Blackstone Block Historic District

The Blackstone Block Historic District is a collection of brick buildings in Boston bounded by Union Street, Hanover Street, Blackstone Street, and North Street. The area lies near Quincy Market and displays multiple architectural styles from different time periods.

The neighborhood developed around 1676 and retained its original street network. It houses the Union Oyster House from the 1710s and the Federal-style Ebenezer Hancock House from the 1770s, which was owned by John Hancock's brother.

The district preserves a tight network of narrow, cobblestone streets that reflect early urban life and still convey the feeling of a pre-modern neighborhood today. These compact streets invite walking and show how people once lived in closely packed homes.

The neighborhood is easy to explore on foot, allowing visitors to see multiple architectural styles from different eras. The compact layout makes it simple to view everything during a short walk.

A stone bearing the inscription Boston Stone 1737 is embedded in one of the buildings and marked a central point in colonial Boston. This marker is an overlooked detail that many visitors miss but offers a direct link to the city's past.