The Freedom Trail is an infamous walking tour in Boston that leads to 16 historical sites scattered around the city. You can experience more than 250 years of history significant to the American Revolution and beyond. It’s an absolute must when visiting Boston!
Official guided tours of the Freedom Trail are available, but only include 11 out of the 16 sites. My parents and I opted for a self-guided tour of the Freedom Trail instead and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The Freedom Trail is 4 km (2.5 miles) long and with stopping at each site, it took us almost a full day.
I hope you enjoy this summary of a self-guided tour of the Freedom Trail!
You can find a map of the Freedom Trail sites here: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=18y30DWnYDfrPuF0oNVsJ6xu9DVM&hl=en_US&ll=42.365909368395066%2C-71.05875705&z=14
Boston Common
America’s oldest public park that began as a grazing ground for cattle and sheep. It was also a place to hang pirates, witches, and criminals and was used for public speech. Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke here, Pope John Paul II said Mass here, and Gloria Steinem advanced the feminist revolution on these grounds.
Massachusetts State House
Boston’s newer State House, completed in 1798. Its dome was once made of wood, and later overlaid with copper by Paul Revere. It was covered with 23-karat gold leaf in 1874. Today, senators, state representatives, and the governor conduct daily business here.
Tours of the Massachusetts State House are available on weekdays year-round from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm for free. More info: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/trs/trsgen/genidx.htm
Park Street Church
Founded in 1809, the steeple of this church was once the first landmark travelers saw when approaching Boston. Prison reform, women’s suffrage and protests against slavery were strongly supported here.
Granary Burying Ground
This cemetery is so unique and it’s one of my favourite Freedom Trail sites. Some of America’s most notable citizens are buried here, such as Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Benjamin Franklin’s parents, James Otis, Peter Faneuil, and all five of the Boston Massacre victims.
King’s Chapel & Burying Ground
King’s Chapel was founded in 1686 as New England’s first Anglican church. The interior of the 1754 stone chapel is considered the finest example of Georgian architecture in North America. The church houses the oldest continuously used pulpit in America, installed over 200 years ago!
John Winthrop, Massachusetts’ first governor, and Mary Chilton, the first woman to step off the Mayflower, are buried in the cemetery.
Boston Latin School Site & Benjamin Franklin Statue
A mosaic marks America’s first public school where instruction was offered to boys free of charge. In 1972, the boys-only tradition finally ended. You will also see a statue of the school’s most famous student, Benjamin Franklin. He attended classes there not long before he dropped out of school entirely.
Old Corner Bookstore
The Old Corner Bookstore is Boston’s oldest commercial building. It was built in 1718 as an apothecary shop and home. It then became the center of American book publishing in the mid-1800s. Here, publishers Ticknor and Fields introduced the world to well-known American writers, such as Louisa May Alcott and Mark Twain.
Old South Meeting House
On December 16, 1773, 5,000 angry colonists gathered at the Old South Meeting House to protest a tax on tea and started a revolution with the Boston Tea Party. From outraged protests over the Boston Massacre to the night when Samuel Adams gave the secret signal to throw 340 crates of tea into Boston Harbor, colonists assembled at the meeting house to challenge British rule. It still serves as an active meeting place today.
I consider this to be one of the most important Freedom Trail sites and the place that started the American Revolution. Make sure to take a look inside! More info: https://www.osmh.org/
Old State House
Built in 1713, the Old State House was the seat of British colonial power in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Old State House was the center for passionate debate, as Boston patriots developed the revolutionary idea of self-government. When the people of Boston first heard the Declaration of Independence read from the Old State House balcony, they tore down the lion and unicorn statues, symbols of royal authority, in defiance of the King.
Tours of the Old State House are available. More info: https://www.bostonhistory.org/
Boston Massacre Site
On March 5, 1770, directly outside the Old State House, a group of locals protested over the town’s occupation by British forces. The crowd became a mob, and the soldiers opened fire, fatally wounding five Bostonians. Paul Revere labeled the incident a “bloody massacre” and his widely circulated illustration of the event stirred up anti-British sentiment in the colonies.
Faneuil Hall
Often referred to as “the home of free speech”, Faneuil Hall was one of America’s first public meeting venues. Built in 1741, Faneuil Hall served as an open forum meeting hall and marketplace and has continued to provide a platform for debate today.
Now is a great time to stop for lunch at Quincy Market during your Freedom Trail tour!
Paul Revere House
You’ll now head over to Boston’s North End to another one of my favourite Freedom Trail sites. Built around 1680, the Paul Revere House is the oldest remaining structure in downtown Boston. On April 18, 1775, Paul Revere and his family were living here when Paul was given the task of riding to Lexington, Massachusetts, with the news that British troops were about to march into the countryside outside of Boston. Paul’s infamous “Midnight Ride” is what launched the American Revolution.
Definitely stop here for a tour of the house to learn more about Paul’s life and to see what a home in 17th/18th century Boston was like. More info: https://www.paulreverehouse.org/
Old North Church
Built in 1723, the Old North Church is Boston’s oldest church building. The church rose to fame on April 18, 1775 when Paul Revere instructed a friend to hang two lanterns in the tower of the church to alert Patriots outside of Boston that the British were marching to Lexington and Concord by river and not land.
A tour of the church includes visiting the bell ringing chamber, the church crypt, and Captain Jackson’s Historic Chocolate Shop. More info: https://oldnorth.com/
Copp’s Hill Burying Ground
Copp’s Hill Burying Ground is the final resting place of merchants, artisans, and craftspeople who lived in Boston’s North End. Robert Newman, the man who hung the lanterns on the night of Paul Revere’s ride is buried here.
USS Constitution
Time to cross the North Washington Street Bridge into Charlestown and head to the USS Constitution. Launched in Boston in 1797, this imposing ship earned her nickname “Old Ironsides” during the War of 1812. During this historic battle, cannonballs fired at the Constitution, yet they appeared to bounce off! A British sailor remarked that her sides were made of iron. Today, the Constitution is still a commissioned United States Navy warship with a crew of naval officers.
The USS Constitution is open to the public for visits, free of charge. Visitors over the age of 18 must show government-issued photo ID. I loved hopping on-board and seeing the inside of this historical ship. Next to the ship, you can also visit the USS Constitution Museum for a fee. More info: https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/
Bunker Hill Monument
This 221-foot obelisk marks the site of the first major battle of the American Revolution. On June 17, 1775, the Battle of Bunker Hill marks one of the first times Colonial forces held their own against the British army.
Now that you have completed the self-guided tour of the Freedom Trail (congrats!), spend some time wandering around Charles Town and Bunker Hill. I love these areas of Boston.
Many of the sites on this self-guided tour of the Freedom Trail are included in the Go Boston Card: https://gocity.com/boston/en-us.
To read my blog post, “A Perfect Long Weekend in Boston,” click here.
To read my blog post, “Where to See Cherry Blossoms in Boston,” click here.
