In the heart of the capital of Massachusetts, where history intertwines with modernity with the same vigour as everything else in this dynamic city, there´s a unique route which will take you back to colonial times. The Freedom Trail winds some four kilometres (2½ miles) through Boston´s historic core, including along the way the key landmarks which played a major role in the early history of the United States. Let´s have a look!
Follow the Reddish Brick Road
The first thing you notice about the Freedom Trail is its unique guideline of red bricks, which meanders through the streets of Boston, connecting 16 historical points that tell the story, step by step, of the key chapters of the American Revolution. You don’t have to be a history expert to enjoy it; you just have to let yourself be carried away by the curiosity and charm of each stop.
Start at the Boston Common
It all starts here at the oldest city park in the USA, founded in 1634: a 20-hectare (50-acre) swath where you could spend several pleasant hours even before embarking on the historic journey. The Common´s features include open, manicured lawns; the Frog Pond (with ice skating in winter and the rest of the year, wading and paddling around in “swan boats”); a historic cemetery; and a bandstand for public performances.
The Old State House and New South Meeting House
One of the city´s oldest remaining structures, the Old State House was built in 1713 as a courthouse, and was the site of many a historic event, including the 1770 Boston Massacre, in which British troops killed several of a crowd of protesting colonials, and in 1776 the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence; it´s now a history museum. Nearby, the 296-year-old Old South Meeting House is a onetime Protestant church – now part of the U.S. National Park Service – best known for being where in 1773 the rebelious colonists organised the Boston Tea Party, which can fairly be said to have lit the spark that flamed into the Revolution.
Paul Revere and his Epic Midnight Ride
Following the Freedom Trail wouldn´t be complete without a visit to the Paul Revere House, el hogar del hombre que alertó a los colonos sobre la llegada de las tropas británicas en su legendaria cabalgata nocturna. Desde allí, la ruta te lleva hasta la Old North Church, donde las luces en su campanario enviaron el famoso mensaje: “Uno si es por tierra, dos si es por mar”.
Two other notable stops on the Trail are the Bunker Hill Monument, an imposing monument commemorating the first great battle of the Revolution, in 1775 (which, incidentally, was won by the British but they suffered so many casualties that it ended up being a morale booster for the colonials), while the USS Constitution, the world´s oldest still floating warship, was built well after the Revolution, in 1794, and instead saw action during the War of 1812.
You can do the trail in one fell swoop in just two to three hours, but of course the idea is to spend time at the sites which most interest you, which means you could spread it out over a day or even two. And to make it even more interesting, guided tours are available – including some conducted by guides in period dress and even personae.
And finally, although the Freedom Trail is focussed on the past, all along the way you´ll have the opportunity to also explore the very best of today´s Boston, in the form of fetching cafés, restaurants, shops, and galleries.
So especially if you´re a first-time visitor to “Beantown”, this is one stroll you´ll definitely need to take – and let Iberia help get you there!
Photos | Simon van Hemert ; S. Greg Panosian ; mtcurado ; Deejpilot