking in the rich history that surrounded us. As the sun set behind the city skyline, we realized that our visit to the Boston Stone had been more than just a trip—it had been a journey back in time, a way to grasp the threads of history that had woven the fabric of the city we were standing in. And as we walked away, we carried with us not only the memories of that day but also a deeper appreciation for the stories that even the simplest of...

The Boston stone, or the "Bostone" as me and my friends nicknamed it; is one of the most beautiful things in the area, sure, the marketplace and shops around are great and all, but when I came to the area, I had one goal in mind: Find the Boston stone and figure out what all the hype is about. And sure, there's a great memorial nearby, but sometimes it really just feels as though some of the publicity is taken away from the memorial because of how popular the stone was, when we got there to see it with our own eyes, there was a crowd of people all taking pictures with it and appreciating the stone, both up close and from a distance. The Boston stone is one of the relics of the old days of Boston, the days of peace, where the only thing people did all day was... Throw tea into bodies of water, or whatever they did back then. Regardless, the Boston stone was definitely a highlight of my experience in Boston, and it was truly one of the most memorable experiences of the time if not even of my life, and will forever be engrained in my memory, to forever appreciate the beauty and modesty and fine design of the circle shaped Boston stone.

I hope that everyone reading this can take some time out of their day to go visit the stone and understand just what I'm talking about, since it's hard to put into words, but all the emotions will come once you see it with...