Freedom Trail

Stop 1 Introduction

Welcome again to the Freedom Trail app tour. My name is Rebecca Griffith from the Freedom Trail Foundation, and along with special guests and narrators, I will help you enjoy your Freedom Trail experience.The historic sites along the Freedom Trail will be located directly on, or just steps off of, the Trail, which is a red-brick path embedded in the city sidewalks. Here are some helpful hints about how to use the Freedom Trail Foundation’s app as you make your way through the tour:Each historic site is identified by a stop number. It corresponds to the number listed on your map within The Freedom Trail app. Press the forward or back arrow button until you find the matching number, and information about the site will play automatically.You can jump into The Freedom Trail audio tour app at the beginning, middle, or end – it’s up to you. The numbers begin with Stop number 2, Boston Common. You can locate the Visitor Information Center at 139 Tremont Street to begin here.The middle site is Stop number 25, Faneuil Hall. This is a good place to begin, as it is located at the National Park Visitor Information Center. You can go in either direction from there.The last stop on the Freedom Trail is Stop number 38 at the USS Constitution in the Charlestown Navy Yard. It is 2.5 miles from Boston Common.There are three information centers along the Trail located in each of those three stops (Boston Common, Faneuil Hall, and the Charlestown Navy Yard). There are also plenty of restaurants and shops along the way to make your walking tour comfortable and enjoyable.We also encourage you to stop along the Trail and go into the sites for special exhibits (if indicated). Official Freedom Trail Historic Sites entrances are marked by a brass Freedom Trail Medallion on the sidewalk. There is so much to see, do, and learn at the sites along the Freedom Trail, so take your time exploring, listen up, and have fun!

Stop 2 Boston Common

NARRATOR: In Colonial times, this area was known as "the Common," a name that stuck around into modern times. When the Puritans first settled here, they set aside this land for common use. Back then, Boston itself was a small piece of wild land, jutting out into the Bay.The Puritans’ neighbors were the Massachuett, Wampanoag and Nipmuc Indigenous Peoples, who have stewarded this land for hundreds of generations. They lived on the land that is now Boston Common for thousands of years before the Puritans arrived. Evidence of this has been confirmed through multiple archaeological surveys on sites throughout the area as well as indigenous oral traditions. Today, Boston is home to thousands of Indigenous people.Here’s Bill Fowler, author, scholar, and Northeastern University Distinguished Professor of History, Emeritus:BILL FOWLER: The original Boston was a tiny little place, probably not more than about 400 acres in total, and it was nearly an island. Towards the south, there was a small sliver of land called the “neck” and the “neck” connected Boston the peninsula to the mainland. NARRATOR: On the Common today, there’s a large children’s wading pool called “the frog pond” and in the winter it is transformed into a skating rink. In Colonial times, the Common had many frog ponds, but they were dirty, swampy, and full of snakes and frogs.People who were convicted of petty crimes could be put on a “dunking stool” and held under the brackish water. The Common was often the site for punishments, and Puritan laws were unyielding. Here’s what the 1647 "Laws and Liberties of Massachusetts" said about punishment:CHARACTER VOICE: "It is therefore ordered by this court...that if any person shall commit Burglary...such a person…for the first offense be branded on the forehead with the letter ‘B’…the second time, he shall ..also be severely whipped…the third time, he shall be put to death."NARRATOR: As you walk about the Common, you can hear more about the punishments that happened here. The Puritans punished people with humiliation and public ridicule. That’s why punishments were carried out here, on the Common. For petty crimes, you could be put into stocks. Stocks were a pair of boards with holes for the ankles. People put in the stocks had to sit on a sharp and narrow plank.CHARACTER VOICE FROM LEVEL 1: “Any person found drunken…shall be…set in the stocks one hour or more.”NARRATOR: Or you might be put into a pillory, which was a board with holes for the hands and head at chest height.CHARACTER VOICE FROM LEVEL 1: “If any person shall forge any deed…he shall stand in the Pillory three days…”NARRATOR: People who were sentenced to either the stocks or the pillory would often hire someone to wipe their face. This was because spectators would throw eggs and rotten fruit at them. Ants and wasps would sting their faces, which was often worse than the punishment itself!There were also gallows on the Common for hangings. You could be hanged if you were convicted of a very serious crime like being a witch, a pirate, or an unrepentant Quaker.

