25 Significant Sites Selected for Independent Travelers
Commemorating 250 Years of Revolutionary History in Boston
By Daniel Berger-Jones
Looking for a meaningful travel experience centered around the American Revolution and the formative events of the United States?
With its wealth of national parks and sites of national significance, there is no better place to begin than on the streets and shores of Boston and its surrounding towns. Some are hiding in plain sight. Some show bullet holes from the war. All are reachable by bus, bike, train, and occasionally by boat, ferry, or car. In the case of Castle Island, there’s even convenient free parking. As there will often be no red brick line and large crowds to follow, getting there will be half the fun. In sum, we present a list that’s perfect for friends, families, couples, or solo adventures. Let’s go!
Boston is famous for its role in the lead-up to the American Revolution. The Boston Massacre is the first indication that the British government will shoot and kill anyone who disobeys. The Boston Tea Party is the ultimate act of disobedience, and shots fired by embattled farmers in neighboring Lexington and Concord - the “shot heard round the world” - are the first sparks of the American Revolution.
The moments that led to these explosive events simmered with equally dramatic tension. This list is compiled with the intention to shine a spotlight on revolutionary history sites that get less attention than they deserve. There is an undeniable magic in standing on the locations where the historical events that shaped our current lives took place, and when there are no crowds to compete, that magic is even more palpable.
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105 Brattle Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
When George Washington accepted command of the Continental Army in June of 1775, he truly had no idea what he had signed up for. Upon arriving in Cambridge, Massachusetts he immediately noted the lack of discipline and overall disarray amongst the ranks. Astutely, Washington requested to be quartered somewhere outside of the main camp so he might have moments of contemplative silence to correspond with the Continental Congress and maintain a lofty separation from his men, commanding further respect for the hierarchy of officers. He was relocated to the Vassal Mansion, which would become his first Headquarters of the American Revolution, and from which he would devise the brilliant plan to occupy Dorchester Heights and dislodge the British from Boston forever. In 1843 the house became the property of one of its boarders, the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, author of “Paul Revere’s Ride.”
Officially the only National Park Site in the city of Cambridge, the Longfellow House offers free tours, and there is a rose garden on the grounds where guests can enjoy a nice stroll as well, especially during warmer months. -
95R G Street, Boston, MA 02127
A white marble obelisk and a few cannons dot this hilltop park. In 1776 a desperate George Washington was puzzled over how to dislodge the British soldiers occupying Boston. When Henry Knox returned from Fort Ticonderoga with more than 50 cannons, Washington had his men prefabricate the pieces of a fort from Cambridge, drag them up to Dorchester Heights, and quickly assemble the entire fortress overnight. He then fired cannonballs at the British war ships to show that from this height, he could sink their giant, weapon-laden ships. British General William Howe surrendered and arranged a deal. Don’t fire on us, and we won’t burn Boston to the ground. Washington accepted, Howe retreated, and Boston became the first liberated city of the war. From Dorchester Heights, essentially Telegraph Hill in South Boston, there are lovely views of Victorian homes, M Street and Carson beaches, and Boston’s urban oceanfront. Or visit L Street Tavern, famous for its Robin Williams scenes in Good Will Hunting. A restoration of the monument and park is underway and will be completed ahead of March 17, 2026, the 250th anniversary of Evacuation Day in Boston.
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2080 William J. Day Blvd., Boston, MA 02127
Once an island fortress called Castle William, there have been fortifications on this site since the 1630s. Landfill in the late 19th and early 20th centuries connected the island to South Boston, making it accessible and walkable. During the American Revolution, Paul Revere served as a Colonel in the Massachusetts Militia here at the fort, renaming it Fort Independence. A young Edgar Allen Poe served in the military here, and although its last renovation came during the Civil War, it was still in military use as recently as WWII, defending Boston from potential aerial and submarine attacks. Gorgeous views of Boston Harbor combine here with incredible history, and perhaps most importantly, you can’t beat the fried oysters and lobster rolls at Boston classic institution Sullivan’s Castle Island, located directly next to the Fort.
