The Freedom Trail

Where: Boston, Massachusetts
When: August 1, 2009
With: Dave

The city of Boston was at the forefront of the American Revolution. While the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philly, it seems like everything else happened in and around the Boston area. The first shots of the war were fired in Lexington and Concord (effectively suburbs of Boston now). Many of the prominent figures of the time lived in or came from this city. And of course, the event that started it all, the Boston Tea Party, took place right in the harbor. 

So in 1953, Boston created the Freedom Trail, a 2.5 mile walk to the 16 most important historical sights that contributed to the founding and shaping of our nation. After years of visiting the Boston area, and perhaps seeing a few sights over my lifetime, it was finally time to walk the walk and follow the red line end to end through the city. While visiting Boston for my cousin Krista's 30th birthday, Dave and I set out to tackle the trail. 

The Freedom Trail is literally a red brick line through the city connecting the sights. It's actually really funny how attached visitors become to the line. There's something satisfying about walking right on top of it, and sometimes, when the city layout needs to break the line up for a second, it really freaks people out. Like this moment here. But don't worry, we found it again. 

The Freedom Trail starts in one of Boston's oldest neighborhoods, Beacon Hill. The first stop is Boston Common, the oldest park in America, founded in 1634. Over its many years, it has served as a common place for gatherings, victory celebrations and protests. It is also where British troops were camped and from where, in 1775, they marched out to Lexington and Concord to fire the first shots of the Revolution. 

Also in Beacon Hill is the Massachusetts State House. Sitting across the street from the Common, it was built in 1795 and continues to serve as the capitol and main seat of government for the state of Massachusetts. It was built on land owned by John Hancock, and its cornerstone ceremony was overseen by Paul Revere, so its definitely had its fair share of celebrity endorsements. I loved its striking gold dome, originally plated in copper by Paul Revere, and painted grey during World War II to avoid bombing. 

Next up on the Freedom Trail is the Park Street Church. Its tall steeple was a landmark for years, guiding people into the city as one of the highest points in the skyline. It has been a site of important Abolitionist meetings and provided the stage for the first public singing of "My Country Tis of Thee". 

Next up was the first of many cemeteries on the Freedom Trail. I mean, all those famous legends have to be buried somewhere, right? This one is the Granary Burying Ground. Founded in 1660, this is Boston's third oldest cemetery and holds some of the most prominent figures of the Revolution. 

Five of the victims of the Boston Massacre are buried here. 

Paul Revere was also laid to rest here.

Samuel Adams was buried here as well. I wonder if he knew he'd be more famous for a beer than his role in the Revolutionary War?

While Benjamin Franklin was laid to rest in Philadelphia, his parents were buried here. 

However, the most hysterical and shocking of all the grave markers in the cemetery was John Hancock's. I mean, seriously? I guess this guy had a great sense of humor about his last name!

Next up on the Freedom Trail was King's Chapel. Founded in 1686, this was Boston's first non-Puritan church. It's congregation soon outgrew the wooden structure originally on this site, so the structure we see today was built up around the old one. When the current church was completed in 1754, the wooden one was dismantled and removed through the windows. 

Next up is the original burial ground in Boston, King's Chapel. When this one started becoming too crowded, that's when Granary was established. One of the more notable inhabitants is William Dawes, who was overshadowed by his buddy Paul Revere, but also rode out to warn about the coming British before the battles of Lexington and Concord. 

Next up is the oldest public school in the United States, the Boston Latin School. Established in 1635,  it offered free education to all boys, rich or poor. Many Bostonians claim ancestors as alumni, and five of the signers of the Declaration of Independence attended.  

However, of the five signers that attended, only four graduated. The one who dropped out? Well, he ironically has a statue outside of it: none other than Benjamin Franklin. 

By the school, we found this bronze statue of a little donkey. The story goes that it was purchased by a man named Roger Webb who simply fell in love with it and wanted it displayed publicly so that it could be enjoyed by the maximum number of children possible. He decided the Freedom Trail would be the perfect spot. However, many Bostonians felt it had no place along the trail having no historical significance. So he made up a story that the donkey represented the Democratic Party, which appealed to the political affiliations of the Boston mayor's office, and they approved it!

However, shortly after it was installed, Republicans asked where their elephant was going to go. Rather than find a bronze elephant, Webb had two bronze footprints installed in front of the donkey, for those who wish to stand in opposition of the donkey. Very clever and cute. 

Next up on the Freedom Trail is the Old Corner Bookstore. Sitting in the oldest commercial building in Boston, it was built in 1718 to be used as an apothecary. It was converted into a bookstore in 1828 and became the center of publishing for the city. Over the years, it hosted meetings for several notable authors, including Charles Dickens and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Bostonians saved it from demolition in 1960 when it was almost turned into a parking lot. 

Across the street from the Old Corner Bookstore was a new corner bookstore: Borders. Ironically, Borders is now out of business while the old one continues to stand the test of time. 