Stop 3 Massachusetts 54th Regiment – Robert Gould Shaw Memorial

The large sculpture here commemorates the Massachusetts 54th Regiment from the Civil War. Seated on the horse is Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, a young and idealistic Harvard dropout whose family fought for the abolition of slavery. Shaw was a white man leading this regiment of black soldiers. Serving in the North’s army was particularly dangerous for black soldiers because if the South captured them, they could be enslaved.Above the men is the angel of death. Shaw and sixty-two of the black soldiers he led were killed in battle in South Carolina. The late Kenneth Heidelberg, former Site Manager of Boston African American National Historic SiteHIEDLEBERG: But it was very significant – the battle. Even though it was lost, it proved to not only to this country but to the world in general that African-Americans were willing to make the great sacrifice for freedom. And if you look at the details of the monument, everything from the horse to the men, the backpacks on their backs, the angel above them – you can see that it’s very detailed. If you look at the faces of the men, you will see that there’s a very wide range of ages. The youngest man in this regiment was 16. The oldest was 60. Shaw and his men, the 62 men, they’re still in a common grave at Fort Wagner now. His mother and father decided he would prefer to have stayed, be buried with his men, so leave his remains right there.NARRATOR: This regiment marched on this very street in review past the State House on May 28th, 1863. This statue was called the "Shaw Memorial" because it was originally dedicated just to Colonel Shaw alone. In 1982, the statue was rededicated to all 62 of Shaw's soldiers. Their names are listed on the back of the monument.

Stop 4 Massachusetts State House

NARRATOR: From the bottom of these steps, you can really get a sense of the State House sitting up on a hill. The hill is called Beacon Hill. Originally, the hill was as tall as the gold dome of the State House! And there were two other hills, as well.Bill Fowler, author, scholar, and Northeastern University Distinguished Professor of History, Emeritus tells what happened:BILL FOWLER: When the Puritans first arrived in 1630 these three hills were covered with woods. They quickly chopped down the trees for fuel and to build their homes and eventually they’d begin to chop down the three hills as well…and there on top of Beacon Hill, they erected a beacon. They would light it in case of attack.NARRATOR: The gold-domed building is the new State House from 1798. The old one is also on the Freedom Trail. Notice that the center doors are closed – they usually are! They’re only open for departing governors to leave at the end of their terms, or for official visits of the President of the United States. You can enter this beautiful building every day except Sundays and Holidays (through the side doors, of course).NARRATOR: Notice how the Common opens up before you.Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the late Senator from Massachusetts, remarks on the power of this gathering place throughout history:SEN. KENNEDY: I remember on the Commons the demonstrations in opposition to the Vietnam War and Civil Rights. It’s been an important gathering place and still is.NARRATOR: Pulitzer prize-winning columnist Ellen Goodman offers one reason why there’s such a tradition of protest on this spot:ELLEN GOODMAN: It’s very handy to have the largest public space right in front of the State House! Boston became involved in the women’s movement early and the largest women’s rally was right in front of the State House on the Common during that time, too. I also remember as a child when some of the people who spoke on the Common were not uttering words of reform, shall we say. Father Feeney, the notorious anti-Semite, spoke on the Common quite often… so you had all of the First Amendment pros and cons out in full display. And I think Boston always has been a city with a lot of activism. It certainly was a strong abolitionist city and you know we did dump the tea. We did make the fuss. (laughs) We did start the Revolution.Remember to look at your app to find your next stop on the Freedom Trail.

Stop 5 Mary Dyer

NARRATOR: Do you see the statue of the seated woman beyond the fence? That’s Mary Dyer. Mary Dyer was an early citizen of Boston who was persecuted for her beliefs.Mary is dressed in the simple cap and modest dress of a Quaker. Dyer was a convert to the Quakers, and was determined to challenge a law that banished all Quakers from Massachusetts under punishment of death.Susan Wilson, author and public historian, shares some perspective on the religious history of Boston:SUSAN WILSON: It’s kind of curious that a lot of people think that Boston was founded for religious freedom. It was founded for religious freedom for the Puritans, but not for anyone else, and so if you differed from that in any way, you were banished or hanged or both.NARRATOR: Dyer was banished three times, and she returned each time. The third time she returned, she was imprisoned and then hanged nearby, on Boston Common. Remember to look at your app to find your next stop on the Freedom Trail.

Stop 6 Blackstone and Puritans

NARRATOR: The plaque on this monument shows the name John Winthrop, religious leader of the Puritan colony. Bill Fowler tells us more:BILL FOWLER: Now these men and women were not Pilgrims. They were not Separatists. They were called Puritans and the reason they were called Puritans is that they wished to purify the church. They believed that here, 3,000 miles away from England, they could preserve the true and faithful religion.NARRATOR: The Puritans first tried to settle in the area that’s called Charlestown, but the water there was undrinkable. Then they came to Boston, but they were quite surprised to find another Englishman already there – a Reverend who was living like a hermit. Do you see the name "William Blackstone" in the middle of the plaque? That’s him. This marker is on the site of his house. This part of Boston became known as "the Common" because it was set aside for common uses – including the pasturing of cows and sheep. Blackstone sold it for thirty pounds sterling to Winthrop’s struggling Puritans.More from Bill Fowler on this:BILL FOWLER: Imagine what it must have been like for men and women of the 17th century to decide to leave home. These were not seafaring people. They knew nothing of the ocean and they were not pioneers either. They came here as Puritans and later, of course, other groups came here as well with their own independent minds. They were all dissidents. It made for an interesting, if somewhat raucous, community, which is what Boston has always been. NARRATOR: Remember to look at your app to find your next stop on the Freedom Trail.