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850 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02144
In August of 1774, General William Brattle sent a letter to British General Thomas Gage notifying him that the Powder House in Charlestown (which is now present-day Somerville) had been emptied of all gunpowder except the King’s. The following day, more than 250 Redcoat soldiers emptied the Powder House of its remaining gunpowder and brought it back within the safety of Boston’s city limits. Nevertheless, an alarm was raised, and the following day, thousands of armed Massachusetts farmers assembled on Cambridge Common and began to riot. Driving Cambridge Loyalists out of their homes, the farmers quickly proved the countryside around Boston to be deeply hostile for anyone who did not share their political ideals.
Often referred to as “the dress rehearsal for Lexington and Concord,” the events that transpired as part of the Powder Alarm remain somewhat undiscovered by most folks today, despite their incredible significance to the buildup of the war. The stone tower that served as the Powder House still stands in the center of Powder House Square in Somerville. Nearby Davis Square (accessible by the Red Line) has a popular food scene, featuring local pubs and live music; or visitors can head in the opposite direction to explore the pristine and beautiful campus of Tufts University (also reachable via Green Line from downtown). You can even visit General Brattle’s House, built in 1727, which still stands at 42 Brattle Street in Cambridge, or view six other intact Loyalist mansions along “Tory Row,” aka Brattle Street, one of the most beautiful residential streets in New England. -
opp. 1438 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138
Finished in 1720, Massachusetts Hall is the second oldest collegiate building in the country. Freshmen who spent their first years at Harvard in the building include John Hancock, Samuel Adams, James Otis, and John Adams. Now housing the Office of the Harvard University President, the building still serves as a residence for sixteen students at a time, though the President has veto power if he or she doesn’t like the look of the students living above.
In the days leading up to the American Revolution, Harvard students protested outside of the Hall around Harvard’s Rebellion Tree. Once the war broke out, Massachusetts Hall was used as barracks for as many as 650 soldiers. A tight squeeze, to say the least. Directly across Harvard Yard from this hall is the world-famous statue of John Harvard. Be careful about rubbing the foot. That’s all we’ll say about it; definitely, Google it. -
60 Long Wharf, Boston, MA 02110
In 1712 the Massachusetts Bay Colony constructed the British Empire’s longest wharf along Boston’s waterfront, cleverly naming it “The Long Wharf.” Stretching out to deep water, this new advancement meant ships no longer had to anchor offshore, offload, paddle rowboats loaded with goods to shore, and offload again. Instead, ships could dock along Long Wharf, unloading cargo directly into readily available storehouses or carriages. In 1768, when British soldiers were dispatched to Boston to suppress the growing unrest, several thousand of them arrived at Long Wharf before marching into town. Paul Revere’s famous carving of the event shows how it resembled an invasion and was clearly orchestrated to terrify Bostonians into obedience. Most of the Colonial-era storehouses on this wharf are gone, but notably, one storehouse remains.
Formerly known as the Gardiner Building, legend has it that John Hancock himself stored goods in what is now the Chart House restaurant. Often referred to as “Hancock’s Counting House” it is the oldest building on Long Wharf. Dine in the heart of Boston’s bustling waterfront, mere steps from several other offerings including ferry access to the Boston Harbor Islands, the New England Aquarium, Whale Watch excursions, and Codzilla, Boston’s highly popular wet and wild speedboat ride. -
15 George Street, Medford, MA 02155
On the night of April 18th, 1775, Paul Revere escaped from Boston by rowboat and crossed the Charles River, bound for Charlestown. Once safely across the river, he began his famous ride on horseback, and soon encountered a group of British soldiers, strategically stationed to arrest messengers such as himself. Thinking quickly to evade capture, he rode down a different path, ultimately passing through the farm of Isaac Royall in Medford. Royall was a notorious Loyalist, and famous for having enslaved the largest number of people in the history of Massachusetts.
