At the end of the next block on your left is the Custom House, built in 1835 and designed by Robert Mills, one of the most important early and mid-19th century architects in America. He also designed the U.S. Treasury Building and the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. The municipal offices of the city were housed in the original Phoenix Building on State Street; when this building was destroyed in the fire of 1811, all of the records - including the customs records - went up in smoke. Mills was especially proud of the fireproof quality of his buildings, and this undoubtedly played a part is his being chosen to design the new Custom House. Built with granite hauled from Rockport, the building is Greek Revival in style, with a massive Doric entry porch. The large, rough-hewn grey granite blocks enhance the feeling of solidity and monumentality. Vessels registered here from far-off ports with Madeira wine, Bilboa silk, Irish linen, gunpowder from Rotterdam, and cargoes of molasses, sugar, coffee, and bales of cotton from the West Indies.

Turn around and return to State Street, heading back to the starting point of the tour at the library. On the way back, stand for a moment in Market Square. The steeple straight ahead of you belongs to the Central Congregational Church near Brown Square. From this end of Market Square, you get a good view of the cast-iron cresting on top of the buildings across the Square; behind these rises the impressive steeple of the Unitarian Church on Pleasant Street.

Continue up State Street for three blocks. Directly across from Charter Street is a fine 19th century commercial building. Although the ground floor has been considerably altered, the upper floors retain the original Italianate and Gothic window detailing; and much of the attractive cart-iron cresting is still in place.

Continue back up State Street, past the library, to the stop light at State and High. We will continue the tour on the east side of High Street.