Stop 7 Park Street Church

NARRATOR: The spot where you’re standing is known as brimstone corner. This dramatic church with the elegant steeple was built in the early 1800s. Soon after it was built, brimstone was stored in its basement crypt for making gunpowder for the war of 1812, hence the name. There was another “explosive” reason for the name too. Let’s hear from Bill Fowler:BILL FOWLER: Here in Park Street Church in this corner, some of the greatest preachers of all time preached their fire and brimstone sermons.Later, of course, during the great period of abolitionism, other preachers would preach here against the evils of slavery and again, they gave their congregations no mercy.NARRATOR: The great abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison even spoke here, giving his first public speech against slavery.CHARACTER VOICE (bold, reading): “I am in earnest. I will not equivocate. I will not excuse. I will not retreat a single inch. And I will be heard.”NARRATOR: The late Senator Kennedy has more on the importance of the abolitionist movement here in Boston:SENATOR KENNEDY: This was really a revolutionary city…it was an important progressive city because it was here that the abolitionist movement really got started.NARRATOR: This building epitomizes what we mean by "The Freedom Trail." Freedom does not only refer to the American Revolution. The struggle for freedom is a thread that weaves itself throughout Boston’s history.

Stop 8 Entrance to Granary Burying Ground

NARRATOR: At this site, you may hear drums and bells going off. In Colonial times, these would have been used to gather relatives for a Puritan graveside ceremony.In this burying ground, you’ll find many of America’s most famous revolutionaries and noteworthy historical characters, including three signers of the Declaration of Independence.To avoid the steps, proceed on this street to the right. Continue to the next corner, which is Beacon Street. When you get there, turn left and go up the hill. About halfway up the hill on the left, there is a dead-end brick street. At the end of this dead-end is a ramp into the side of the burying ground.Remember to look at your app to find your next stop on the Freedom Trail.

Stop 9 Franklin Memorial

NARRATOR: This is a monument to the Franklin family. The bronze plaque says that this monument was dedicated by the "youngest son" of the thirteen Franklin children, Ben.Ben Franklin grew up in Boston and later moved to Philadelphia. He was famous throughout the colonies as a scientist, inventor, statesman, and of course, for his witty writings and sayings.He also signed the Declaration of Independence. Franklin summarized the danger that all signers of this radical document were facing in the following quote:BEN FRANKLIN: “We shall all hang together, or most assuredly, we will all hang, separately.”NARRATOR: Here’s one of his famous sayings, which is particularly suitable at his large family’s tomb:BEN FRANKLIN: “Three can keep a secret, if two of them are dead.”

Stop 10 James Otis

NARRATOR: This large marker commemorates James Otis. Glance to the far right—you can see that this boulder is matched by a similar stone for the Patriot Samuel Adams. It’s fitting because Adams was one of the principal organizers of the American Revolution, and Otis was the moral and spiritual leader of the Revolution.Otis’ fiery speeches about the tyranny of British rule incited Boston’s patriots. Here is an example:JAMES OTIS: “The only principles of public conduct worthy a man, or a gentleman, are to sacrifice estate, ease, health, and life itself for the sacred cause of his country.”NARRATOR: So why isn’t James Otis better known today? During a barroom argument, a British officer clubbed Otis on the head. Otis became mentally impaired and gradually lost his sanity. Many patriots saw him as an embarrassment rather than the hero that he was, which is why he was not as well known today. Unfortunately, Otis was ultimately killed when he was struck by lightning on his front porch.Remember to look at your app to find your next stop on the Freedom Trail.