Incredibly, his house and the slave quarters remain intact to this day and open to the public. There may be no finer museum in the country to experience both free and enslaved lives at the outbreak of the American Revolution. While the house itself gives a glimpse into the life of wealthy landholders at the time, the slave quarters offer visitors a chance to experience the only surviving residences in the Commonwealth for enslaved people. While in the area, visitors can explore the beauty of the Mystic River and even take to the water by renting a canoe, paddleboard, or kayak through Paddle Boston’s Medford location. -
School Street, Plymouth, MA 02360
With the publication of the History of the Rise, Progress and Termination of the American Revolution in 1805, Mercy Otis Warren earned the distinction of being the first person to write a complete history of the American Revolution, as she knew its events and protagonists intimately. During the years of growing tension, Warren brazenly espoused Whig values and wrote scathing plays and pamphlets that roasted Colonial Governor Thomas Hutchinson. She delighted and entertained Boston with her wit and bold arguments. Her husband James served as president of the Provincial Congress. Husband and wife lie side by side in Burial Hill Cemetery, a shady ridge with sweeping views of Plymouth Harbor and the Atlantic Ocean.
While here, stroll downhill and look for Plymouth Rock. When tourists inadvertently mock the small size of the “great rock,” they do not know that the granite sustained casualties in 1774, when locals hefted it over to the Town Square to serve as an advertisement for recruiting colonial militiamen. Look for the spot where they snapped it in half and stapled it back together. -
opp. 1400 Massachusetts Avenue, 02138
By 1779 Bostonians had spent four years ignoring the rule of the British government and improvising their way through a society that no longer obeyed British Law. This could prove problematic; and so, the Provincial Congress appointed Samual Adams, James Bowdoin, and mastermind John Adams to write new rules for a new world. The Provincial Congress read the new Constitution and voted on its amendments in Cambridge’s Fourth Meeting House, the church that once stood where Lehman Hall is today.
The Massachusetts Constitution, ratified in 1780, is the oldest continuously used governing document in the world. John Adams attempted to abolish slavery in this document and was outvoted. He began Article I with the words “All men are born free and equal,” causing Quock Walker and Elizabeth Freeman to sue their enslavers. The Supreme Judicial Court agreed that, by the new constitution, they could not be held in slavery, effectively abolishing the practice forever in the Commonwealth. While here, enjoy a stroll through the rest of Harvard Yard, or the other sites in Cambridge on this list. And note that Cambridge’s Fifth (and thus far, final) Meeting House stands at the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Church Street under the name First Parish of Cambridge and is a welcoming community space. -
North Washington Square, Salem, MA 01970
Contrary to popular belief, the very first muster of militiamen in the history of the British Colonies was not in Boston, but rather a little farther north in the city of Salem, MA in the spring of 1637. Officially named the Birthplace of the National Guard in 2013, the soldier-farmers who assembled on the field in the 1630s, to guard against attacks by indigenous tribes, would later evolve into the Minutemen who fought the Redcoats one-hundred-and-forty years later. The same militia would go on to thwart Colonel Alexander Leslie at the North Bridge in Salem in 1775.
In a scene that more closely resembles that of a Monty Python sketch, the Salemites prevented Leslie from discovering some illegally gathered cannons at a local blacksmith by reeling up the drawbridge and taunting him from the opposite side. While the bridge no longer exists today, beautiful Salem Common remains. The city is also famous for the witchcraft trials held in 1692, its maritime boom in the 1790s, and its well-preserved homes from the 1600s, 1700s, and 1800s. Make sure to add a stop at the Peabody Essex Museum to your itinerary, time to peruse the shops for a few bewitching souvenirs, or have a psychic reading done along Essex Street. -
95 Forest Hills Avenue, Jamaica Plain
As the town doctor, Joseph Warren was well known, well liked, and well-off. He wrote many articles in Boston newspapers advocating for the fair treatment of colonists by Parliament. He was elected president of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress, served as head of the Board of Safety, and dispatched William Dawes and Paul Revere on their midnight rides. In June of 1775, his commission as Major General was on its way from Philadelphia, but he chose to serve as a private on the frontlines of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Holding out with the last of the militia members so the rest could retreat, he was shot in the head and died instantly on June 17, 1776.
