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The Freedom Trail

2 Votes / 5.0 Avg

1 State St, Boston, MA 02109

• (617) 242-5642

www.thefreedomtrail.org

www:Image:Flickr:2433518174

The Freedom Trail is an introduction to Colonial Revolutionary history and is one of the oldest public parks in the country. Starting at the Boston Common, the trail then continues to hit as many as 16 historical points, until it ends at the Bunker Hill Monument. Different tour companies may offer different routes. Locations highlighted are the Old State House, the King's Chapel and Burying Ground, the First Public School Site and Ben Franklin Statue, Park Street Church and Granary Burying Ground, Old South Meeting House, Old Corner Bookstore, the Massachusetts State House, the Boston Massacre Site, Faneuil Hall, the Paul Revere House, Old North Church, Copp's Hill Burying Ground, the USS Constitution and Charlestown Navy Yard. You need to devote a full day to the trail, since its length is about 2.5 miles, and many visitors like to linger and taste some of the local flavor along the way.

Tours of The Trail are offered daily from The Boston Common Visitors Center! This tour was awarded official Best Historical Tours of Massachusetts 2008. 978-741-1170 "take The Right Tour"

Tourist Tip:

Povo makes it easy to find where to park, eat or shop around each Freedom Trail attraction. Simply go to a specific attraction page that you'll be visiting, find the "Tags In This Area" box in the right hand column, and click on the keywords that interest you.

2

Massachusetts State House

24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA

• (617) 727-3676

www.state.ma.us/sec/trs

DID YOU KNOW? With historical emphasis on the Salem Witch Trials, the Boston Common has its own macabre history of public executions. Hangings were done on the old elm tree on the western side of the Common, and in 1769, gallows replaced the hanging tree. Public executions took place in the Common up until 1817, when the gallows were taken down.

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Courtesy of David Boyle

TAGGED WITH:

buildings, historic, Freedom Trail, sightseeing, attractions, state house, free tours, free event, free, ghost tours, free to do, wedding receptions

3

Park Street Church

1 Park Street, Boston, MA

• (617) 523-3383

DID YOU KNOW? Park Street church's steeple rises to 313 feet and remains a landmark visible from several Boston neighborhoods. Also, the church became known as "Brimstone Corner," because of the storage of gunpowder during the War of 1812.This then caused lots of chaos.Thomas Gage(first MA governor) declared this gun powder to be blown up in case of British attack.

Courtesy of dyksnet

Courtesy of mbaylor

Courtesy of Eric Kilby

thumb|Granary Burying Ground photo courtesy of Geff Rossi, Flickr

TAGGED WITH:

attractions, Freedom Trail, church, historic, building, evangelical, burying ground

4

Granary Burying Ground

DID YOU KNOW? Granary Burying Ground is also the site of Elizabeth "Mother" Goose's grave, believed by some to be "Mother Goose." It's unclear whether or not her body is buried under the headstone or elsewhere in the cemetery. Of course, the debate among historians has, well, ruffled a few feathers over the years.

www:Image:Flickr:29753995 for Granary Burying Ground in Boston, MA

www:Image:Flickr:271223286 for Granary Burying Ground in Boston, MA

thumb|Mother Goose

5

King's Chapel

King's Chapel, Boston, MA

DID YOU KNOW? The musical tradition of King's Chapel dates back to 1713 when the church became the first in New England to acquire an organ. The present organ, the sixth, was made by C.B. Fisk in 1964.

TAGGED WITH:

park, passive area, Freedom Trail, first night

6

Benjamin Franklin Statue

45 School Street, Boston, MA

DID YOU KNOW? The oldest portrait statue in Boston, of Benjamin Franklin and erected in 1856, is behind the fence in the courtyard and overlooks the original building site where Franklin, Samuel Adams and John Hancock once attended.

www:Image:Flickr:54200674 for Benjamin Franklin Statue in Boston, MA

TAGGED WITH:

statue, monument, Freedom Trail

7

Old Corner Bookstore

3 School Street, Boston, MA

• (617) 635-4505

DID YOU KNOW? The building had fallen into disrepair by the 1950s and was restored in 1960. Currently, it's the home of Ultra Diamonds.

thumb|Photo courtesy of Flickr

Courtesy of rejivm5000

TAGGED WITH:

sightseeing, Freedom Trail, bookstore, historic

8

Old South Meeting House

310 Washington Street, Boston, MA

• (617) 482-6439

DID YOU KNOW? After the Boston Massacre in March 1770, where five colonists were killed by British soldiers, thousands of outraged Bostonians gathered at Old South to protest.