Stop 11 John Hancock

NARRATOR; This tall, grand pillar marks the tomb of John Hancock. Even though this pillar wasn’t installed until well after Hancock’s death, it suits his personality quite well.This signer of the Declaration of Independence was no Puritan. His famously large and ornate signature on the Declaration of Independence – his "John Hancock” – says it all.He loved luxury and ostentation. He even rode around town in a gilded carriage! He had fine manners and was one of the richest men in town. And so Hancock was suitably outraged by the rude behavior of the British soldiers!JOHN HANCOCK: “I would not dwell too long upon the horrid effects, which have already followed, from quartering regular troops in this town…Standing armies are sometimes composed of persons who have rendered themselves unfit to live in civil society. Our streets nightly resounded with the noise of their riot and debauchery.”NARRATOR: The group of five low stones near Hancock’s pillar includes one marked “Frank.” Hancock was a slave owner and trader, and his “servant” a popular euphemism for an enslaved person, named Frank is buried on the family plot. Although Franks’ marker is humble, the fact that his resting place is marked at all is a sign that his enslaver wanted him close by even in death.There is not much known from the record about Frank, but he must have been important due to his burial location on the Hancock family plot and the quality of gravestone, which is still clearly visible today when many others around it are not.Bill Fowler provides context.BILL FOWLER: There wasn’t a single colony that did not have slavery.BILL FOWLER: Slavery and the slave trade was perhaps one of the biggest businesses of the 18th century. In the American South, plantation slavery dominated. In the northern colonies, such as here in New England, slavery was more to be found with household servants. NARRATOR: Further along this sidewalk, you’ll find a higher stone marked for Mrs. Waitstill Trott on your left. Two stones over is an unassuming small marker for "John Decoster."CHARACTER VOICE: “Stop here my Friend and Cast an Eye!”NARRATOR: That’s the inscription—take heed!CHARACTER VOICE: “As you are now so once was I. As I am now, so you must be prepared for Death and follow me.”NARRATOR: When you get to the end of the sidewalk, you’ll see a grave that looks like a table with a bronze plaque on it. This marker is for the famous Peter Faneuil. Faneuil was a wealthy merchant who had a huge impact on early Boston.Have you heard of Faneuil Hall? It’s the same man. Learn more about Peter Faneuil at Stop 24: Sam Adams Statue and Stop 25: Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market.There are other stops on your tour in this burying ground. Look at the map within your Freedom Trail app to find them.

Stop 12 Judge Sewall

NARRATOR: Do you see the large grave that’s made of reddish stone—shaped like a table? That’s the marker for Judge Samuel Sewall. Judge Sewall was one of the judges for the Salem Witch Trials, which took place in a town north of Boston. In the winter of 1692, two young girls began experiencing fits. Their doctors diagnosed the fits as witchcraft. The girls blamed their household slave, Tituba. Witches were nothing new to the Puritans. In fact, the "Laws and Liberties of Massachusetts" published in 1647 clearly stated:CHARACTER VOICE: “If any man or woman be a witch, that is, hath consulted with a familiar spirit, they shall be put to death.”NARRATOR: When other girls began having fits, they too blamed witchcraft and accused their neighbors – some of them prominent members of the community. By the spring of 1692, over one hundred people were accused of witchcraft. Eighteen were executed, and another was crushed by heavy stones when he wouldn’t admit his guilt. Within a year, the court refused to hear any more witchcraft cases, implying that wrong had been done. Judge Sewall later repented for his participation and was the only Salem Witch Trial judge to do so.If you look around the burying ground you'll see three different kinds of graves. The first kind is called a table tomb—like Judge Sewall’s. The bodies are actually buried below the table-top markers, in a vault. The table-like top was the most expensive type of 18th- century grave marker. A less costly marker was a headstone. That’s the most common type of grave here. Sometimes headstone design also included another marker at the body’s foot—called a footstone. Even though these low stones weren’t for the richest families, many of them have wonderful, intricate carvings. The imagery on them helps us understand Colonial American attitudes toward death. Look for skulls with wings—symbolizing the soul going up to heaven. Imagery of winged angels didn’t come till much later. The third type of grave you’ll see here is a vault. You’ll find these around the edge of the burying ground, embedded into the brick walls. The marker is usually attached to the wall above the spot where the vault is buried.

Stop 13 Paul Revere

NARRATOR: When you hear the name Paul Revere, what do you think of first?LONGFELLOW: “Listen my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere…”NARRATOR: That’s right, Paul Revere is most famous for riding out into the countryside and warning the colonists that…LONGFELLOW: The British are coming!NARRATOR: Wait a minute, the British are coming? Back then, everyone in the colonies was British! It’s more likely that Paul Revere said, "The regulars are out!" when he went on his midnight ride. The “regulars” were the King’s soldiers, and they were marching to Concord to seize the ammunition stored there, and to Lexington to arrest Sam Adams and John Hancock, two leaders of the Revolution.When Paul Revere was alive, he was well-known as a silversmith and an active citizen in Boston politics. It wasn’t until Longfellow wrote his poem, many years later, that he became famous. This gravemarker is from the 20th century, but look to the right and you’ll find Revere’s original footstone.Remember to look at your app to find your next stop on the Freedom Trail.

