Boston Freedom Trail Tours have been part of the tourist experience in Massachusetts since the 1950s, when the trail was first established. The pedestrianised route now stretches for around two and a half miles, and passes some 16 sites of historical interest, most of them related in some way to the tumultuous days of the American Revolution. This article will run down a few of the sites which visitors can see on the route.
Most people begin their walk around the trail at Boston Common, or 'Commons' as it it sometimes, erroneously, called. This is actually the oldest public park in the whole of the USA, and was first opened in 1634. The Central Burying Ground is incorporated into the park, and houses the graves of the poet Charles Sprague, and his father, Samuel, who was a participant in some of the events of the American Revolution.
The next site on the route is the Massachusetts State House, the main seat of state government in this part of the US. This building is known for its distinctive domed roof, which was coppered by the company belonging to the famous Paul Revere. A statue of Civil War General Joseph Hooker can also be seen outside of the building.
While some visitors may then want to stop and see sites like the Granary Burying Ground or the Park Street Church, others will be more drawn to the Benjamin Franklin statue. Franklin was a polymathic intellectual, and one of the the most iconic figures of the nascent United States. Perhaps appropriately, his statue is also close to the site of America's first public school, the Boston Latin School.
The route also takes in the site of the infamous Boston Massacre, when British soldiers fired on a rioting crowd just before the American Revolution. While contemporary evidence suggests that the soldiers' behaviour was not egregious by the moral standards of the day, the incident was used as propaganda by the revolutionaries. The soldiers were placed in an invidious position, and the incident became a part of American legend.
Faneuil Hall is another site on the trail which is strongly linked with the historical events leading up the Revolution. This site has been a meeting placer since the 1740s, as well as being the site of a regular market, and was where figures such as Samuel Adams made their speeches advocating breaking the link with Great Britain. The building is sometimes nicknamed 'the Cradle of Liberty' for this reason.
Most visitors end their walk along the trail with a visit to the USS Constitution, a heavy frigate which dates back to the 1790s. She saw service against the British Royal Navy in the War of 1812, and is now the oldest naval vessel, which is still commissioned and afloat, in the whole world. Her crew conduct tours for visitors, providing insight into the history of the US Navy.
These are just some of the sites which can be seen by visitors who enjoy Boston Freedom Trail tours. The walk is an illuminating journey through American history. Any visitor to this part of New England should make sure that they walk at least some of the route's length.
Most people begin their walk around the trail at Boston Common, or 'Commons' as it it sometimes, erroneously, called. This is actually the oldest public park in the whole of the USA, and was first opened in 1634. The Central Burying Ground is incorporated into the park, and houses the graves of the poet Charles Sprague, and his father, Samuel, who was a participant in some of the events of the American Revolution.
The next site on the route is the Massachusetts State House, the main seat of state government in this part of the US. This building is known for its distinctive domed roof, which was coppered by the company belonging to the famous Paul Revere. A statue of Civil War General Joseph Hooker can also be seen outside of the building.
While some visitors may then want to stop and see sites like the Granary Burying Ground or the Park Street Church, others will be more drawn to the Benjamin Franklin statue. Franklin was a polymathic intellectual, and one of the the most iconic figures of the nascent United States. Perhaps appropriately, his statue is also close to the site of America's first public school, the Boston Latin School.
The route also takes in the site of the infamous Boston Massacre, when British soldiers fired on a rioting crowd just before the American Revolution. While contemporary evidence suggests that the soldiers' behaviour was not egregious by the moral standards of the day, the incident was used as propaganda by the revolutionaries. The soldiers were placed in an invidious position, and the incident became a part of American legend.
Faneuil Hall is another site on the trail which is strongly linked with the historical events leading up the Revolution. This site has been a meeting placer since the 1740s, as well as being the site of a regular market, and was where figures such as Samuel Adams made their speeches advocating breaking the link with Great Britain. The building is sometimes nicknamed 'the Cradle of Liberty' for this reason.
Most visitors end their walk along the trail with a visit to the USS Constitution, a heavy frigate which dates back to the 1790s. She saw service against the British Royal Navy in the War of 1812, and is now the oldest naval vessel, which is still commissioned and afloat, in the whole world. Her crew conduct tours for visitors, providing insight into the history of the US Navy.
These are just some of the sites which can be seen by visitors who enjoy Boston Freedom Trail tours. The walk is an illuminating journey through American history. Any visitor to this part of New England should make sure that they walk at least some of the route's length.
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