Freedom Trail

To travel back to Revolutionary Boston&mdash;to understand the people, the events, and the ideals of the 1700s&mdash;is a great leap for us today. But the sites along the Freedom Trail speak eloquently of that time. Bostonians and other colonists shared a notion of liberty as something precious and worth fighting for. The Freedom Trail sites include the scenes of critical events in Boston's and the nation's struggle for freedom. Some visitors choose to trek the entire 2.5 mile route or select an individual site to visit at length, while others experience the Freedom Trail as a cohesive story built around four chapters, organized along geographic and thematic lines.

Understand
In the 1870s, imbued with the spirit of the nation's centennial, Bostonians began saving colonial and Revolutionary era buildings that were critical in the struggle against British rule. A century later, in 1974, Congress ensured the continuity of this effort&mdash;and the preservation of important parts of America's heritage&mdash;by creating Boston National Historic Park.

Today the park is an association of sites ranging from steepled churches, grand meeting halls, and battlegrounds to America's oldest commissioned warship. The park is distinctive, mixing historic buildings and landscapes owned by the city, the state, the federal government, and private organizations. The Freedom Trail is a 2.5 mile walking trail of 16 colonial, Revolutionary, and federal sites in downtown Boston and Charlestown that tells the story in four principle chapters of the people, places, and events that sparked the American Revolution against England and highlights Boston's role in laying the foundation for a new nation.

Chapter 1&mdash;Revolution of Minds and Hearts For more than a century before the first musket was fired in America's War for Independence, Puritan-bred Bostonians embraced a strong heritage of community and a culture of freedom that was remarkable among colonial settlements. The sites here include places where townsfolk assembled to proclaim their rights, drill their militias, bury their dead, educate their young, govern their own church congregations, and protect their lands from British meddling. "The Revolution was effected before the war commenced," observed John Adams. "The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people." Sites in this chapter include Boston Common, Massachusetts State House, Park Street Church and Granary Burying Ground, King's Chapel and Burying Ground, and the site of the first public school.

Chapter 2&mdash;The People Revolt In 1760 breaking away from Great Britain was unimaginable to most Bostonians. Between 1761 and 1775, however, differing views of the rights of the colonies under British rule led to actions, reactions, and tumultuous encounters between Britian and the Boston colonists that snowballed toward war. The sites here feature places where liberty-loving men and women began to take collective action, culminating in events like the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party. They include Old South Meeting House, Old Corner Bookstore, Old State House, Boston Massacre Site, and Faneuil Hall.

Chapter 3&mdash;Neighborhood of Revolution In the course of two pivotal days&mdash;April 18 and 19, 1775&mdash;years of growing unrest burst into insurrection. Among the families of the North End, downtown Boston's oldest surviving residential neighborhood, were artisan Paul Revere, his second wife Rachel, and seven of his children. It was patriot Revere who planned the hanging of warning lanterns in the steeple of the Old North Church on April 18 before his famous ride. By morning, colonial militia had assembled in Lexington and Concord for what became the first military encounters of the Revolution. The North End sites in this chapter include Paul Revere House, Old North Church, and Copp's Hill Burying Ground.

Chapter 4&mdash;Boston Goes to War Less than two months after Lexington and Concord, patriots and British troops engaged in one of the bloodiest encounters of the War for Independence&mdash;the Battle of Bunker Hill. Though the British won the battle, their losses were immense, inspiring patriots to continued resistance. By 1783, the United States had won its independence. To defend the young nation against pirates, the British, or any other would-be challenger, the newly formed US Navy built the seemingly invincible frigate USS Constitution. The Charlestown sites in this chapter include Bunker Hill Monument and USS Constitution, berthed in the Charlestown Navy Yard.

History
The Freedom Trail originated in 1951 when Old North Church sexton Bob Winn proposed to reporter Bill Schofield the creation of a trail to help visitors find Boston's historic sites and to boost tourism. Schofield promoted the idea in his newspaper columns. In June 1951, with the support of Mayor John B. Hynes and the Chamber of Commerce, the city placed signs painted with a colonial rider directing visitors to 12 historic sites from the State House to Copp's Hill Burying Ground.

Over the years the Freedom Trail has expanded and evolved. Today it extends from Boston Common to the Charlestown Navy yard and is marked by a line of contrasting bricks, red paint, and distinctive signage. More than 1.5 million people walk the trail every year, discovering the Revolutionary past embedded in a major modern urban environment.

Prepare
The National Park Service maintains two visitor centers here, as many of Boston's historic sites are considered part of the NPS. Swing by to get up to date information about the status of Freedom Trail, its buildings and events. If you have a mobile phone, try out their Freedom Trail app. It's filled with historical anecdotes and helpful information.

National Park Service Rangers lead a free 90 minute walking tour along the heart of Boston's Freedom Trail. Discover Boston's role in the American Revolution. For more information call +1 617 242-5642. Tours are offered weather permitting. Each tour is limited to 30 people: first come, first served. On day of tour, rangers will distribute free stickers 30 minutes before tour time. Reservations are not accepted. Tours fill up quickly in summer months. Tour times for 2008: Jun 21 - Aug 31: Daily at 10AM, 11AM and 2PM. Apr 19 - Jun 20; Sep 1 - Nov 30: Weekdays at 2PM only, Weekends at 10AM, 11AM and 2PM. Last day for Freedom Trail tours is Sunday, November 30.



Self-Guided Tour
The visitor center at the Freedom Trail also offers GPS enabled self-guided audio tour guide app for both iPhone and Android. It works offline; the password to access the Tour/App can be purchased at the visitor center or online via Viator. Each point of interest along the tour has a narrated story, narrated directions, and helpful images. As you walk along the path and approach a pin, its story automatically pops-up and starts playing professionally narrated stories (prepared by local guides). The self-guided tour eliminates the need to follow any scheduled tour timings, one can skip crowded groups.

By public transit
If you are starting in the park like everyone else, your best bet is to take the Red Line or Green Line to Park Street. If you're going in reverse, try Community College on the Orange Line. The roads are so small and congested down here even busses often find themselves stuck in traffic.

By car
In short: Do not drive a car through downtown Boston if you value your sanity. It will not be a fun proposition and you won't get there faster than by public transit anyway.

Stay safe
This is a heavily trafficked and touristed area, so take normal big city precautions securing your valuables. Some historic sections of side walk are over 200 years old and may be uneven, or more slippery than you are used to if it has rained recently. Keep an eye out for crazy drivers swerving around the construction that is no doubt occurring. Remember to stay hydrated!

Go next
The trail winds through the districts of Back Bay/Beacon Hill, Downtown, and Charlestown. So whenever you step off the trail you are never far from a great restaurant or transit station.

See also Boston Black Heritage Trail.