Stop 14 Phillis Wheatley

NARRATOR: While Phillis Wheatley’s tomb is not marked, it is likely that she is buried right here in the Granary Burying ground. Phillis Wheatley was kidnapped by Slave Traders as a small child from Senegal Gambia in 1761. The ship originally docked in the Caribbean, but Phillis was deemed too weak for plantation work, so she was brought to Boston for domestic work. She was purchased by the Wheatleys as a personal enslaved woman for Mrs. Wheatley. The Wheatley’s had recently lost a nine year old daughter, so Phillis got a room of her own and was tutored by Mary, the Wheatley’s surviving child. Phillis could speak, read, and write English within a year and a half. At the age of 12, she could read and write Latin and Greek, and read the Bible in Hebrew and Greek. She then began to write poetry. One of her poems was chosen for publication by the Newport Mercury when she was just 13 years old. More published poems followed and in 1773, with the financial help of Mrs. Wheatley, Phillis published a book of her poetry called Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral. It was a landmark achievement. Phillis was the first African American, first American enslaved person, and only the third American woman to publish a book of poems.Her poetry gained popularity, but also opposition because of her gender and race. John Wheatley gathered Gov. Hutchinson, John Hancock, and 16 other gentlemen to test her to see if she was truly the author of these popular poems. She won their approval, of course. Testimony from those eighteen gentlemen appeared as a forward page in her book of poetry that was published in England in 1773. She wrote a poem praising General Washington, and it is possible she met him in his headquarters in Cambridge. He liked the poem and addressed her as Miss Phillis in a letter that he signed as “your obedient humble servant.” In 1773, Phillis traveled with John Wheatley to London. While there, she met with dignitaries such as the Earl of Dartmouth, future Lord Mayor of London, Sir Brook Watson, and colonial ambassador Benjamin Franklin. She was even invited to meet the King, which she declined.Phillis was emancipated in 1774, shortly after her book was published. In 1778, Phillis married John Peters. Unfortunately, he landed himself in debtor’s prison shortly thereafter. Two sons had sadly come and gone to their family, both dying young. To bring in extra income, Phillis became a maid in a boarding house while pregnant with their third child. Complications from this birth proved to be a tragic ending to the life of both mother and child in 1784.

Stop 15 Robert Treat Paine

NARRATOR: In the brick wall, you’ll find a large bronze marker for Robert Treat Paine. He was the prosecuting attorney in the trial following the Boston Massacre and is one of three signers of the Declaration of Independence in this burying ground. John Hancock and Samuel Adams are the others.The Declaration was ready for signing on July 2nd of 1776, but there was a delay of two days while certain points were still under contention. Originally, the document called for the full freedom of slaves, but this was eventually left out and the Declaration was signed on July 4th.

Stop 16 Samuel Adams

NARRATOR You’re looking at the grave of one of the most fiery leaders of this time. Samuel Adams is often considered the "brains" behind the American Revolution. In fact, when Adams died at age 82, a huge crowd accompanied his coffin to this very site. The procession stopped along the way at the places where Adams urged Bostonians to challenge British tyranny. They probably followed much of the same path that you are, today!Sam Adams was the son of a "maltster," or brewer. Today, of course, there’s a popular brand of beer named after him.But ironically, Adams was a failure as a maltster and put his family out of business. He then became a local tax collector, but he wasn’t very good at that either because he didn’t want to collect taxes that he considered unjust.But the British knew what an effective leader and speaker he was, and even tried to bribe him to stop. There are other stops on the Freedom Trail where you can learn about his role in the Boston Tea Party. And it was also Adams who coined the phrase "The Boston Massacre."Look a little to the left of his grave. This is the marker for the victims of that fateful day. In February of 1770, British soldiers killed a young boy near the Old State house. Relations between the Colonists and the British troops grew increasingly tense. Two weeks later an unruly mob of Patriots confronted British troops on the street. Chaos ensued. Do you see the date on the marker, March 5th? When the smoke cleared that day, five Patriots lay dead. Look at the names. Do you see "Crispus Attucks?" A witness wrote about him:CHARACTER VOICE: “There were killed and wounded, by discharge of musketry, eleven of his majesty’s subjects. Mr. Samuel Gray, killed on the spot by a ball entering his head. Crispus Attucks...killed on the spot, two balls entering his breast.”NARRATOR: Attucks was a self-emancipated former enslaved person. He was the first African-American and Native American to fall for the cause of the American Revolution. It’s appropriate that this marker is next to Sam Adams, because Adams understood the importance of public outcry.When Paul Revere made an engraving of what happened that day, Adams dubbed it "The Boston Massacre." That widely distributed image showed British troops firing on peaceful, unsuspecting citizens. This was not exactly what happened, but the power of propaganda was as well understood then, as it is today. The colonists were indeed getting fed up with the actions of King George and his soldiers here in Boston. Revolution was coming.Remember to look at your app to find your next stop on the Freedom Trail.