In Boston, his loss was perhaps the most lamented of the entire war. Everyone, rich and poor, mourned him. His body was initially interred in the Granary Burying Ground, then moved twice. He now lies in Forest Hills Cemetery, one of the most beautiful final resting places in New England. His brother John Warren, founder of Harvard Medical School and his nephew John Collins Warren, a founder of Massachusetts General Hospital and the first surgeon to use ether as anesthetic, are buried beside him. Look nearby for the gravesites of literary giants e.e. cummings and Eugene O’Neill; abolitionists William Cooper Nell and William Lloyd Garrison, and many of Boston’s black, Chinese, and Jewish citizens from the 1800-1900s. -
10 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
When George Washington left Philadelphia for New York on June 21st, 1775, he knew nothing of the Battle of Bunker Hill until he arrived on the 25th. When he reached Cambridge on July 2nd for his first field command, it was pouring rain. When he examined his troops, he found a ragtag bunch of Massachusetts farm boys who were carousing with their own officers and hadn’t even bothered to dig latrines to keep each other from getting dysentery. What’s more, they had used nearly all their gunpowder and ammunition on Bunker Hill. Over the next eight months, Washington started practicing combat drills and formations, instituted discipline, and built the beginnings of the army that eventually claimed victory in the American Revolution.
The famous elm under which he took his command still stands today, or rather one that is genetically identical. The tree fell in 1923, and a clipping from the original tree was replanted, known today as the Washington Elm. Monuments to Washington adorn the tree, as do monuments of Masonic African Lodge founder Prince Hall, the site where Henry Knox delivered the cannons used on Dorchester heights. Christ Church, where Washington spent his Christmas worshipping, bears a bullet hole on the inner set of doors, presumed to have been fired during the Battle of Lexington and Concord in 1775.
See also: Hancock Elms on Boston Common. Atop Beacon Street and flanking the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial on the Freedom Trail, look for two elm trees, purported to be the oldest English Elms on Boston Common. The trees were planted along the northern fringe of Boston Common, opposite John Hancock’s residence, which once stood on the western lawn of the gold-domed Massachusetts State House. In the last couple of centuries, they have lost much of their height, many of their branches, and one is held up, primarily, by a set of concrete bricks, which are visible through a large gap in the trunk. Nevertheless, this is your chance to touch a living thing that was touched by the man whose signature made American Independence official. -
24 Beacon Street, Beacon Hill
The fruits of independence and the wealth of the Commonwealth are on display in this lavish and beautiful piece of Federalist Architecture. Designed by Charles Bulfinch, the final architect of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., the State House was built in the front yard of John Hancock, first governor of Massachusetts. In addition to monuments to George Washington (in full roman toga), John Adams, John Hancock, and dramatized paintings of the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, Boston Tea Party, and every governor since colonial times, the State House also houses the current government of the Commonwealth. Don’t miss the House of Representatives with its famous Sacred Cod, the Senate with its famous Holy Mackerel, or the Governor’s office with portraits of recent governors Deval Patrick, Charlie Baker, Michael Dukakis, and Mitt Romney. Be warned that you must pass through security to enter, as the government of the Commonwealth of MA continues to operate inside the building (so leave your drugs, guns, and knives at home!)
