The British Coffee House was built in 1741, and stood on the site of No. 66 State street, afterwards occupied by the Massachusetts Bank.  It was kept, in 1762, by Ballard, and was largely patronized by British officers.  The repeal of the Stamp Act was celebrated there in 1767.  The eloquent James Otis was assaulted in it by a British gang, and an injury was inflicted upon his head, which rendered him insane for a long time.  The Scots’ Charitable Society frequently held its meetings there.  Its name was changed to American Coffee House in 1776.

The Cromwell’s Head Tavern was built it 1751, and is still standing on the north side of School street, upon the site of No. 13, where Mrs. Harrington deals out coffee and mince pie to her customers.  Lieut.-Col.  GEORGE WASHINGTON lodged there in 1756, while upon a visit to Gov.  Shirley, to consult with him upon business connected with the French war.  It was first kept by Anthony Brackett.

The Admiral Vernon Tavern was built in 1743, and stood on the south-east corner of State street and Merchants row, and was first kept by Richard Smith.  The Scots’ Charitable Society frequently held its meetings there.

The Sun Tavern (the second of that name) was built in 1757, and stood on the east side of Washington street, nearly opposite Cornhill, and was first kept by James Day, and was a popular resort of the Sons of Liberty.

The Julien House was built in 1759, and stood on the north-west corner of Milk and Congress streets, formerly the site of an old tannery.  It was first kept by Jean Baptiste Julien, a French refugee.  It was the resort of the bon vivants of the town in former days.  It is narrated of him that, upon the occasion of a recherche dinner, one of the guests complained that the viands were not sufficiently high-seasoned. “Eh bien” said Julien, “put a leetle more de peppaire.”  He died in 1805, and he was succeeded by his widow, and afterwards by Rouillard, until 1823, when it was demolished, and supplanted by Julien, afterwards Congress Hall.  Miss Frances Ann Wright delivered lectures there in 1829.

The White Horse Tavern stood on the north-west corner of Washington and Boylston streets.  It was first kept by Joseph Morton.

The Bull’s Head Tavern was built in 1774, and stood on the north-east corner of Congress and Water streets, the site, for several years prior to 1830, of the post-office, Merchants’ Hall, and Topliff’s Reading-room, and now occupied by the Massachusetts and Shawmut banks, and called the Howe building.

Concert Hall stood at the south-east corner of Hanover and Court streets.  It was built in 1750, and was at one time occupied by the Deblois family.  It was first occupied as a public house in 1791.  It was famous for political meetings, fashionable dancing parties, and public exhibitions.  Madrel exhibited his chess-player, conflagration of Moscow, and other wonderful pieces of mechanism there.