His most famous work is the weathervane on top of Faneuil Hall . Commissioned by Peter Faneuil in 1742 , it was designed to complement the grasshopper weathervane atop the Royal Exchange in the City of London , and help symbolize the new building as the capital of finance in the New World . The grasshopper is copper gilded with gold leaf with glass eyes . The vane fell off the building during the earthquake of 1755 which shook Boston . He and his son Thomas repaired it and remounted it
earthquake of 1755
1755 Cape Ann earthquake
Shem Drowne