If you are looking for a city to visit that will offer both modern day comforts as well as a plethora of historical and educational value, there’s no better city to visit than the most historically rich city in the United States. Boston is known to both tourists and natives as the walking city, and you haven’t truly seen Boston until you’ve walked it. Boston is an exceptional city to visit because it so flawlessly blends modern day amenities with its many historical tours and sites. Anyone visiting Boston has the chance to see some truly unique sites; experiencing the rich culture of Boston mixed with true historic value is a combination that cannot be found just anywhere. Here’s a look at ten great historical reasons to visit the city of Boston.
The Freedom Trail
The Freedom Trail is a must for any first time visitor to Boston. Invented in 1951 by Bill Schofield, the trail was designed to link the many historical sites that were located in and around Boston’s historic North End. Schofield was a frequent visitor of such sites as Paul Revere’s house, The Old North Church and The Old State House (all of which will be discussed later in this article) but felt that a guide was needed to help visitors to the city find their way to these preserved historical relics; thus…the Freedom Trail. Since 1951, many changes and updates have been made to the trail, the Bunker Hill Monument and Old Ironsides were later added as stops along the way, a thick red line was painted on the streets and sidewalks of Boston to help visitors find their way and a foundation has been established to help preserve both the trail and the historical sites that reside along it. Depending on the pace of each tourist, the walk can take about 4 hours to complete, it starts in the Boston Commons, ends at Faneuil Hall and includes some of the most historical sites in all of Boston.
Boston Commons
The oldest park in the history of the United States, the Boston Commons dates back to 1634 when the land area that is now a city park was once used as a common pasture for area farmers; it was also used for military purposes as well as a place for public hangings. In 1817 the gallows were removed and after 1830, cattle were no longer allowed to graze on the land. Today the Boston Commons mainly serves as a public park for recreational purposes. The Commons is home to several historical monuments that have been built over the years, these include: The Parkman Bandstand, built in 1912 to honor George F. Parkman who donated 5 million dollars to Boston park maintenance, The Soldiers and Sailors Monument, built in 1887 to honor civil war troops, The Robert Gould Shaw memorial, another civil war monument that depicts the 54th regiment, the first free black regiment in the Union Army, The Brewer Fountain donated by Gardner Brewer in 1868, the fountain is an exact copy of a fountain which was designed by French artist Liénard for the World Exposition of 1855 in Paris, and the Central Burying Ground, one of Boston’s oldest graveyards; here is where many graves lie of both British and American causalities from the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. The Boston Commons is also the start of the Freedom Trail and a great place to relax while touring the city.
The Bunker Hill Monument
The Bunker Hill monument, one of the many stops on the Freedom Trail, is a modern day tribute to the Battle of Bunker Hill fought on June 17, 1775. The purpose of the initial monument, designed by the Bunker Hill Monument Association in 1827, was to allow for the purchase of the 10 acre plot of land that the battle was fought on in order to construct a suitable memorial. The monument was first started in 1838 but depletion in funds halted the project for many years. In order to complete the project, the Association sold off most of the 10 acres as housing plots, and only preserved the summit of Breed’s Hill as monument grounds. The monument was completed in 1843; it is made entirely of granite, stands 221 feet tall and has 294 steps (you’re calves will be seriously aching by the time you get to the top but the view is well worth it!). Admission is free and the monument is open to climb from 9am to 4:30pm daily except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. The Bunker Hill Monument is truly a site to see and one that shouldn’t be missed on anyone’s tour of Boston.
USS Constitution ‘Old Ironsides’
The USS Constitution (aptly nicknamed ‘Old Ironsides’) is another must see historical site that resides in Boston. The Constitution, named after…you guessed it…the Constitution of the United States of America, is the oldest commissioned ship afloat in the world. Old Ironsides is a wooden hulled, three-masted, heavy frigate (warship) of the United States Navy. Launched in 1797, the Constitution was one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794. Its most epic battles were fought in the war of 1812 (this is when the Constitution got its nickname) but Old Ironsides was commissioned several times throughout the 1800’s. In 1930 the Constitution was restored and then re-comissioned. In 1940 the ship was placed on permanent commission after which it became a training vessel for the US Navy. In 1992 Old Ironsides went under the largest restoration project since it was built in 1797 and that is the ship you see today. Visitors can follow a guided tour below decks and learn about the ships many battles. The vessel still sails today and currently maintains a crew of 55 sailors. This interactive tour has great historical value and teaches visitors about a ship that had a hand in securing our freedom.
Paul Revere’s House
The British are coming! The British are coming! A visit to Paul Revere’s House (which is another stop along the Freedom Trail) is a historical Boston tour that will allow you to learn that these words were actually never spoken by Paul Revere or any other rider on that fateful night and on that Midnight Ride, but the tour will teach you exactly what did happen. Paul Revere’s House lies within the historic North End and is the oldest building standing in Boston. The house was built in 1680 however Paul Revere didn’t purchase the house until 1770. Paul lived in the house with his wife Sarah, his mother Deborah and his five children. Paul Revere owned the house until about 1800 at which time he sold it; the house then became a tenement, with shops on its ground floor. In 1902 Paul Revere’s great-grandson John P. Reynolds Jr., purchased the house to ensure that it not be demolished. After a thorough restoration project, the house opened in April of 1908 as one of the earliest historical house museum’s in the United States. Today visitors can walk through the home then sit outside and listen to the tale of that fateful Midnight Ride that turned Paul Revere from a silversmith into a legend.
