[Boston] - The State House
Designed by Charles Bulfinch, the State House was completed on January 11th, 1798, and widely acclaimed as one of the more magnificent and well-suited buildings in the country. The land was originally used as John Hancock's cow pasture.
Today, the State House is the oldest building on Beacon Hill, and its grounds cover 6.7 acres of land. In 1802, the original wooden dome was covered with copper to prevent water leakage. In 1874, the dome was gilded with 23-carat gold leaf. The State House is the seat of Massachusetts' state government.