Built on land once used for John Hancock's cow pasture, Boston's
Massachusetts State House is a symbol of American history with ties
to founding fathers and Revolutionary War heroes. The first
cornerstone was laid July 4, 1795, in a grand ceremony led by Gov.
Samuel Adams accompanied by Paul Revere.
The golden dome, the building's most distinctive feature, once
was made of wood and later overlaid with copper by Revere Copper
Products Inc., Rome, N.Y., founded by Paul Revere in 1801. It was
the first application of cold-rolled copper in North America.
During World War II, the dome was painted black to prevent
reflection during blackouts and protect the city and building from
bombing attacks. In 1997, the dome was regilded in 23-karat gold. A
wooden pinecone adorns the top of the golden dome as a symbol of
the state's reliance on logging during the 18th century.
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