Stop 17 King's Chapel

NARRATOR: This church is called King’s Chapel. The name is the key to its history. It was established in 1687 by the British governor for Anglican, or Church of England, services. However, the Puritans weren’t willing to give the Anglicans any land for a church. They called the Anglicans heretical and corrupt. So the English governor simply took over part of a public burying ground, claiming that the dead couldn’t complain. The rest of the burying ground is to the left. The building’s plain exterior contains an elegant, almost sumptuous interior. Soon after the British evacuated, the name "King’s Chapel" came to mean something else entirely. It was interpreted as "The King of Heaven," as this building became the young nation’s first Unitarian Church. If you look at the columns to the left, you can see that they’re made of wood, but all the columns were originally painted to resemble stone. In fact, George Washington himself attended a fundraising service here to add this portico to the heavy stone architecture.And Paul Revere made a bell for this church, which he said was the "sweetest sounding" bell he had ever made. Just two years later, the bell rang for Revere’s own funeral. If the front doors are open, you may be able to take a tour inside. Remember to look at your app to find your next stop on the Freedom Trail.

Stop 18 King’s Chapel Burying Ground

NARRATOR: Welcome to King’s Chapel Burying Ground. Step inside the gate. This is Boston’s first burying place. You’ll be seeing some famous names here. And there are marvelous carvings, too. Move straight ahead, to the stone that’s directly facing the entrance. Elaborate scrolls form its shape. Take a good look at the carving on it. An old man—Father Time—with a skeleton is snuffing out the candle of life.This beautiful stone is the work of a man who was the most respected carver in Colonial Boston. We don’t know his name, though. We only know that his workshop was in Charlestown, so he’s known as the "Charlestown carver." Now, turn right and move to the far corner at the end of the walkway. On the right corner of the walkway is a square vault, with a door in front. You can see it’s marked 1781 and 1850. This is an example of a large family tomb. In Colonial times, many people were buried together, especially families. When someone in the family died, the low door would be opened and the new body added. Now, turn directly around, to the large circular structure. It looks like the most elaborate grave here!More on this from Bill Fowler, author, scholar, and Northeastern University Distinguished Professor of History, EmeritusBILL FOWLER: A rather intriguing monument or it looks to be a monument, in any case. Wrought iron. It looks somewhat Victorian. Round, all kinds of decorations on top of it. This strange monument is no monument at all, it’s the vent to the Park Street subway station. You can stand by this monument and hear the trolleys going down below and smell the odors of the Boston subway.

Stop 19 Boston Latin School Site/Benjamin Franklin Statue

NARRATOR: Look down at the sidewalk. Find the fanciful artwork commemorating the Boston Latin School. Boston Latin was the first public school in America. The school was a small wooden building for boys only. For Puritans, it was essential to learn to read the Bible for oneself. The windows looked out onto a busy Boston street. It is said that the King’s troops marched by the school on their way to Lexington. The teacher, John Lovell, rose and shouted:CHARACTER VOICE: Close your books. School’s done and war’s begun!NARRATOR: This school’s famous pupils include four signers of the Declaration of Independence: Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Robert Treat Paine, and Benjamin Franklin. Do you see the statue of him behind the fence? Here is one of Boston’s famous sons: Benjamin Franklin.Ben Franklin went on to live in Philadelphia and represent America all across the world, but he was raised here in Boston. Franklin is looking at the former site of the Boston Latin School. Franklin himself is perhaps the school’s most famous dropout, but that didn’t prevent him from becoming a printer, a writer and a statesman! Around the statue are scenes from his life. Look at the front—that’s a printing office. Now, move around to the right. Here, Franklin is signing the Declaration of Independence. That’s him in the middle: an older, stout-er man. Ben Franklin is also famous for his many inventions—the Franklin stove, bifocal eyeglasses, and the glass harmonica! You may recognize some of Franklin’s famous sayings:BEN FRANKLIN: Eat to live, and not live to eat. A penny saved is a penny earned. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Stop 20 Old Corner Bookstore

NARRATOR: Take a look at the brick building on the corner.SUSAN WILSON: This is what’s known as the Old Corner Bookstore. NARRATOR: Susan Wilson, author and public historian, has more on this site: SUSAN WILSON: When the original settlers first came here, this was the center of town. But it is best known for what happened here after the American Revolution. During the 19th century, a whole series of booksellers and publishers were in this place…and the most famous …was a pair called Ticknor and Fields… They really created modern publishing. Before that, if there was anything important in art or literature or music, it was always imported from Europe. They originated the idea of royalties for authors. Before that, copyright was really nonexistent. Basically, you got paid to write a book and that’s the last cent you saw. So, this was the beginning, not just of literary Boston, but of literary America. This was where it all began.NARRATOR: Constructed in 1718, the Old Corner Bookstore is downtown Boston’s oldest commercial building. Saved from demolition in 1960 by the nonprofit Historic Boston Incorporated, the building’s leases help subsidize important historic preservation projects in Boston’s neighborhoods.