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10-1/2 Beacon Street, Beacon Hill
When Thomas Jefferson died with massive debts, an estate sale was organized to pay his creditors. The sale took place at the Boston Athenaeum. Founded in 1807, the Boston Athenaeum has long been one of the most prestigious and important private libraries in the nation. With a collection of half a million books, both new and rare, the Athenaeum provided the seed for Boston’s Public Library in the 1840s, the original cache of art used to form the Museum of Fine Arts in the 1870s, and its gorgeous 19th century architecture and peaceful rooms with high-ceilings and views of Boston’s Granary Burying Ground remain one of the best-kept secrets in Boston. Be sure to look for the busts of George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette that once adorned Jefferson’s Monticello, on display side-by-side; the gorgeous 5th floor reading room and balcony, and the 4th floor Trustees Room which houses George Washington’s own private library on shelves. Stop by their new restaurant Folio and get the focaccia!
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45 Hull Street, Boston, MA 02113
Freed from slavery by slaveholder William Hall, Prince Hall was literate, eloquent, and patriotic. When he attempted to join the local Freemasons, they denied him membership due to his race. He joined a lodge attached to a British regiment instead, but found himself shooting at lodge brothers while fighting for the American side on Bunker Hill. The Grand Lodge of England eventually gave him a charter to start the First African Lodge, better known today as the Prince Hall Masons. He famously lobbied George Washington to abolish slavery in the new nation, started the first public school for Black children in Boston (visit the Black Heritage Trail for more on that history), and is buried today in Copp’s Hill Burying Ground. While on Copp’s Hill, don’t overlook the tombs of Puritan ministers Increase and Cotton Mather, Boston’s first lighthouse keeper, George Worthylake, and the tombstone of pro-American, anti-British Captain Daniel Malcolm. Malcolm’s tomb is remarkably riddled with bullet marks from target practice when the British troops occupied the hill during the Battle of Bunker Hill.
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1 Milk Street, Boston, Massachusetts
Although often associated with the city of Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin is in fact a native of Boston. Born in 1706 on Milk Street in the present-day Financial District, he worked several jobs throughout his formative years. Franklin was introduced to the art of printing at an early age, eventually becoming a printer himself, but he was also an inventor, a scientist, a diplomat, and signer of the Declaration of Independence. Of his many inventions, the most notable included the lightning rod, bifocals, the Franklin Stove, and the modern lending library system. With so many historic inventions to his name, of course Boston clings to him as one of its own. Benjamin Franklin was also the first U.S. Postmaster General and lead American Ambassador for France. Above the second story of 1 Milk Street, his birthplace, now sits a bust of Franklin himself, adorning the window lintel. Today you’ll find a Greek restaurant called Greco, occupying the building, but if you look across the street, you’ll see the famous Old South Meeting House. Benjamin Franklin’s family were members of the congregation, and this is ultimately where the events of the Boston Tea Party first began.
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Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts
John Gray’s Ropewalk, where Bostonians once stranded fibers together to create the miles of rope used aboard every ship-of-sail at the time, was the site of a massive brawl that broke out several nights prior to the Boston Massacre. After a Redcoat seeking extra work was accosted by some local sailors, a huge fistfight ensued, adding to what was already an incredibly tense situation at the time. Days later, another dispute would unfold a mere two blocks away on King’s Street, with sailors once again assaulting soldiers, ultimately causing the soldiers to fire into the crowd of onlookers. During what is now historically referred to as the Boston Massacre, Matthew Kilroy, one of two soldiers later convicted of manslaughter during the massacre, would fire at Samuel Gray, suspiciously killing the very man with whom he had fought just days prior at Gray’s Ropewalk. The Ropewalk today is now a lovely urban park known to locals as Post Office Square. Full of Financial District hustle and bustle, restaurants, coffee shops, and the nearby High Street Place Food Hall, it’s mere steps from the very site of the now infamous Boston Massacre.
