America’s Walking City & The Freedom Trail
Welcome to America’s Walking
City. While you are here, weave
your way along The Freedom Trail,
a 2.5 mile red brick or red
painted line that travels through
Beacon Hill, downtown Boston,
the North End and Charlestown.
Walking along the trail is an
outdoor experienceleading you
to many historical sites along
the way. It is a pleasant walk
for able bodied people of all
ages.
Overview of the Freedom Trail
The concept of the Freedom
Trail was originated by William
Schofield, an editorial writer
for the Boston Herald-Traveler.
He originated the concept in
a 1951 newspaper column. While
Schofield's primary goal was
to preserve the historical sites
located throughout the city,
the Trail was established seven
years later in part to enhance
Boston's profitable tourist
industry. The Freedom Trail
has been successful by both
measures: the 16 sites provide
a well-told tale of Boston's
history to four million visitors
annually.
Many of the Freedom Trail's 16 sites are known worldwide for the
important role they played in the American Revolution.
Bear in mind that a Freedom
Trail walk does not have to
be a completely educational
experience. We recommend that
you take advantage of the fact
that the Trail runs through
some of Boston's larger shopping
and dining areas along the way.You
are encouraged to stop for some
shopping in Faneuil Hall or
for a cappuccino in one of the
many North End cafes.
Fees and Admissions
Many of the sites along the
trail are part of the Boston
National Historical Park and
do not charge admission. However,
the sites that are independently
owned by historical organizations
do charge an admission fee.
In 2004, the three museum sites along the Freedom Trail - Old
South Meeting House, Old State House and the Paul Revere House -
have joined forces to provide visitors with an easy to use and
discounted ticket. For more information:
www.paulreverehouse.org/freedomtrail.html
The 16 Freedom Trail Sites
In order of appearance on the Trail, the 16 sites are:
1. Boston Common
Originally owned
by William Blackstone who came
to Boston in 1622, the Boston
Common is America's oldest public
park. Situated on 44 acres of
open land, it was used as a
common pasture for grazing cattle
owned by the townspeople of
Boston. The Common later became
a "training" field
for the militia and was used
as a British Army camp during
the occupation of Boston.
Over many generations, the Common has been the site of hangings,
duels, public celebrations and spirited oratory. Now it hosts
squirrels, pigeons, and plenty of neighborhood dogs that are walked
here daily from their fashionable addresses on Beacon Hill.
2. New State House
Designed by Charles Bulfinch, the State House was
completed on January 11th, 1798, and widely acclaimed as one of the
more magnificent and well-suited buildings in the country. The land
was originally used as John Hancock's cow pasture.
Today, the State House is the oldest building on Beacon Hill, and
its grounds cover 6.7 acres of land. In 1802, the original wooden
dome was covered with copper to prevent water leakage. In 1874, the
dome was gilded with 23-carat gold leaf. The State House is the seat
of Massachusetts' state government.
The State House
Beacon Street
617-727-3676
Open Mon. - Friday, 10:00am - 4:00pm
www.state.ma.us/sec/trs
3. Park Street Church
This church was
founded in 1809 in the midst
of an exciting chapter in the
nation's history. Ten people,
including author Oliver Wendell
Holmes, gathered in the mansion
of William Thurston on Beacon
Hill on February 27th, 1809,
to discuss the organization
of a church in this area. By
mid-March, the committee had
located a site at the corner
of Park Street and Tremont Streets,
and Park Street Church was founded.
"America" (My Country
'Tis of Thee), by Samuel Francis
Smith, was first sung at the
Park Street Church on July 4th,
1831. The church was also where
William Lloyd Garrison delivered
his first major public address
against slavery in 1829.
DONATIONS ACCEPTED
Park Street Church
Corner of Park and Tremont Streets
617-523-3383
Open: Jun. 17 - end of Aug.,
Tue. - Sat. 9:30 - 3:30
Summer worship services - Sundays
10:45am and 5:30pm
Winter worship services - Sundays
8:30 am, 11 am, 4 pm, and 6
pm www.parkstreet.org
4. Granary Burying Ground
With its massive Egyptian Revival-style gates facing Tremont
Street, the Granary Burying Ground is the final resting place of
many eminent Revolutionary-era patriots, such as Samuel Adams, Peter
Faneuil, Paul Revere, and John Hancock
Originally called South Burying Ground because of its location at
the most southerly area of Boston settlement, it was then renamed
Middle Burying Ground, as Boston sprawled toward the south. The
current name is derived from the grain storage building, or granary,
which stood on the site where the Park Street Church now stands.
