Built at the same time as Gridley J. F. Bryant's Old City Hall (BD8) and Boston City Hospital, this former police station remains an elegant expression of the city's commitment to architectural quality even for small structures. Thirty-five policemen stationed here patrolled Beacon Hill, the old West End, railroad yard, and docks. The first floor contained a guardroom and offices, with sleeping rooms on the second floor. Lock-ups for thirty prisoners occupied the rear of the building, and the basement held the kitchen and laundry facilities. The ornamental detailing on the brick building is cast iron, while the raised foundation is granite, and the mansard roof, slate. The building's use as a police station ended in 1962, when its West End district was leveled for urban renewal. In 1966 the Beacon Hill Civic Association acquired the building.