Stop 21 Old South Meeting House

NARRATOR: The Old South Meeting House was the largest building in colonial Boston, and that’s the simple reason why it has such an important place in American History—it could hold the most people! It was here that a meeting was called to discuss action against the British East India Company. The Company was ready to unload its ships, which were full of heavily taxed British Tea.CHARACTER VOICE 1: Friends! Brethren! Countrymen!…the detested tea shipped for this port …is now arrived in the Harbor. The hour of destruction or manly opposition to the macinations of tyranny stares you in the face!NARRATOR: Sam Adams was the leader of this meeting that resulted in the Boston Tea Party. Imagine the crowds: some accounts say that over five thousand people attended. Look up. People were hanging out of the windows! Here is how one witness described it:CHARACTER VOICE 2: The House was so crowded I could get no further than the porch. You’d thought that the inhabitants of the infernal regions had broke loose.NARRATOR: The meeting began at 10 o’clock in the morning and lasted all day! Towards evening, Sam Adams uttered these words:SAM ADAMS: There is nothing more a meeting can do to save this country.NARRATOR: These were cue words. They meant that it was time for patriots to disguise themselves as Native Americans, go down to the Wharf, and throw the tea into the harbor.CHARACTER VOICE 2: And before 9 o’clock that evening, every chest from on board the three vessels was knocked to pieces and flung over the sides! NARRATOR: Legend has it that as the Boston patriots were marching back from the wharf after the Tea Party, the British Admiral warned them, "You have got to pay the fiddler yet!" And pay they did. The King and British Parliament decided that the colony of Massachusetts had gone too far—and needed to be taught a lesson. Four acts were passed by Parliament, which the Colonists called the "Intolerable Acts." The port of Boston was closed.CHARACTER VOICE 1: It shall not be lawful for any person…to put off from any quay, wharf, or other place, within the said town of Boston…until…full satisfaction hath been made…to the united company of Merchants of England trading to the East Indies.NARRATOR: The Massachusetts constitution was changed:CHARACTER VOICE 1: The council, or court of assistants of the said province…shall be thereunto nominated and appointed by his Majesty.NARRATOR: Officers and Soldiers of the Army were, from that time forward, to be sent to England for trial:CHARACTER VOICE 1: The inquisition, indictment or appeal, shall be tried in some other of his Majesty’s colonies, or in Great Britain.NARRATOR: And finally, the Governor was given the power to seize property to house the King’ troops. For the colonists, this was intolerable. War was on the horizon. This building is now a museum commemorating not just the Boston Tea Party, but all the historic debates that took place here. Make sure to go inside to learn about them. Remember to look at your app to find your next stop on the Freedom Trail.

Stop 22 Old State House (Part One)

NARRATOR: You should be looking at the brick building, The Old State House. Today it’s a museum that houses an astonishing collection of historical artifacts and art.Before you go inside, step back just a bit and look at the grandeur of the building’s architecture. This is where the Colonial governors held office. Remember: in Colonial times, the governor was appointed by the British King, and represented British interests. When one British governor arrived here, he wrote back to England:CHARACTER VOICE: There is most perfect harmony in the government of this Province.NARRATOR: Little did he know what kind of trouble was brewing. Because this building was also the meeting place of the freely-elected Massachusetts Assembly, the Old State House was often the setting of political confrontations. Some of the most important meetings and speeches in favor of independence would happen in this very building.Look up to the windows on the second floor. Fifteen years before the Declaration of Independence was written, a young man named James Otis made a riveting speech that served as the spark that started the Revolution. John Adams was there, and said:CHARACTER VOICE: Otis was a flame of fire. Then and there the child Independence was born!NARRATOR: Here is an excerpt from Otis’ speech:JAMES OTIS: May it please Your Honors, I was desired by one of the court to look into the books concerning the case now before the court of this Writ of Assistance. I have accordingly considered it, and now appear before you to declare that whether for a fee or no, for in this case I despise a fee, I will to my to my dying day oppose all such instruments of villany on the one hand and tyranny on the other as this Writ of Assistance is. The only principles of public conduct worthy a man, or a gentleman, are to sacrifice estate, ease, health, and life itself for the sacred cause of his country.NARRATOR: Otis spoke for over five and a half hours! The now-famous speech, called the Writs of Assistance, contained some phrases that have stuck in our national consciousness, like "a man’s home is his castle." The creaky, crowded room reverberated with these words:JAMES OTIS: A man's house is his castle; and if a man behave quietly there, he must be as well-protected as a prince.Remember to look at your app to find your next stop on the Freedom Trail.

