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A Landmark, a Coffee Shop and a Steaming Kettle

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A large golden teapot sculpture hangs from the corner of a downtown Boston building, with real steam rising from its spout. The teapot is mounted high above the sidewalk against a brick façade with rows of rectangular windows.

The Mystery of the Steaming Kettle

Boston’s love affair with its oddball icons

Quirky Little City Treasures Bronze sculptures of a mother duck and her ducklings line a cobblestone path in a park, each duck wearing small decorative hats and ribbons. Benches and trees sit in the background, creating a charming Public Garden scene.

Boston is full of landmarks and statues — quirky little city treasures like the ducks in the Public Garden. When I first started working in downtown Boston back in the late ’70s, there was a little coffee shop in Government Center where we always grabbed a pastry on the way to work.

A large golden teapot hangs from the corner of a downtown building while pedestrians walk below. The street is lined with multi‑story buildings, including one with a “State Street Bank” sign, creating a busy urban scene.The shop was distinguished by a giant teapot that actually spouted steam. I kid you not. The shop was named for that teapot — The Steaming Kettle — and everyone knew it. Everyone recognized it. It was one of those things that made Boston feel like Boston.

From Scollay Square to Government Center A historic street scene of Scollay Square shows people walking along cobblestone roads with horse‑drawn carriages and early automobiles. A small building with a clock tower and a red‑tiled roof stands at the center, surrounded by brick storefronts and vintage signs, capturing the lively atmosphere of early 20th‑century Boston.

But as so often happens in life, things change. I changed jobs and became a suburbanite. Government Center was revamped yet again.

At one time the area was known as Scollay Square — you may remember it from the Kingston Trio’s song about Charlie on the MTA. “Charlie’s wife goes down to the Scollay Square station…” But alas, Scollay Square is no more.

We now have the big brick expanse of Government Center. But through all the upheaval, the Steaming Kettle stayed.

A Teapot With a Past

A vintage street scene shows pedestrians in early‑20th‑century clothing walking past a storefront with a large teapot mounted above the entrance. The shop’s sign reads “Tea Company” and “Home of Best New England Teas,” and surrounding buildings display period advertisements, creating a lively old‑Boston atmosphere.The kettle was built in 1873. It originally hung outside the Oriental Tea Company, whose owners quickly realized they needed a hook — and the giant teapot provided just the thing.

In 1875, they ran a contest to guess the weight of the kettle. Participants had to buy a ticket to log their guess.

Part two of the contest was even better: guess how many people could fit inside the kettle. When the kettle was lowered to the ground, eight boys and one very tall man popped out of it.

Then came the official weighing. Boston’s sealer of weights and measures recorded the result: 277 gallons, two quarts, one pint, and three gills. That weight was later inscribed right on the kettle itself.

The Oriental Tea Company lasted until 1966, when it finally closed its doors. But Boston doesn’t give up its icons easily. A large golden teapot hangs outdoors against a blue sky, suspended by metal supports beside a modern building. Text on the side lists its measured capacity in gallons, quarts, pints, and ounces. The owner opened another shop in the same area — The Steaming Kettle Coffee Shop — and brought the now‑famous kettle along.

The shop changed hands several times, eventually becoming a Starbucks. Except for a brief period in 2016 when the kettle was damaged, it hung proudly from its installation back in 1873.

And Now… a Boston Mystery

Today, the whereabouts of the kettle are a mystery. The Starbucks location closed in 2025, and after that the kettle seems to have gone missing.

But this is Boston, folks — a city that loves its oddball relics. Who knows? Maybe some historical group or an enterprising entrepreneur will locate that giant teapot and reinstall it in its rightful place, as iconic as the Old State House.

I hope they do. That kettle is a part of my Boston heritage.

A large golden teapot is mounted on the exterior of a curved stone building, supported by metal brackets. The shiny teapot stands out against a bright blue sky and tall windows, creating a striking landmark on the city street.