Boston Walking Tours : Samuel Appleton Building

Boston Walking Tours : Samuel Appleton Building  at 1 Liberty Square is a 1926 Classical Revival Building. It is thirteen stories in height and the most dominant feature is the rounded front façade, again, indicative of the Classical Revival style.

Samuel Appleton Building

Atop the front door are a series of bronze and stone friezes worthy of further inspection. Immediately over the door are twenty-one bronze figures in a 3×7 pattern over the words, “The Employers’ Liability Assurance Corporation Limited.” Each of the workers depicted within the individual friezes are performing a series of manual labors such as sawing, hammering or carving. Situated over the bronze friezes are granite symbols signifying various trades such as shipping and manufacturing for which the former insurance firm undoubtedly covered.

Finally, a larger robed figure holding a sword and shield oversees it all as she stands stoically overseeing this all. Seemingly this figure is meant to represent Employers’ Liability’s capabilities in overseeing (and providing insurance coverage?) over all of the trades and industries depicted on its front façade.

Samuel Appleton was a prominent figure in the insurance industry in Boston for years and the building is named after his former offices. Those former offices have since been taken over by a series of legal and financial advisory firms.

• Website: http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM78X6_One_Liberty_Square_Frieze__Boston_MA
• Address: 1 Liberty Square, Boston, MA
• Cost: Free