Shortly after the construction of Park St Church, powder for the War of 1812 was stored in the basement, earning this location the moniker ‘Brimstone Corner.’ But that was hardly the most inflammatory event that took place here. Noted for its graceful, 217ft steeple, this Boston landmark has been hosting historic lectures and musical performances since its founding.

In 1829 William Lloyd Garrison railed against slavery from the church’s pulpit. And on Independence Day in 1831, Samuel Francis Smith’s hymn ‘America ('My Country ‘Tis of Thee)' was first sung. These days, Park St is a conservative congregational church.