Granary Burying Ground
Tremont Street
617-635-4505
Open daily 9:00 - 5:00
www.cityofboston.gov/freedomtrail/
5. King's Chapel and Burying Ground
In 1688, the
Royal Governor built King's
Chapel on the town burying ground
because no one in the city would
sell him land to build a non-Puritan
church. The first King's Chapel
was a tiny church used by the
King's men who occupied Boston
to enforce British law. By 1749,
the building was too small for
the congregation, which at that
point had grown to include a
number of prominent merchants
and their families.
The congregation hired America's first architect, Peter Harrison,
to design a church "that would be the equal of any in England." The
new church was completed in 1754. Harrison's plans included a
steeple, which has never been built, and a colonnade, which was not
completed until after the Revolution. The magnificent interior is
considered the finest example of Georgian church architecture in
North America.
DONATIONS ACCEPTED
King's Chapel
Corner of Tremont Street and
School Streets
617-227-2155
Summer Hours: Mon. Thu. Fri.
Sat. 10:00 - 4:00
Winter Hours: Sat. 10:00 - 4:00
Services are held Wednesdays,
12:15 pm and Sundays 11 am
Concerts at King's Chapel: Tue. 12:15 pm, Sun.5 pm
www.kings-chapel.org
6. Site of First Public School/Ben
Franklin Statue
As you follow The Freedom Trail down School Street,
you will notice a half-smiling, half-serious statue of Benjamin
Franklin outside the Old City Hall and a plaque on the sidewalk,
marking the site of the first Public School. It is the first
portrait statue erected in the United States. This is also the site
of the country's first public school, Boston Latin School (1635),
which is still in operation in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston.
This Freedom Trail stop features
a statue of Ben Franklin and
the site of Franklin's alma
mater: the Boston Latin School
(built in 1635).
7. Old Corner Bookstore
This little brick
building sits at the Corner
of School Street and Washington
Street, Old Corner Bookstore
was a flourishing literary center
in the mid-1800s. The original
building was destroyed by the
Great Fire of 1711, and was
replaced by the current gambrel-roofed
structure built in 1718 by Dr.
Thomas Crease. The street level
of this house was used as a
pharmacy, the upper stories
as a residence.
The transition from medicine
shop to marketplace began in
1829 when the house was leased
to Timothy Harrington Carter,
a bookseller. The first bookseller's
business, Carter & Hendlee,
was followed by nine similar
companies over a 75-year period,
the most famous being Ticknor
& Fields.
Old Corner Book Store
School Street
617-367-4004
Winter Hours: Mon - Fri, 9:00 - 5:30, Sat 9:30 - 5:00, Closed
Sundays.
www.historicboston.org
8. Old South Meeting House
Built in 1729, Old South Meeting House was a
Puritan house of worship. It was from here that an outraged Samuel
Adams gave the signal to proceed with the Boston Tea Party.
Following a two- year rehabilitation and restoration project, the
Old South Meeting House reopened in October of 1997.
Old South's reputation as a place for history-making oratory has
continued through the generations. You can go inside to visit
"Voices of Protest," a permanent exhibition that tells Old South's
story over two centuries. It's a sometimes disturbing, often
inspiring, frequently controversial, but always fascinating story of
the people who have made history within these walls.
Old South Meeting House
310 Washington Street
617-482-6439
November - March: daily 10:00 - 4:00
April - October: daily 9:30 - 5:00
www.oldsouthmeetinghouse.org
9. Old State House
Beginning with its construction in 1713, the Old State House was
the headquarters of British government in Boston. The building's
distinctive cupola was once the tallest and most impressive building
in the town, sending the message that there was no higher authority
than the king.
It was just outside these doors
that the Boston Massacre unfolded
in 1770, and from this balcony
that the Declaration was first
read to the people of Boston
in 1776. Now, Old State is the
oldest surviving public building
in Boston, housing as a museum
of Boston history operated by
the Bostonian Society.
The Old State House/The Bostonian Society
Corner of State Street and Washington
Street
617-720-1713
Open daily 9:00 - 5:00
Closed Thanksgiving, Dec. 25, Jan. 1
www.bostonhistory.org
10. Boston Massacre Site
On the way out
of the Old State House, notice
the ring of cobblestones marking
the site of the Boston Massacre
on what is now a traffic island.
This event helped to fuel the
spirit of rebellion in the Colonies.
Five men were killed in this
clash of Patriots and Redcoats
on March 5, 1770, including
Crispus Attucks, the first African-American
to die in the Revolution.
