Shortly after the construction of Park St Church, powder for the War of 1812 was stored in the basement, earning this location the moniker ‘Brimstone Corner.’ But that was hardly the most inflammatory event that took place here. Noted for its graceful, 217ft steeple, this Boston landmark has been hosting historic lectures and musical performances since its founding.

In 1829 William Lloyd Garrison railed against slavery from the church’s pulpit. And on Independence Day in 1831, Samuel Francis Smith’s hymn ‘America ('My Country ‘Tis of Thee)' was first sung. These days, Park St is a conservative congregational church.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Blaxton Plaque

0.02 MILES

The 50-acre Boston Common is the country’s oldest public park. If you have any doubt, refer to the plaque emblazoned with the words of the treaty between…

2. Granary Burying Ground

0.04 MILES

Dating from 1660, this atmospheric atoll is crammed with historic headstones, many with evocative (and creepy) carvings. This is the final resting place…

3. Brewer Fountain

0.07 MILES

Dating to 1868, this lovely bronze fountain depicts four aquatic deities from antiquity.

4. Boston Athenaeum

0.07 MILES

Founded in 1807, the Boston Athenaeum is an old and distinguished private library, having hosted the likes of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne…

5. Robert Gould Shaw Memorial

0.09 MILES

The magnificent bas-relief memorial opposite the State House was sculpted by Augustus St Gaudens. It honors the 54th Massachusetts Regiment of the Union…

6. King's Chapel & Burying Ground

0.13 MILES

Puritan Bostonians were not pleased when the original Anglican church was erected on this site in 1688. The granite chapel standing today – built in 1754 …

7. Old City Hall

0.14 MILES

This monumental French Second Empire building occupies a historic spot. Out front, a plaque commemorates the site of the country's first public school,…

8. Millennium Tower

0.14 MILES

On the site of the former Filene's Department Store, the Millennium Tower is a high-rise residential tower and the tallest Boston skyscraper outside the…