The Union Oyster House in Boston, shown here in the late 19th century and in 2024, is said to be the oldest continuously-operated restaurant in the United States, dating back to 1826. However, the building itself is much older. It was constructed around 1704, and it saw a variety of uses over the years. It was in this building that Isaiah Thomas published his “Massachusetts Spy” newspaper in the years leading up to the American Revolution, and then in the 1790s it was the home of the future King Louis Philippe of France, who spent time in America during his exile. |
