Opened 1809 Destroyed by Fire | Destruction date 1818 Architect Asher Benjamin | |
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Similar Exchange Place, Old State House, Post Office Square, Deer Island Light, The First Church of Christ - Sc | ||
The Exchange Coffee House (1809-1818) was a hotel, coffeehouse, and place of business in Boston, Massachusetts, in the early 19th century. Designed by architect Asher Benjamin, it was located at Congress Square on Congress Street, and in its day it was the largest building in Boston and one of the tallest buildings in the northeastern United States. Andrew Dexter, Jr. financed the project. Dexter resorted to financial fraud to see the construction to completion, and fled to Nova Scotia to escape prosecution and his creditors.
The completed building passed to a succession of owners, who attempted to run it profitably, including Gilbert & Dean.
The Exchange Coffee House burned down in November 1818. Its owners and financial backers lost most of their investment, amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars.