ts spacious court-yard under an
arch leading from North street. After an existence of forty years, it
was demolished to make room for commercial improvements.

Earl's Coffee House was built in 1807, and was located at No. 24 Hanover
street, upon the site, in part, of the present American House. It was
kept by Hezekiah Earl, and was the head-quarters of the New York,
Albany, and other stage lines.

Wilde's Tavern was built in the same year, and was located on the
north-east corner of (new) Washington and Elm streets. It was demolished
in 1874 to make room for the Washington-street extension.

Doolittle's City Tavern was also built in 1807, and stood on the
north-west corner of (new) Washington and Brattle streets. It was the
head-quarters of the Providence line of stages. It was demolished in
1874 to make room for the improvement before alluded to.

The Exchange Coffee House was built in 1808, and stood on Congress
street, upon the site of the present Howard Bank building, and at the
time of its erection was the largest house of public entertainment in
the United States. It extended through to Devonshire street, with an
entrance on State street. It bounded 132 feet on Congress street, with a
depth of 94 feet and upwards. It covered an area of 12,753 square feet,
was seven stories in height, surmounted with a dome 101 feet in
diameter. It had 210 apartments. Its erection was begun in 1805, and
occupied two and a half years in construction. Commodore Hull, after
capturing the _Guerriere_ in 1812, had a public dinner given him there.
The Grand Lodge of Freemasons, and some subordinate lodges, had their
head-quarters there. The Scots' Charitable Society frequently held its
meetings there. It was destroyed by fire in 1818, rebuilt in 1822, with
contracted dimensions, and in 1853 was demolished to give place to the
City Exchange on Congress square and Devonshire street. James Wilson,
the last of the town-criers, had his office in the Bell-in-Hand Tavern
in the basement. At the time of the fire Hon. Henry Clay was a guest in
the house, and worked bravely at the engine brakes. Hon. David Crockett,
a famous member of Congress from Tennessee, lodged there during his
visit to Boston in 1834. He addressed an audience from the eastern
portico of the Old State House, and in expatiating upon the prospects of
the country, predicted that it would extend within a score of years from
the _At_lantic to the "_Spe_cific." Among his witty s