11. Faneuil
Hall
The "Cradle
of Liberty," Faneuil Hall
was the site of many fiery town
meetings. Wealthy merchant Peter
Faneuil built it in 1742 and
offered it to the town as a
gift. Faneuil Hall has served
as an open forum meeting hall
and marketplace for more than
250 years. The first floor served
as a marketplace for the local
townspeople to sell their goods.
The second floor housed the
town meeting hall. Here, Bostonians
protested the taxation policies
of the British Empire and set
the doctrine of "no taxation
without representation."
It was here on November 5,
1773, that John Hancock and
other Bostonians held the first
of the tea meetings to discuss
the fate of that "baneful
weed." Famous abolitionists
Wendell Philips, William Lloyd
Garrison and Frederick Douglas
all spoke here.
Faneuil Hall
617-242-5642
Open daily 9:00am - 5:00pm.
Historical talks every thirty minutes, 9:30 - 4:30
www.cityofboston.gov/freedomtrail/
12. Paul Revere House
Paul Revere owned
this house from 1770-1800. He
left from it for his famous
ride across the colonial countryside
in April 1775. The tour of the
house (which is currently preserved
by the Paul Revere Memorial
Association) offers a more "personal"
perspective on Revolutionary
history. Inside this house,
built around 1680,visitors obtain
a fascinating glimpse into everyday
life for the Reveres during
the Revolutionary era.
The Paul Revere House
19 North Square
617-523-2338
Apr. 15 - Oct. 31: 9:30 - 5 :15;
Nov. 1 - Apr. 14: 9:30 - 4:15
Closed Mondays, Jan. - Mar., Thanksgiving, Dec. 25, Jan. 1
www.paulreverehouse.org
13. Old North Church
"Old North," Boston's oldest church building, is located in the
city's Italian North End. On April 18th, 1775, Robert Newman, sexton
of the Old North Church displayed two lanterns to warn Paul Revere
and others of the British troop movements. Paul Revere's famous
"midnight ride" began with that signal, and so did the American War
for Independence.
Built in 1723, Old North is the oldest church building in Boston,
and continues to serve a thriving, active Episcopal congregation.
Old North Church
193 Salem Street
617-523-6676
Winter hours: Daily 9:00 - 5:00
Summer hours: Daily 9:00 - 6:00
www.oldnorth.com
14. Copp's Hill Burying Ground
This is the final
resting place of merchants,
artisans and craft people who
lived in the North End. Located
on a hill where a windmill once
stood, the land was given to
the town. The grounds are also
the final resting place of thousands
of free African-Americans who
lived in a community on the
current Charter Street side
of the burying ground, called
the "New Guinea Community."
Because of its height and panoramic vistas, the British used this
vantage point to train their cannons on Charlestown during the
Battle of Bunker Hill.
Copp's Hill Burying Ground
Hull Street
617-635-4505
Open daily 9:00 - 5:00
www.cityofboston.gov/freedomtrail/
15. USS Constitution
The oldest commissioned warship
in the world became known as
"Old Ironsides" during
the war of 1812 when she fought
the British Frigate H.M.S. Guerriere.
The Guerriere sank like a stone,
while the cannonballs she fired
at the U.S.S. Constitution merely
"bounced off" as if
she were made of iron. Its final
port is in the Charlestown Navy
Yard, which is about a one-mile
walk from the North End. The
Constitution staff offers free
guided tours from 9:30 to 3:50
pm. and self-guided tours until
sunset. Please note that the
U.S.S. Constitution is only
partially wheelchair accessible.
DONATIONS ACCEPTED
USS Constitution
Charlestown Navy Yard
617-242-5670
Winter Hours: Thu. Fri. Sat. Sun. 10:00 - 4:00
Summer Hours: Daily, 10:00 - 4:00
Tours occur every half-hour,
10:30 - 3:30
www.ussconstitution.navy.mil
16. Bunker Hill Monument
"Don't fire until you
see the whites of their eyes!"
This famous order, which legend
attributes to Colonel William
Prescott, has come to immortalize
the determination of the ill-equipped
Colonists facing the powerful
British Army during the famous
Battle of Bunker Hill fought
on this site on June 17, 1775.
(The Battle actually took place
on Breed's Hill). You may climb
the 294 steps of this tall granite
monument for a terrific view
of Boston. You can climb this
monument's 294 steps for a terrific
view of Boston. Note that there
is no elevator, so make sure
you have enough energy to climb
all the way up and down before
you start off.
Bunker Hill Monument
Monument Square
Charlestown
617-242-5641
Exhibit lodge open daily, 9:00 - 5:00
Monument open daily 9:00 - 4:30
www.cityofboston.gov/freedomtrail/
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