| Freedom
Trail Boston, MA |
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| Places | Pictures | Faces | Tips | Links | Books |  |
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The trail begins at the oldest public park in the country--Boston Common. Sold to the city in 1634, this 44-acre spot of green was once used as an army training ground. It now offers a peaceful pause from the big city bustle, and a view of the beautiful, gold-domed State House, built in 1798. The 3-mile Trail, marked by a red brick or painted line throughout the city, leads to many buildings that were important meeting places for gatherings discussing the quest for independence. We ran out of daylight and missed Paul Revere's house and the famous Old North Church, and it was too dark for pictures at Bunker Hill, but here's a brief virtual tour of this historic path. |
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In this small graveyard are buried the highest concentration of famous Americans anywhere in the country. Among the historic figures are Benjamin Franklin's parents, Josiah and Abiah, who have the largest marker. Others include Paul Revere, John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Peter Faneuil, and the five victims of the Boston Massacre. |
The
Fifth of March : A Story of the Boston Massacre |
) The
Old South Meeting House
Built in 1729, this building has been called the "Nursery and Sanctuary of Freedom". Amanda learned that, "It was a church but they used it as a meeting house. When the talks about the Tea tax at Faneuil Hall got too many people, they moved to the Old South Meeting House. When the British came, they turned it into a barn and kept horses there. They burned the benches and books for firewood." |
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The Old State House
One of the oldest public buildings in the U.S., this beautiful structure was built in 1713. It was the meeting place of the Massachusetts Assembly, and the Boston Massacre happened just in front of it. This event, where the first five victims of the Revolution were killed by British soldiers, started with a simple argument and quickly got blown out of proportion. It spurred citizens to drive for the removal of troops to the harbor. Paul Revere made an engraving of the "Bloody Massacre", which depicted many inaccuracies but became a famous propaganda piece that was spread throughout the colonies and to England. |
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Faneuil Hall
Given to the town of Boston in 1742 by Peter Faneuil, a wealthy merchant, this meeting hall/market is still used for its original purpose. Harrison learned, "It started out half as big as it is today. In 1806 the size was doubled and another floor was added. This building is famous for allowing people to have freedom of speech. There is a grasshopper weathervane on the top that has glass doorknobs for eyes. Its stomach holds old trinkets, sort of like a time capsule." |
The
Boston Tea Party |
) Boston
Tea Party Ship and Museum
Though not really a part of the Trail, this participatory way of experiencing the Boston Tea Party was one the kids will remember. According to Harrison, "First we pretended we were Colonists and heard a speech on the Tea Act and we decided that we should dress as Mohawk Indians and throw the tea overboard. We went to the ship, the Beaver, shouting 'Dump the tea! Into the sea!', then the kids got to throw a fake tea crate over the side. I found out that the 342 chests of tea held 92,616 pounds of leaves, or 18,523,000 cups! Today it would be worth over a million dollars." |
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 Faces
(Click Here
for more faces) |
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Take public transit, so you only have to walk one direction on the trail. When you're done, you can just hop on the nearest subway and go back to your car. Besides, parking is incredibly expensive. Our first day in the city, we had to drive in. The parking fees were $23! The next day we parked at one of the commuter rail stops, and only paid $4.00 for parking and another $5.00 for the subway. And it was easier to boot. Stop at the city's Visitors Information Center at Boston Common, or the National Park Service Visitors Centers near the Old State House and buy a copy of the guide book The Complete Guide to Boston's Freedom Trail. It has descriptions and historical background of every stop on the route, as well as a map. Or pick of a free map of the trail from either location. For the kids, get a free Junior Ranger booklet from the Park Service. It had activities to help them learn about the sites and they can earn a badge if they complete all the requirements. The National Park Service gives free tours of part of the Trail from April to October at scheduled times, starting from the Visitor Center by the Old State House (on State Street). The Boston Common visitor information center has listings of other guided tours. The bus and "trolley" tours are expensive, and can't go to all the sites on the Trail, but they can get you around the city if you aren't up to walking the whole way. The whole trail is about three miles long.
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For Younger Readers |
For Older Readers |
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PLEASE DONATE GENEROUSLY TO HELP THE VICTIMS OF HURRICANE KATRINA
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When
we are on a field trip, we tend to move through things very slowly,
soaking in every detail we can. It took us two partial days, and we
still didn't see it all, but the hours we spent exploring Boston's Freedom
Trail were enjoyable and educational.
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Boston
(Cities of the World)