Boston Historical Tour - The Freedom Trail
NAME: Boston
STATE: Massachusetts
TRIP: Single day
DATE: March 5, 2022
DISTANCE: 225 miles, 5 hrs from NYC
Freedom Trail
Boston is one of the most historical city that you can fin within the states. Once it was the most important port city of the new world. The freedom of United States started in the Boston Harbor, when the angry crowed started to throw the tea shipment into the ocean in December 16 of 1773 and all this led to the American revolution. Today, if you visit Boston, you can find many of these historic sites, it called the Freedom Trail.
The Freedom trail you can starts at Boston Commons, which is a park. The parking here is bit of problem, because the parking session is only two hours and you cant renew it. So better if you park somewhere else and get a cab here, or park into a garage otherwise you going to chase your car in every hour an half, like I did. I started with the Visitor center, where I bought a map with information for $3, however you can get this map in the middle and end of the trail fro free.
These are the most important stops at the freedom trail:
1. Boston Common and the State house
Freedom trail Starts here at the Boston Common where cattle once grazed and the British soldiers camped. This is the oldest public park in United States. Samuel Adams and Paul revere laid the cornerstones of the new State House. In 1795. Across the street you can find the monument of the 54th regiment of Massachusetts.
2. Park Street Church
For me the most important prt of this stop is the Hymn “America’ was first sung here and Lloyd Garrison gave his first antislavery speech here in 1829.
3. Granary Burying Ground
Between the big brick houses you can find a small and old graveyard where America’s first heroes sleeping. Not hard to find here Paul Revere, John Hancock, James Otis and Samuel Adams. Also the the victims of the Boston massacre.
4. King’s Chapel and Burying Ground
Honestly this stop wasn’t interest me much especially because we couldn’t get in. But I have to tell you that about this site is the church was built in 1749 for Anglican congregation. 1787 the nation fist Unitarian congregation was held here.
5. Franklin Statue and First School Site
The fist schoolhouse was built 1635 where Benjamin Franklin and Samuel Dams and John Hancock attended. This is the oldest public school in United States. Pretty cool, huh?
6. Old South Meeting House
Just a few steps away you can find the Old South Meeting House, which was the largest building in the colonial Boston. This is an important stop of the Freedom Trail, because this is The Place, where the peoples dissatisfaction really led to the American revolution. People get together here protesting the Boston Massacre and the tea tax, and to challenge the British rule. Here, December 16th of 1773 Samuel Adams launched the Boston Tea Party.
7. Old Corner Bookstore
8. Old State House and the Boston Massacre site
Built 1713, it was the original State House. Behind the building you can find a cobblestone circle under the balcony as a mark of the 1770 Boston Massacre, where the British soldiers fired into the Bostonians.
9. Faneuil Hall
Built 1742, it was the old market building. Town meeting between 1764 and 1774 was held held here. Samuel Adams had peaches here about his impositions of the British taxes in the colonies. Today it serves as the National Park’s visitor center. Behind the building you can find the Market Plaza, the area is very pleasant shopping area.
10. Paul Revere House $6
This is the only site on the Freedom Trail that is not Free. Revere’s home you can find in Boston’s oldest residential neighborhood, called the north End. Revere’s house is Boston’s oldest residence, built about 1680 and Paul Revere lived here between 1770-1800. Lather it was used as a cigar store and a bank, before it was restored into original glory in 1908. To walk trough the neighborhood is already gives you a great afternoon, with may shopping, restaurants and bars. The old Italian neighborhood today is a really mixed, but still interested and lovable.
11. Old North Church
Before you reach the Old North Church, you have to walk trough the Paul Revere Mall, where you can find a large statue of the young Revere, and the a lot’s of historical markers on the left side brick walls. If you continue walk trough the Mall, at the end you will find the Old North Church behind the gate. Today the gate was closed, I couldn’t see the church, I had to walk around it. The church was built 1723 and this is Boston’s oldest church building, which was important in the revolutionary war. It was the place were Henry Wadsworth Longfellow the North’s role in the start of the war in his poem “the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere”. Also April 18, 1775 Robert Newman hung two lanterns in the steeple to warn Charleston patriots of advancing British troops.
12. Copp’s Hill Burying Ground
This very spot was used by British troops for bombarding Breed’s Hill with canon fire June 17, 1775. Robert Newman is buried here.
13. Bunker Hill Monuments
Over the Charlie’s River you can find a 221 foot obelisk that dedicated to the first major battle in the American revolutionary War. Unfortunately today wasn’t open, because the visitors can climb up the 294 steps to the top of the obelisk.
14. Charleston Navy Yard and the USS Constitution
Just a nice little walk from the obelisk you can easily reach the Charleston Navy Yard. The most important thing, here is the USS Constitution that is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. The entrance is free, and its totally worth to come to see Boston.