Faneuil Hall
Yet another stop along the Freedom Trail, Faneuil Hall has been a market place and a meeting hall near the waterfront in Boston since 1742. Speeches by John Adams, James Otis and many others were given at Faneuil Hall encouraging independence from the British and for that, the hall is sometimes referred to as ‘The Cradle of Liberty. Atop Faneuil Hall resides the well known grasshopper weathervane, a very common symbol of Boston. The grasshopper was created by silversmith Shem Drowne in 1742; it was modeled after the grasshopper weathervane on the London Royal Exchange, thus this symbol associated the new building in the New World with a great center of finance of the Old World. Situated across from Quincy Market, Faneuil Hall is a great place to learn about many historical events that took place within the hall while at the same time it is a great place to relax, shop and eat. The ground floor of Faneuil Hall boasts a market place and a post office, and directly across, Quincy Market boasts many shops and eateries; Street entertainment can also be enjoyed year round. Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market are must see’s for any visitor to Boston.
Another historical Boston site known today as the Old State House, this building was the center of civic life for Boston in the 18th century. Inside this building, men like John Adams, James Otis, John Hancock and Samuel Adams all had part in debating the future of the British Colonies. Mere steps outside this building, on March 5, 1770 five men were among the first causalities in the war for independence and their deaths would later be known as the Boston Massacre. After the American Revolution, the building was used for a plethora of different things, it served as the new state house for the commonwealth of Massachusetts throughout the rest of the 18th century but in the 19th century served as a shopping arcade, city hall, a post office and a merchant exchange (among other things). In 1881 the building was restored by the Bostonian Society and has since been a museum. Today tourists can visit the Old State House to read and share the many historical moments that took place within its walls.
Old North Church
Located in Boston’s historic North End, and one of the many stops along the Freedom Trail, the Old North Church is Boston’s oldest church building. Built in 1723 this Episcopal church is known as ‘Christ Church in the City of Boston’. The steeple stands 191 feet tall and is the tallest steeple in Boston. Robert Newman signaled from this steeple with lanterns that the British regulars were approaching, “One if by land, and two, if by sea”. The steeple also contained the first set of bells every brought to America; Paul Revere was one of the neighborhood bell ringers. Today the church is open to visitors 9am to 5pm daily and services are still held at 9am and 4pm on Sundays. Although some restorations have been made, the interior high box pews, the brass chandeliers and the church’s first clock are all still original. This beautiful and historic building is a definite must on your tour of the North End.
Boston Tea Party Ship & Museum
When referring to the unfairness pressed upon the 13 colonies by the British and King George, the Boston Tea Party is always a popular tale to tell. The Tea Act of 1773 was the straw that broke the camels back for the colonists, they’d had enough of taxes and tariff’s pressed upon them by the British government. In May of 1773 the East India Co. was given permission to ship about half a million pounds of tea to the colonies that could be sold without the usual duties and tariff’s Brittan imposed on imported goods. The colonists were outraged at this latest event to undermine their trade and sale of goods and were posed to do something about it. Three ships from London, the Dartmouth, the Eleanor and the Beaver, sailed into Boston Harbor from November 28th to December 8, 1773 carrying the tea. On December 16, 1773 a large band of patriots disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded the ships and using axes and tomahawks proceeded to empty a total of 342 crates of tea into the Boston harbor. Their treasonous deed was the beginning of the end of the party in Boston. Visit the Boston Tea Party Ship and Museum, see the recreation of the event and all of the events that led up to this important event in Boston History.
While this last historical monument may not be a part of the history and development of America as a country, it is historical nonetheless and has every right to be on the list of the top 10 historic tours in Boston. The dream of Fenway was first realized in 1910 by Charles Henry Taylor who bought the Red Sox in 1907 (renaming the once Boston Pilgrims the Sox). Two years after the announcement of his dream of a new ballpark, Fenway (named for being built in the Fenway section of Boston) opened to its first crowd on April 10, 1212 (but officially opened on April 20, 1912). The Sox played and beat the New York Highlanders, later renamed the Yankees, in a 13 inning 7-6 victory. The Sox quickly became a powerhouse in the MLB, winning 5 world series in the first 15 years of their existence. However, a fateful trade of Babe Ruth, the man who would become a legend, sent the Sox into an 86 year drought-only to be broken by the 2004 Sox. Over the years many changes have been made to Fenway (due in large part to multiple fires) but the park has remained and is now the oldest ballpark still in use in Major League Baseball history. With its odd angles and peculiarities such as the 37 foot high green monster in left field, Fenway truly is a sight to see.
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There are many ways to see all of these great historical tributes as well as many other sites that make Boston what it is. For those with limited time in Boston, there are several tours available that will help you to see many of the sites in a small amount of time. Get the bird’s eye view of the city by visiting the top of the Prudential Building. 50 floors off the ground on the Prudential Buildings Skywalk Tour, you can see all of Boston and Cambridge. Take the listening tour that points out many of the historical sites that make up the city of Boston. Looking for a little more motion? Try one of Boston’s famous duck boat tours. This tour takes you by land and sea and covers all of the Boston sites to see that are not along the Freedom Trail. Whether a first time visitor or a seasoned tourist of Boston, these historical sites are fantastic to visit over and over again.
Sources:
History Notebook: Inventing The Freedom Trail. The Freedom Trail.org
Boston Common. A View On Cities.com
Bunker Hill Monument. Charlestown Online.com
USS Constitution. Wikipedia.org
About The House. Paul Revere House.org
Faneuil Hall. Wikipedia.org
The Old State House Museum. Boston History.org
Old North Church. City of Boston.gov
Boston Tea Party History. Boston Tea Party Ship.com
History of Fenway Park, Home of the Boston Red Sox. About.com
