Members of the public have the chance to buy the house of the man who first signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
The 5,748-square-foot home of first Massachusetts Governor and Second Continental Congress President John Hancock is now on the market, according to Landvest real estate. The building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, is “the last extant property associated with the founding father in Boston.”
The price of the building is available upon request.
“The building consists of (three) stories, with many of the Later Georgian interior details still intact, and remains the only vernacular structure dating to the mid 1700s to survive in central Boston,” according to the Landvest website.
The building is currently in use as a law office.
“A fixture on Boston’s iconic Freedom Trail, the property is minutes from City Hall, Faneuil Hall, North Station, the Haymarket and Government Center T stops, and is a short walk across the Greenway to the North End, the Waterfront, and the Boston Harbor commuter ferry services,” the list said.
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How can people go about buying the home?
Unlike most real estate, the price for this home is only available on request. Interested parties need to go to Landvest.com, where they can express interest in the home, and arrange a tour.
The real estate agent representing the home is Dave Killen, who can be reached at (508) 451-0020.
One report on the sale of the home states that Boston assessed the property at $1.6 million.
What to know about John Hancock
Aside from being the President of the Second Continental Congress, the first Massachusetts governor, and the first to sign the Declaration of Independence, “Hancock used his wealth and influence to aid the movement for American independence,” according to the History Channel.
He started his career as a Boston selectman in 1765, and then moved into the Massachusetts colonial legislature. This was right around the time that British Parliament started levying tax laws on the colonies that spurred the American Revolution, which Hancock found himself at the center of.
“Hancock came into direct conflict with the British in 1768, when one of his merchant ships, the Liberty, was seized in Boston Harbor by British customs officials who claimed Hancock had illegally unloaded cargo without paying the required taxes,” the History Channel stated. “Hancock was a popular figure in Boston, and the seizure of his ship led to angry protests by local residents.
He’s perhaps most famous for his bold signature on the Declaration of Independence. Legend says “Hancock boldly inscribed his name so the English king would not need glasses to read it,” the History Channel said.
Lesser known, he was a candidate against George Washington in the first U.S. presidential election. Considering Washington was the heavy favorite, Hancock only received four votes.
Hancock died at age 56 on Oct. 8, 1793 and was buried at the Granary Burying Ground in Boston.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: John Hancock’s Boston home is on the real estate market. Take a look
