Massachusetts
World-Altering Event Occurred at This Massachusetts Landmark
Chances are you’ve passed by this old red brick building at 206 Washington Street in Boston and noticed how out of place it looks against a backdrop of modern skyscrapers made of concrete, steel and glass. Maybe you even cared enough to wonder about its origin.
How did this little building get here and why is it still standing?
The building is the Old State House a/k/a the Old Provincial State House. It’s an historic building built in 1713 and was once the seat of the Massachusetts General Court (Massachusetts Legislature) until 1798.
Situated at the corner of Washington and State Streets, it is one of the oldest public buildings in the United States.
World-Altering Event Occurred At This Massachusetts Landmark
The “Towne House” acted as a merchant’s exchange on the first floor, according to the National Park Service (NPS).
“The second floor served as the seat of colonial and later state government throughout the 1700s,” according to the NPS.
The NPS says, “The royal governor, appointed by the King of Great Britain, held his office in the building until 1775, and from the balcony he gave voice to the King, 3,000 miles removed from London.”
Bostonians first heard the Declaration of Independence read from the same balcony and 200 years later Britain’s Queen Elizabeth celebrated America’s Bicentennial from there.
So why is the Old State House still relevant in 2024?
The Boston Massacre occurred in front of the Old Provincial State House on the night of March 5, 1770, as an unruly group of colonists taunted British soldiers by throwing snowballs and rocks.
World-Altering Event Occurred At This Massachusetts Landmark
The NPS says, “Firing upon the crowd, the British killed five colonists, including Crispus Attucks,” an American whaler, sailor, and stevedore of African and Native American descent from Framingham, Massachusetts.
The Library of Congress says the Boston Massacre “helped galvanize Boston and the colonies against the mother country.”
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John Adams, as a young lawyer and the future president served as counsel for the defense in the trial of eight British soldiers accused of murder” in the Boston massacre. Adams argued the men acted in self-defense.
All eight were found not guilty of murder. Two were convicted of manslaughter.
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Authorities said a driver is facing charges after a hit-and-run crash left a pedestrian badly hurt this weekend in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
The crash happened around 6:30 p.m. Saturday on Court Street. Police said the driver briefly stopped before fleeing the scene.
The victim was airlifted to a Boston hospital with critical injuries. Plymouth police said Monday that the patient is in stable condition and faces a long road to recovery.
The driver, identified as Francis Kelly of Plymouth, is charged with negligent operation and leaving the scene of a crash causing personal injury.
“We would like to sincerely thank the public for the tips provided and for sharing surveillance footage that proved critical to this investigation,” Plymouth Police Capt. Marc Higgins said in a statement. “Incidents like this underscore the strength of community cooperation in supporting victims and ensuring accountability.”
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – There is a chance for snow leading up to Christmas.
In western Massachusetts, the chances for a white Christmas go up the farther north you are or the closer you are to the Berkshires. In Springfield, the chance for at least one inch of snow on Christmas Day is around 40 to 50 percent.
In Pittsfield, the chances are over 75 percent. In the extreme northwest corner of Massachusetts, near North Adams, the historical chance for a white Christmas is over 90 percent. So, it definitely helps your chances for snow if you’re in one of the higher-elevation areas.
How much snow is expected Tuesday
Light snow will begin on Tuesday around sunrise and continue on and off for much of the day until the evening. A minor accumulation is expected in the Pioneer Valley with a few inches in the hills and Berkshires. Slick roads and sidewalks are possible, especially if not treated. High temperatures will be in the low to mid-30s.
What’s the chance of a white Christmas in western Mass?
As of right now, the chances for a white Christmas this year are definitely higher than in the past few years, with some snow on Tuesday. Of course, the best chance for the snow to stick around until Christmas Day without melting will be back in the Berkshires.
December 25 2025 12:00 am
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day both look dry and comfortable.
Local News Headlines
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Download the 22News Plus app on your TV to watch live-streaming newscasts and video on demand.
Massachusetts
Three Mass. residents arrested in undercover operation targeting child sex trafficking
Police arrested three Massachusetts residents in Framingham on Thursday after they tried to arrange payment for sex with a child while unknowingly communicating with undercover officers, according to Massachusetts State Police.
Framingham resident Joseph Norton, Sherborn resident Eric Gurvis and Milford resident Surya Chandra Ravi Kumar Eda were each arraigned in Framingham District Court on Friday, according to court records. All three pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted child rape, enticement of a child under 16 and paying for sexual conduct with a child.
The arrests were the result of an undercover operation by the State Police High Risk Victims Unit and Framingham police, State Police said in a press release. The operation was meant to address an increase in demand for commercial sex with children locally.
Gurvis is due back in court for a probable cause hearing on Jan. 12, 2026, according to court records. Norton’s next court date is a probable cause hearing scheduled for Jan. 30, 2026. A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for Eda for Feb. 25, 2026.
No further information has been released.
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