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206 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02109 and Old South Meeting House, 310 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108
When word reached Boston that the Continental Congress had declared Independence, the balcony of the Old State House felt like the right place to read the declaration to the rowdy populace. The British Royal governor commanded Boston from the Council Chamber of this building, so it only seemed fitting that the declaration of a new government should be shouted from its balcony. The result was a riotous celebration in which Patriots ripped down the lion and unicorn, the very symbols of the Empire and Crown, from the parapets of the building. Replicas replaced them in 1881, so they are visible today, polished and gleaming, an essential part of Boston’s iconography. Look for the unicorn in the Boston Marathon logo.
Local nonprofit Revolutionary Spaces operates this building, now functioning as a museum complete with a facsimile of the Royal Governor’s Council Chamber where visitors can sit in his chair and “govern,” learn about Colonial Boston, or admire one of John Hancock’s frock coats. The same organization runs Old South Meeting House, one block away. There, on December 16, 1775, the Town Meeting listened to speeches by John Hancock and Samuel Adams before marching to the harbor to dump 33,000 pounds of tea into the water at the Boston Tea Party. Many folks walking the Freedom Trail pass these iconic and important buildings without ever stepping inside. The immersive journey inside is well worth the paltry price of admission. -
465 Huntington Ave, Avenue of the Arts
Home to one of the greatest collections of early American Art in the world, Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts provides the opportunity to look the revolutionary heroes in the face, not just see their graves. John Singleton Copley’s timeless portraits of John Hancock, Paul Revere, Joseph Warren, Mercy Otis Warren, and John Hancock are interspersed with Gilbert Stuart portraits of Henry Knox, George Washington (the model portrait for the quarter), and Paul Revere-made silver. Hosting one of the largest collections of Asian Art outside of Asia, America’s largest collection of Egyptian artifacts, more works of Monet than anywhere outside of France, and thousands of other incredible pieces of art and cultural relics, the museum is truly one of humanity’s greatest treasure chests.
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Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts
The Boston Women’s Memorial lies in the middle of Commonwealth Avenue Mall, a landscaped median inspired by the grand boulevards of Paris, France. Since the 1850s, the city of Boston has worked to create an outdoor sculpture garden, filling it with sculptures and memorials, spanning from Kenmore Square to the Public Garden. Among the sculptures, you’ll find suffragist Lucy Stone, and two famous women from Revolutionary times: Phillis Wheatley and Abigail Adams. Phillis Wheatley is the first person of color, of any gender, to have her poetry published in the American Colonies. Her ode to George Washington in 1775 earned her an invitation to dine with him, though it’s not clear if she ever made it to his dinner table.
Abigail Adams served as counselor and confidant to her famous husband, John Adams. Their correspondence, which survives to this day, tells a love story amidst political drama in turbulent times. As our first Second Lady, and second First Lady, her place in history is continually being reexamined, as her influence on her husband’s policies cannot be overstated. Near the end of the Commonwealth Avenue Mall you’ll find sculptures of Alexander Hamilton and several former Boston Mayors and heroes. All lead to the Boston Public Garden, the first public botanical garden in America, which boasts a massive sculpture of George Washington as a tribute.
The women’s memorial is located on Commonwealth Avenue Mall between Fairfield and Gloucester Streets. It’s best to start or finish at the Boston Public Garden. -
135 Adams Street, Quincy, MA 02169
Just a few stops on the Red Line (Quincy Center) from Boston Common, the John Adams and John Quincy Adams historic sites show glimpses of the lives of our nation’s second and sixth presidents. John Adams was the man who nominated George Washington as General of the Continental Army. He famously defended the British soldiers in the Boston Massacre Trial. He was the architect of the Massachusetts Constitution, the first Vice President of the United States, the second POTUS, and instrumental in crafting the government that currently exists in this country. A voracious reader who lived to the age of 90, his life had moments of calmness and leisure, particularly at the end. Adams National Historic Park shows off the quaint country life of a gentleman farmer in New England at the turn of the 19th Century, the resting places of both Presidents and their wives, the birthplaces of both father and son Adams, and the gorgeous Stone Library.