Next up on the trail is the Old South Meeting House. This was a big one. Built in 1729, it was the largest building in Boston for many years. While originally a house of worship for Puritans, it eventually became a meeting place for rallies prior to the Revolutionary War. It was here that on December 16, 1773, colonists debated what to do about a recent shipment of tea from England that had come in. Not wanting to unload it, which would require them to pay tax to a country where they had no legal representation, Samuel Adams finally concluded that "this meeting can do nothing more to save this country". This may have been the signal for patriots disguised as Mohawk Indians to board the ship in the night and throw the tea into the Boston Harbor, thus going down in history as the Boston Tea Party. 

Next up is the Old State House. Built in 1713, this was the seat of government for the colony of Massachusetts. It was here that James Otis gave a rousing speech that is noted for sparking the colonists rebellion. 

Right alongside the State House is a poignant memorial to the Boston Massacre that occurred on this very spot. In the years leading up to the war, tensions were steadily building in colonial Boston and the 16,000 colonists were rebelling with increasing frequency against the 2,000 British redcoats occupying the city. Skirmishes often broke out, but it was on this site on March 5, 1770 when one of those fights turned deadly. An insult from a colonist to a redcoat escalated and the crowd was eventually fired upon. When the smoke cleared, there were five colonists dead and the seeds of revolution were officially planted. 

Next up on the Freedom Trail is Faneuil Hall. Built in 1743, it has served as a meeting hall and marketplace since then. While it is now filled with very touristy shops and bars, it was where America's first town meeting was held and where the Sons of Liberty first proclaimed their dissent with the crown. 

On top of Faneuil Hall is a very famous weathervane in the shape of a grasshopper. During the War of 1812, spies were sussed out by being asked "what sits on top of Fanueil Hall?" Any local would know the answer and if the person didn't know, they were likely to be a spy. 

Faneuil Hall is also home to Boston's most famous bar, where everybody knows your name. 

From here, it was time to head into North Boston to visit one of the most famous homes in the city: the Paul Revere house. While built in 1680, Paul Revere purchased it in 1770 and lived here during the war and more notably, when he made his famous ride.  

In the courtyard beside Paul Revere's house, we got a special treat: a glass harmonica concert...? This instrument was invented by Benjamin Franklin. The glass ridges are quickly spun and played with wet fingers, making the eery sound of water on the rim of a glass. 

Next up is the Old North Church. Built in 1723, it is the oldest church in Boston. It is also infamous for its steeple which served as the signal point for the lanterns to be placed prior to Paul Revere's famous ride: one if by land, two if by sea. 

Inside the church and its grounds. 

Next up is Copp's Hill Burial ground, the third and final cemetery on the trail. It was the main burial ground for merchants and craftsman of northern Boston. Its most notable inhabitants include the sexton that hung the lanterns in the Old North Church for Paul Revere's ride, Robert Newman. 

The penultimate stop on the Freedom Trail was visible from quite a distance: Bunker Hill. 

This monument commemorates the first true battle of the Revolutionary War and while the British won, it showed that the colonists could, in fact, fight. It was in this battle that the famous "don't shoot 'til you see the whites of their eyes" was commanded by Colonel William Prescott who led the colonists. 

It is possible to climb to the top of Bunker Hill. And Dave and I never say no to smashing a tourist attraction out of the park, so of course we were up for the 294 steps to the top. Along the way up the narrow, winding stair case are painted numbers indicating how many stairs we'd climbed. We were slightly disheartened when we saw "100" and realized that we weren't even halfway there. 

But, we perservered and made it to the top. 

From the top, we got some stunning views out over Boston. 

After a few minutes we made our way back down, and at the bottom, Dave stopped to get some water. While standing on a small set of steps under the monument snapping this photo, my thighs suddenly seized up and I was stuck on the steps from the sudden rush of lactic acid. At the same time, Dave's thighs also decided to give up, and we will forever remember this moment as the time Bunker Hill whooped us. It took a lot of quad stretches to get off those steps and venture off to the final stop on the trail.

The last stop on the Freedom Trail is the USS Constitution, or "old Ironsides". Launched in 1797, this ship earned its nickname during the War of 1812 when it appeared resistant to cannonball fire from the British. And coming full circle in this historical tour, the copper fastenings on the ship were made by none other than Paul Revere. 

We toured the inside of the ship, and it never ceases to amaze me (a) how short people were back in the day and (b) how sailors lived in such cramped quarters, sleeping in hammocks next to their cannons. What a life. 

And with that, Dave and I fully completed the Freedom Trail from end to end. It took almost all day, but we truly saw it all and actually learned a ton more about the history of our country than we had known before. Seeing the actual sights made it all feel a bit more real and its amazing to look at the same buildings that the founding fathers looked upon with their own eyes. After all these years of visiting the city, I now feel like I can say I've seen Boston.