Off the Bricks

Banned in Boston · STOP 02 · Boston Common / Downtown

H.L. Mencken came to this corner in 1926 to sell one magazine to the one man in Boston who wanted to arrest him.

On April 5, 1926, H.L. Mencken came to this corner to sell one copy of his banned magazine to the one man in Boston who wanted to arrest him. The buyer paid with a silver half dollar. The corner's nickname has nothing to do with sermons, whatever you've heard. The sidewalk where it happened is at the top of the Park Street stairs.

This is stop 2 of Banned in Boston. Walk it - any two stops are free.

The plate

One Copy, Sold on Purpose

Collected on site

010203040506070809101112
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Corner of Park Street and Tremont Street
Directions

1

It was staged. Chase showed up late, with Captain George W. Patterson of the vice squad, and said, per the New England Historical Society, 'I order this man's arrest.'

More footnotes on the story card, in the app.

Argue about it

Did Mencken beat Boston's censors, or did he just win a stunt?

Both sides, with their sources, are on the story card in the app.

Censorship, Legend busted, Then and now, Plaque hunt

In these collections: Legends Busted

Near Park Street · Near Downtown Crossing · Near Boylston · Near Chinatown · Near Government Center · Near State · Near Bowdoin

Sources (8)