Boston's Freedom Trail - A walk through history

A walking path along the 2.5 mile Freedom Trail marks sites significant in the American colonists' fight for independence.

Near Boston Common is the Granary Burying Ground, where the graves of Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, and the victims of the Boston Massacre lay buried. Several blocks away, the Old South Meeting House still stands, where spirited community meetings were once held to discuss the British "Tea Act," which led to a night of dumping tea into Boston Harbor. A few miles away, the Bunker Hill Monument towers above Charlestown neighborhoods--a reminder of the battle in which colonists waited before firing upon British soldiers until they "saw the whites of their eyes." These sites are all part of Boston's Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile trail marked by a red line on sidewalks that connects many of the city's historical spots.

Boston was where riots occurred to protest the Stamp Act. It was where colonists dressed up as Mohawk Indians headed to Boston Harbor and boarded the ship Dartmouth to throw over 90,000 pounds of tea into the harbor in protest of England's Tea Act. It was where Paul Revere monitored British movements and started his journey to Lexington to warn of the army's approach. And it was where the Battle of Bunker Hill (in Charlestown, now part of Boston) was fought. The British won, but were badly battered.

City leaders have nicknamed Boston a "walking city," and walking is recommended for seeing the Freedom Trail. However, wearing a pair of good shoes is also recommended, because it is a long hike and with all the things to see, may be too much for one day. The sites on the Boston side of the Charles River are close together and are easier to see on foot. The sites on the Charlestown side, which include the USS Constitution and the Bunker Hill Monument, could be seen on a different day if the trail proves too much. Free guided tours by national park rangers are available April through October. Bus and trolley tours can also be arranged.

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Author: C. Danko
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