Courtesy of Boston Public Library

TAGGED WITH:

sights, historical, museum, Freedom Trail, kid friendly, attractions, holiday savings pass, holiday deals, first night, wedding receptions

9

Old State House

206 Washington Street, Boston, MA

• (617) 720-1713

DID YOU KNOW? The Old State House boasts a spiral staircase and a collection of memorabilia including a vial of tea from the Boston Tea Party, Benjamin Franklin's shaving bowl, muskets from Bunker Hill and John Hancock's red velvet waistcoat.

Boston:Image:Old state house for Old State House in Boston, MA

Courtesy of Thunderchild

Courtesy of the BPL

TAGGED WITH:

national historic landmark, museum, colonial artifacts, historical, Freedom Trail, national historic, holiday deals, wedding receptions

10

Faneuil Hall

DID YOU KNOW? Street Performers, or buskers as they were called, first appeared at Faneuil Hall Marketplace more than 30 years ago to provide entertainment for construction workers renovating Quincy Market, South Market and North Market Buildings.

www:Image:Flickr:154341720 for Faneuil Hall in Boston, MA

TAGGED WITH:

free wifi, attractions, historic, public restroom, bathroom, shopping, holiday concert, holiday show, holiday shopping, tree lighting, first night, Freedom Trail

11

Paul Revere House

19 North Square, Boston, MA

• (617) 523-2338

DID YOU KNOW? The name of Paul Revere's horse, made famous by the Longfellow poem, will forever remain anonymous. There is one mention of the mare within the genealogy of the Larkin family, rumored to be the owners of the horse Revere used that night. "Brown Beauty," the mare loaned at the request of Samuel Larkin's son, deacon John Larkin, was never returned to the owner after the famous ride. If true, not only did Revere ride a mare that he didn't own, but it's a twice borrowed horse.

Courtesy of Revijm5000

GreaterBoston:Image:Paul revere house for Paul Revere House in Boston, MA

Boston:Image:Paul Revere House for Paul Revere House in Boston, MA

TAGGED WITH:

sights, tour, house, museum, historical, Freedom Trail

12

Old North Church

193 Salem Street, Boston, MA

• (617) 523-6676

DID YOU KNOW? In the Old North Church's steeple, Robert Newman hung two lanterns signaling Paul Revere's famous "midnight ride." A re-enactment takes place every year on April 19 to commemorate.

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TAGGED WITH:

religion, episcopal, churches, Freedom Trail, attractions, tourists, national historic landmark, walking

Copp's Hill Burying Ground

Hull Street, Boston, MA

• (617) 635-4505

DID YOU KNOW? Because of its close proximity to the The Charles River and its location on a large hill, the British used the site during the Battle of Bunker Hill.

thumb|Photo courtesy of ito-yo, Flickr

Courtesy of jbcurio

Courtesy of Yokado

TAGGED WITH:

historic, graveyard, burying ground, Freedom Trail, sightseeing, attractions, outdoors

13

U.S.S. Constitution

Boston Naval Shipyard NHS, Charlestown, MA

DID YOU KNOW? Having never lost a battle in its long career, in 1997 the USS Constitution celebrated its bicentennial.

Courtesy of Dave Benson

Courtesy of Capt.spock

thumb|Courtesy of Flickr

Courtesy of Capt. Spock

TAGGED WITH:

U.S.S. Constitution, ship, history, attractions, navy, tourist, Freedom Trail, free admission, free to do

14

USS Constitution Museum

Boston Naval Shipyard NHS, Charlestown, MA

• (617) 426-1812

DID YOU KNOW? The museum facility has expanded since originally opening its doors in 1976, nearly doubling in space as the museum worked with the National Park Service to expand into two adjacent buildings as well as erecting a connector.

www:Image:Flickr:2436924277 for USS Constitution Museum in Charlestown, MA

TAGGED WITH:

USS Constitution, Freedom Trail, museums, U.S.S. Constitution, ship, history, attractions, navy, tourist, first night, historic, wedding receptions

Bunker Hill Monument

Monument Square, Charlestown, MA

• (617) 242-5641

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TAGGED WITH:

sights, view, staircase, attractions, historical, bunker hill monument, free admission, free, free to do

ADDITIONAL INFO:

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Photo courtesy of Flickr

For additional information on The Freedom Trail, please visit the the Freedom Trail Foundation Web site HERE. Or check out the foundation's Povo listing HERE.

TAGGED WITH:

sightseeing, trail, historical, tour, Freedom Trail, educational, historical tour, boston events, free event, attraction, touristy, parking available, free to do

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Photo courtesy of Flickr

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