In addition to rich history, the city of Quincy offers restaurants with ocean views at Marina Bay and some of the best Chinese food in Massachusetts clustered around Hancock Street in North Quincy. Don’t leave without a glimpse at the undeveloped “Arrowhead Hill,” better known as Moswetuset Hummock. Here, the indigenous group from which Massachusetts derives its name held councils in the marshes. -
95 Waverly Street, Cambridge
The only surviving fortification from the American Revolution in the Greater Boston area is a small, unassuming redoubt hosting a few small cannons. Untouched since the 1770s, these were the first fortifications that were built under orders from George Washington to protect the Continental Army stationed in Cambridge. With a lack of construction equipment or materials, the redoubt was a simple set of dirt mounds to protect the carriage-mounted cannons. Designed to rake the Charles River with cannon shot in case of a naval incursion upstream by the British, there is now a quiet magic in the air of this unassuming Cambridge Park tucked away behind MIT. Locals walk their dogs unassumingly here, kids run around, and it is occasionally completely abandoned, leaving visitors to quietly imagine the scene before the buildings around them were built. While here, it’s a quick walk to Magazine Beach, Memorial Drive, and, of course, the MIT campus.
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Lexington, Massachusetts
Purchase tickets at Buckman Tavern at 1 Bedford Street, Lexington, MA 02420
With a multi-use ticket from the Lexington History Museums, you too can visit the interiors of Buckman Tavern and Munroe Tavern. Famous for their roles in the Battles of Lexington and Concord, both taverns allow visitors to immerse themselves in colonial life and explore at their own pace. Built in 1710, Buckman Tavern served as the mustering point of the Lexington Militia on that historic morning of April 19th, 1775. From here, the men filed out onto the Green, just outside the tavern, and unfortunately would be the first to die on that morning of the Revolution. As they received returned fire from the militia the British retreated hastily for Boston, stopping in Lexington, where Monroe Tavern was used as a rest stop and makeshift hospital before the Redcoats resumed their march. -
35 Virginia Rd, Lincoln, MA 01773
If those two taverns do not pique your interest, the Hartwell Tavern in Lincoln, MA, also located along the Minuteman Trail, is another historic tavern ready to be explored. Operated by the National Park Service, it offers musket firing exhibitions at regular intervals, while also allowing guests a chance to interact with reenactors who help answer questions and further bring history to life. The Hartwell Tavern is where Dr Samuel Prescott, who completed Revere’s Midnight Ride, emerged from the woods on that historic night and resumed the journey. Other sites nearby include the Old North Bridge, the Louisa May Alcott House, and the charming town centers of both Lexington and Concord. This part of the journey is also one of the best areas to bike on the list.
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53 Cambridge Turnpike, Concord, MA 01742
Nestled between the homes of Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Ralph Waldo Emerson is the Concord Museum. With its recent renovations and expansion, this museum has reached world-class level. Sourced from archaeological digs and the collections of ancient Yankee families, the museum boasts indigenous artifacts dating back nearly 10,000 years, furniture and relics from the Colonial Era, Henry David Thoreau’s writing desk, and, most treasured of all, one of the two lanterns hung in Old North Church on the night of the midnight ride of Paul Revere. Made famous by the Longfellow poem, most Americans will recognize the line “one of by land, and two if by sea.” As British soldiers piled into longboats on April 18th, 1775, two lanterns were hung in the church steeple that night. One of them is on display here in the museum. Stop by the house of your favorite Transcendentalists while here or visit Author’s Ridge in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery where they all lie buried within several yards of one other.
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THE MONUMENT TO THE CHEVALIER DE SAINT-SAUVEUR, 58 TREMONT STREET, BOSTON, MA 02108
Look for the granite obelisk monument just to the left of the entrance to King’s Chapel.
