Faneuil Hall

Faneuil Hall, nicknamed the "Cradle of Liberty," is a location in the Financial District of Boston

Background
French merchant Peter Faneuil donated the building to Boston in 1742, subsequently serving as a commercial hub in colonial Massachusetts. The gilded grasshopper at the top was created by Shem Drowne on May 25 that same year.

During the American Revolution, protests held here against British legislation such as the Sugar and Stamp Acts led to the doctrine of "no taxation without representation," and meetings held here culminated in the Boston Tea Party. Founding Fathers such as Samuel Adams gave speeches here, leading to its nickname as "the Cradle of Liberty." The building suffered damage by both earthquake and fire but was rebuilt. Faneuil Hall subsequently became part of the Freedom Trail, governed over by the Freedom Society. A group known as the Children of Boston donated the clock on the wall. Congress included the location as part of the Boston National Historical Park initiative alongside several other historic landmarks in the city.

Freedom Society
At the Freedom Society's September 2077 meeting, they discussed the motion to consider merchants' proposals for Protectrons to secure the Faneuil Hall marketplace from petty thieves. Objections were raised on historic preservation grounds and the motion failed unanimously. However, sales noticeably dropped the week of August 8 and the shoplifting continued. They all agreed to take a more detailed approach to their inventory to verify the thefts.

Despite sales being up by 11% due to the Columbus Day holiday, the merchants' inventory report showed net losses of $2,294 for the week, with twelve confirmed shoplifting incidents. Several merchants threatened to sue for breach of contract over security issues, and Fallon's prepared to withdraw immediately. With the pressure building, the mayor of Boston insisted that the Protectron installation proceed despite objections. By this time the society, whose representatives shrank from fourteen to eleven, also had to allocate funds for roof repairs.

The next week, a massacre occurred at the building. The Protectrons that were installed killed seven people, including five alleged shoplifters, one bystander, and one Fallon's cashier. A public relations nightmare followed, and sales dropped 81%. To avoid further media scrutiny, the Freedom Society canceled further weekly merchants' meetings.

Following the Great War, the building still stands and super mutants have created an encampment. They tore the place apart and burned most of the meeting hall chairs in two bonfires: one in the center of the hall, the other around the remains of the Samuel Adams statue. However, this did not dissuade detective and treasure hunter Marty Bullfinch from braving the dangers in an attempt to solve the case of the Gilded Grasshopper. His former partner, Nick Valentine, and Nick's new partner, the Sole Survivor can choose to track him down and solve the case.

Layout
Outside the building is a pre-War plaque and a Freedom Trail marker. The location is the sixth stop on the Freedom Trail, with the code "5:R." Also in the front plaza on the west side of the building is a large fire surrounding the destroyed statue. There are at least four super mutants patrolling the area, including one super mutant suicider. Two doors in the front and three doors in the back grant access to the building. Nearby to the east are the unique wooden, vine-covered arches of Columbus Park.

Entering through the front entrance, three Protectrons can be activated via a terminal to the right of the entrance, behind the trash can. On the roof, the Sole Survivor can start the quest The Gilded Grasshopper (if not previously started at the Valentine Detective Agency via the Detective Case Files quest) after reading the note inside the grasshopper. The grasshopper can be found on the tip of the weather vane atop the golden dome next to the ruined bell tower.

Loot

 * Faneuil Hall cashier's key - In the downstairs hall when facing the east wall, enter the small room with tires to the right (southeast corner of local map, located behind an elevator). The key is on top of a cabinet against the western wall. It opens a wall safe in the same room it is found and a door.
 * One overdue book - In the main hall, on a chair against the north wall (seems to be east if wearing power armor - see bugs).
 * Vault-Tec lunchbox - In the main hall, upper southeast balcony by the door, on the stairs.
 * Live & Love issue #1 - On the top floor in the small hallway, on an end table across from the American flag.
 * The gilded grasshopper and note Food for the grasshopper within - On the roof of the building.
 * Racetrack advertisement - Two notes (see map for locations).
 * Jamaica Plain flyer - Two notes (see map for locations).

Related quests

 * Cleansing the Commonwealth: Knight Rhys gives the Sole Survivor an assignment to clear the location of what he calls "abominations" to further the aims of the Brotherhood of Steel.
 * Greenskins: A group of super mutants has been terrorizing a group of settlers who are unable to defend themselves. The Sole Survivor is called on to make sure they'll never be a threat to anyone else again.
 * Hypothesis: To aid in one of his experiments, Doctor Holdren of the Institute's BioScience division asks the Sole Survivor to obtain a tissue sample from a particularly tough super mutant and return it to him.
 * Kidnapping: Concerned settlers will ask the Sole Survivor to help them rescue a fellow settler that was kidnapped for ransom by nearby hostiles, hoping to have them freed without harm.
 * Leading by Example: Lancer Captain Kells requests the Sole Survivor's help in training a Brotherhood squire by allowing him to accompany them on a mission.
 * Lost Soul: Doctor Carrington has a lead on a synth that's in danger and sends the player character to save them.
 * Quartermastery: Scribe Haylen has identified the location of a piece of technology she wishes to retrieve and catalog. She asks the Sole Survivor for help in bringing back the technology in one piece.
 * Randolph Safehouse: The Railroad agent Mister Tims will leave dead drops in the form of six holotapes for the Sole Survivor, containing information about possible hazards to the Railroad's escort and escape of synths out of the Commonwealth. They can assist in these efforts by clearing out the location of hostiles.
 * Road to Freedom: The Sole Survivor has heard of a group that aims to take on the Institute and only has the clue, "Follow the Freedom Trail." To find the Railroad, they have to start at Boston Common.
 * The Gilded Grasshopper: The former partner of Nick Valentine, Marty Bullfinch, believed there was a treasure map hidden in the Gilded Grasshopper on top of Faneuil Hall and the Sole Survivor is tasked with determining if there is truth to the tale.
 * A Permanent Solution: One of the leaders of the Nuka-World raider gangs tasks the player character with neutralizing a target to further their gang's aims.

Appearances
Faneuil Hall appears

Behind the scenes
Faneuil Hall is based on the real-world location of the same name, a stop along the Freedom Trail in Boston, Massachusetts.

Bugs

 * Entering this building while wearing power armor causes the compass directions displayed at the bottom of the screen to be incorrectly rotated by 90°.
 * The terminal to release the Protectrons at the entrance can become inaccessible while the Protectron nearest the terminal is alive in its pod. Using the console to kill the Protectron will solve this.