The Eagle Has Landed: Revolutionary Spaces Unveils Restored Eagle Statue Re-Installed on the Old State House’s West Façade
Three-year preservation project renews historic treasure at iconic 311-year-old Boston landmark
For Immediate Release
Contact: Sloane Wilten
BOSTON, MA — After being absent more than three years from its original perch on Boston’s Old State House, the state’s symbolic eagle returns to the site’s west façade after an extensive revitalization project that restored and re-guilded the statue. The eagle “landed” overnight Tuesday, November 12th, and final adjustments happened in the days that followed.
Location: Old State House 206 Washington St., Boston, MA 02108
Available Visuals // Interview & Photography Opportunities
- Still images of restoration and eagle atop Old State House – available here
- Interviews with Old State House historians – available upon request
- Photography of the newly restored eagle – coming soon
Logistics
- The restored eagle is on the west face of the Old State House (206 Washington Street), accessible from public space for photography and videography. It rests on its perch behind scaffolding.
- Further information about the restoration and the sculpture’s rich history is below.
About the Restoration
Depicted with an outstretched 8-foot wingspan made from sheet copper, the eagle was donated to the Old State House in 1881 by the City of Boston and has been carefully preserved a number of times since then. Thanks to generous financial support from the George B. Henderson Foundation and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the latest restoration project between 2020-2024 was led by conservators at Woburn-based Skylight Studios; alongside a team of engineers and restoration construction professionals from Simpson, Gumpertz & Heger Engineers and Edward Paige Construction; and guidance from staff at nonprofit Revolutionary Spaces, the organization which has stewarded both the Old State House and the Old South Meeting House since 2020.
The ongoing preservation of the historic Old State House, which dates back to 1713, has involved major award-winning efforts. In 2015, the restoration of the gilded lion and unicorn statues atop the east side of the building — nineteenth-century replicas of the original statues that were destroyed during the American Revolution in 1776 — received the Boston Preservation Alliance’s Preservation Achievement Award. According to an 1893 edition of “Boston Illustrated,” edited by Edwin M. Bacon, the decision to install the eagle statue was a direct response to public sentiment against those on the east side: “The gilt eagle with the state and city arms, spread over the western front, was placed to appease over-sensitive citizens who were disturbed, or professed to be, by the restoration of the lion and unicorn, in copies, on the eastern gables.” The unveiling of the restored eagle marks an exciting phase in Revolutionary Spaces’ historic preservation work, a tribute to a collective effort made over the past three years.
“With more than three centuries of building fabric and historic craftsmanship to preserve at the Old State House, changing temperatures and other elements to consider, there is a continuous need for care,” says Nathaniel Sheidley, President and CEO at Revolutionary Spaces. “Repairs require time and meticulous attention to detail, and Revolutionary Spaces greatly appreciates the dedication that Skylight Studios conservators, SGH engineers, professionals at Edward Paige Construction, and our own Facilities & Preservation team devoted to getting this right over the past three years. We’re excited to witness the eagle restored in all its glory and to celebrate this major effort in our ongoing preservation plans.”
About the Eagle Statue’s Historical Presence in Boston
Full timeline of preservation efforts from 2006 on: https://revolutionaryspaces.org/discover/preservation-of-the-old-state-house/
- 1881: The eagle was originally gifted to the Bostonian Society (the previous steward of the Old State House, which has since merged with the Old South Association to tie preservation efforts with the Old South Meeting House. Owned by the City of Boston in partnership with the National Park Service, the OSH and OSMH are now operated on behalf of citizens by Revolutionary Spaces).
- 1893: The “Boston Illustrated,” edited by Edwin M. Bacon, describes the purpose of the donation as follows: “The gilt eagle with the state and city arms, spread over the western front, was placed to appease over-sensitive citizens who were disturbed, or professed to be, by the restoration of the lion and unicorn, in copies, on the eastern gables.”
- 1905: The eagle was re-gilded and re-installed upon an extended chimney cap at the west gable end of the OSH.
- 1930: The eagle was re-installed upon an iron perch that sits atop the chimney cap.
- 2021: Both the gilded scrolls and the eagle were removed for the conservators at Skylight Studios in Woburn, MA to begin preservation efforts: cleaning, repairing, re-gilding. The scrolls were re-installed in 2022.
2024: The 143 year-old eagle is restored and re-installed, reclaiming its iron perch on the roof of the OSH’s west façade overlooking Boston.
ABOUT REVOLUTIONARY SPACES
Revolutionary Spaces stewards the historic Old South Meeting House and Old State House as landmarks, museums, and gathering spaces for the open exchange of ideas and the continuing practice of democracy. Viewing history as a powerful tool for today, Revolutionary Spaces brings people together to explore the American struggle to create and sustain a free society.
ABOUT THE OLD STATE HOUSE
The 1713 Old State House served as the seat of government for the province of Massachusetts during the Revolutionary era. Today, it is a museum and historic site offering tours, exhibits, and public programs exploring Boston’s Revolutionary-era history.
ABOUT THE OLD SOUTH MEETING HOUSE
The 1729 Old South Meeting House was a Congregational church and the largest gathering place for popular politics in Revolutionary Boston. Today it is a busy museum, treasured landmark, and active center for civic dialogue and free expression.