Faneuil Hall

Faneuil Hall is a historic landmark of the Boston financial district in the Commonwealth.

The British Colonial and Revolutionary age
After the project of erecting a public market house in Boston had been discussed for some years, French merchant Peter Faneuil offered at a public meeting in 1740 to build a suitable edifice at his own cost as a gift to the town. There was a strong opposition to market houses, and although a vote of thanks was passed unanimously, his offer was accepted by a majority of seven. Funded in part by profits from slave trading, the building was begun in Dock Square in September 1740. It was built by artist John Smybert from 1740 to 1742 in the style of an English country market, with an open ground floor serving as the market house, and an assembly room above. Topping the cupola was the the gilded grasshopper weather vane created by Deacon Shem Drowne.

Donated to the city of Boston in 1742, Faneuil Hall fulfilled its role as a commercial hub in colonial Massachusetts. The structure received damage in the 1755 Cape Ann earthquake, which was repaired along with the weather vane. In 1761 the hall was destroyed by fire, leaving nothing but the brick walls; it was rebuilt by the town in 1762.

Faneuil Hall also played a notable role in the American Revolution. Protests against the British Sugar and Stamp Acts that began here led to the doctrine of "no taxation without representation." Later, meetings were held here that culminated in the Boston Tea Party. Many of the Founding Fathers met or gave speeches here (notably Samuel Adams), leading to the building's nickname, "the Cradle of Liberty." In 1775, during the British occupation of Boston, it was used for a theater.

Expansion and the following centuries
In 1806, the hall was greatly expanded by Charles Bulfinch, doubling its height and width and adding a third floor. Four new bays were added to make seven in all, the open arcades were enclosed, several galleries were added around the assembly hall, and the cupola was moved to the opposite end of the building. Faneuil Hall was later entirely rebuilt of noncombustible materials in 1898–1899.

As time marched on, Faneuil Hall had become the civic heart of Boston for the next three centuries. The meeting hall had hosted speakers and debates from the first patriots to modern presidents, and Faneuil Marketplace was an oasis of commerce in the center of Boston's Financial District. This historic landmark became part of the Freedom Trail, and governed over by the Freedom Society.

At their September meeting they discussed the motion to consider merchants' proposal for Protectrons to secure the Faneuil Hall Marketplace from petty thieves. Objections were raised on historic preservation grounds and the motion failed unanimously. However, sales noticeably dropped the week of August 8 and the shoplifting continued. They all agreed to take a more detailed approach to their inventory to verify the thefts. It was the week of August 15 that their real problems surfaced. Despite sales being up by 11% due to the Columbus Day holiday, thee merchant's inventory report showed net losses of $2,294 for the week, with twelve confirmed shoplifting incidents. Several merchants threatened to sue for breach of contract over security issues, and Fallon's prepared to withdraw immediately. With the pressure building the Mayor insisted that the Protectron installation proceed despite objections. By this time the Society – whose representatives shrank from 14 to 11 – also had to allocate funds for roof repairs.

As the week moved forward there was what only could be described as a massacre. The Protectrons that were installed killed seven people, including five alleged shoplifters, one bystander, and the Fallon's cashier. A public relations nightmare followed, and sales dropped 81%. To avoid further media scrutiny, the Society cancelled further weekly merchant's meetings.

On the morning of October 23, 2077 the Sino-American War hit its peak, and China launched their nuclear weapons. The Great War devastated the planet. Although the roof repairs were never completed, the building remained relatively intact for the next two centuries. By October 2287 however, the place became a super mutant encampment. They tore the place apart and burned most of the meeting hall chairs in two bonfires: one in the center of the hall, the other around the remains of the Samuel Adams statue. This however didn't dissuade detective and treasure hunter Marty Bullfinch from braving the dangers in an attempt to solve the case of The Gilded Grasshopper. His former partner Nick Valentine and his new partner the Sole Survivor chose to track him down and solve the case...

Layout
Faneuil Hall is a slightly confusing location, built around the central meeting hall. The ground-level entrance leads to a gift shop with two Protectron pods controlled by a nearby terminal and a chemistry station, which double as chokepoints to funnel the attackers straight into super mutant defenders. Up through the stairs in the back is the stairwell, connecting the four floors together, although damage limits transition. In the corner near the gift shop is also a functioning elevator that connects the ground and third floors together.

The meeting hall spans two floors and offers limited cover, especially from the mutants in the viewing balconies up top. A flight of stairs near the stage allows one to ascend. The fourth floor contains a small meeting chamber and a ladder leading to the roof of Faneuil Hall, with the scaffoldings and the Gilded Grasshopper.

Notable loot

 * The Long Life Best Friends edition of Live & Love is found on the fourth floor, at the entrance to the floor. It is on an end table next to a couch.
 * The gilded grasshopper and food for the grasshopper are found atop the weather vane on the roof of the hall.

Appearances
Faneuil Hall appears only in Fallout 4.