In 1778 when French ships docked in Boston to repair damage from a storm, fighting broke out between the Catholic French sailors and the salty, Puritanical Bostonians. When a young French knight, or Chevalier, stepped in to break up the fight, he was attacked and smashed in the head. He died a week later from his wounds, leaving Boston to scramble together a proper apology tothe French. They promised to hold a parade, lavish funeral, and erect a memorial to him near King’s Chapel. When a French historian came looking for the monument in 1903, it became clear we had never actually built it. But in 1916, the Rascal King, Boston Mayor James Michael Curley, put out an order for its immediate construction. Today, the monument to the Chevalier lies between King’s Chapel and King’s Chapel Burying Ground. While there, don’t miss the colony’s first Governor, John Winthrop; the original resting place of Midnight Rider William Dawes, or America’s first millionaire, Frederick Tudor, buried in his father John Tudor’s plot.
HARVARD ART MUSEUMS, 32 QUINCY STREET, CAMBRIDGE, MA 02138Since its inception in 1636, Harvard University has stood at the center of American learning and intellectualism. For nearly 400 years, elite members of American society have studied or worked at this prestigious institution. Developing incredible initiatives such as the launching of America’s first Egyptology expeditions or collection and study of relics from Classical Greece and Ancient Rome. Harvard’s Art Museums are full of outstanding works by the likes of Renoir, Picasso, Monet, Mondrian, and more. Highlights from the Revolutionary Era include a life-size portrait of John Adams, commissioned by John Singleton Copley and an unrecognizable painting of George Washington by renowned Natural Historian and Artist, Charles Wilson Peale. You won't want to miss the Rembrandts, Edvard Munch, Asian Art collections, and extensive German collections along with contemporary art and rotating exhibits. The University offers free admission to all.
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND
While known for its stunning Cliff Walk and Gilded Age “cottages,” Newport, Rhode Island also has ties to the Revolution, hosting British, French, and American soldiers over different periods of time throughout the conflict. In fact, the Battle of Rhode Island, a large naval engagement and the first joint action of French and American soldiers in the Revolution, famously took place within sight of Newport. When a large storm interrupted the Battle, French ships sailed to Boston for repairs, and the British settled in Newport, fortifying Battery Park for defense, and lodging themselves safely within the cliffs along the shore. Many of the Revolutionary Era sites and fortifications have since disappeared from this gorgeous city, but tours with the Rhode Island Historical Society can reveal hidden secrets of the past. One being the outrageous and sensational story of the HMS Gaspee Affair (which we won’t spoil, as it’s too good of a story to share). Rather you should visit Newport to hear it for yourself!
Newport is an easily accessible day trip from Boston within less than an hour and a half’s drive. Its stunning ocean views complement its historic shipping wharves and enormous mansions alike. While in Newport, don’t miss the opportunity to visit the Breakers (one of the grandest summer “cottages”), the Tennis Hall of Fame, or walk along the Cliff Walk. Enjoy a local favorite, frozen lemonade or coffee milk down by Bowen’s Wharf, or visit the White Horse Tavern for an authentic 1700s tavern experience.
Daniel Berger-Jones is Founder and CEO of Boston History Company, a one-stop shop for tours in every corner of Boston. With a background in performance, he has long focused on making the most scintillating stories of true history accessible to any and every audience, whether a 6-year-old child or a 90-year-old history buff.
For questions, comments, or heckles, feel free to reach out to Daniel at info@boshist.org. Boston History Company would be delighted to host you on a tour, which you can arrange by emailing the same address, or visit boshist.org to see a full menu of options.
For additional information, special events, tours, and more, be sure to visit meetboston.com, massachusetts250.org, and the National Park Service’s page on the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution.
Additional resources:
Boston Neighborhood & Region Guide | Visit Boston
Greater Boston Regions | About Boston
The Freedom Trail | Navigating Boston | Travel Advisories, MBTA, Parking
Boston 250 | Boston.gov | Massachusetts (U.S. National Park Service)
Cambridge Office for Tourism | Discover Quincy | Destination Salem | Discover Newport