Stop 23 Old State House (Part Two)

NARRATOR: Look up at the balcony on the front of this building - the Old State House. It was from this very balcony that the Declaration of Independence was first read to Bostonians. It was July 18th, 1776. The Declaration was first signed in Philadelphia—on the 4th, of course—and had just arrived in Boston to be read in public. Abigail Adams was here that day. Imagine the thick crowds in the street facing this balcony. She wrote to her husband, John Adams, about it:ABIGAIL ADAMS: Last Thursday, I went with the multitude into King Street to hear the proclamation for independence. The cry from the balcony was "God Save Our American States'' and then the bells rang, the cannons were discharged, and every face appeared joyful.NARRATOR: Now, look up even higher. To the left of the central clock is a crowned lion. To the right is a unicorn. These are symbols of the British monarchy. In that same letter, Abigail describes what happened to the original pair that was here:ABIGAIL ADAMS: After dinner, the king's arms were taken down from the State House and every vestige of him from every place in which it appeared, and burned on King Street. Thus ends royal authority in this state.NARRATOR: This lion and unicorn are 19th century replicas. In front of the Old State House is the round marker that commemorates the site of the Boston Massacre.With all the crazy Boston traffic, it seems rather chaotic now, but imagine the chaos then. The year was 1770. By that time there were nearly 4,000 armed British soldiers here—in a town of only 15,000 inhabitants! Tensions and tempers were running high. On March 5th, a youngster ridiculed a British guard. The guard struck the boy. A cry went out, and crowds gathered. A fight ensued. Here’s what an eyewitness wrote:CHARACTER VOICE: One gun was fired first; then ten or a dozen guns were fired soon after the firing, a drum with a party from the main guard went to the other barracks, beating an alarm as they went, which, with the firing, had the effect of a signal for action. NARRATOR: Eleven patriots were shot, and five died. A widely circulated illustration of the so-called "Boston Massacre," depicting smiling British troops firing on peaceful bystanders. Despite the loss of life, it was a major victory for the patriots in the war of propaganda.

Stop 24 Sam Adams Statue

NARRATOR: Look up at this statue of Sam Adams. You can almost get a sense of the man’s personality.SAM ADAMS: Our contest is not only whether we ourselves shall be free, but whether there shall be left to mankind an asylum on earth for civil and religious liberty!NARRATOR: That was Sam Adams in 1776. He was known as a fiery speaker and champion of the Revolutionary cause. In fact, Thomas Hutchinson, the then governor of Massachusetts, wrote back to England that Sam Adams was "the Grand Incendiary of the Province." The British found his speeches so dangerous that many efforts were made to bribe him. But, as Hutchinson recalled:HUTCHINSON: Such is the obstinacy and inflexible disposition of the man, that he never can be conciliated by any office or gift whatever!NARRATOR: Adams first attempted a career as a clerk, and then as a businessman, but failed at both. His first interest was the law, which served him well once he entered politics. In fact, Adams was known as the "Man of the Town-Meeting" for his active participation in Massachusetts politics. So, it makes sense that his statue is here in front of Faneuil Hall, the place where so many political meetings took place during the Revolution. If you look at the ground in front of the statue, you can find many wavy lines carved into the paving stones. Those lines show the original waterlines of Boston. In Colonial times, Boston was a lot smaller than it is today. Over the years, parts of the bay and harbor have been filled in. When Faneuil Hall was first built, it was actually on the edge of the city. The area behind Faneuil Hall used to be the Boston waterfront! Off to the right was an area called "Long Wharf" where goods from ships were unloaded. Peter Faneuil, a prosperous merchant who made his fortune mainly through the buying and selling of human beings in the Slave Trade, first proposed building a marketplace here so that the country people had somewhere to sell their wares in town.But the citizens of Boston weren’t so thrilled with the idea. To ease their opposition, Faneuil offered to build a meeting hall on the second floor of the market. It was this meeting hall that became known as "the cradle of liberty." Here, the Colonists first protested the Sugar Act, claiming "No Taxation, Without Representation!" Built in 1741, the Great Hall on the second floor provided a forum for debate on the most consequential issues of the day. Just as successful were the market stalls on the first floor, which still house local merchants today as they did back in the 18th Century.Originally, Faneuil Hall was half as wide as you see it now. But in 1806, the famous architect Charles Bulfinch enlarged it. If you look carefully, you might be able to see how the building is made from two slightly different shades of brick.Remember to look at your app to find your next stop on the Freedom Trail.

Stop 25 Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market

NARRATOR: You should be facing the tall brick building—Faneuil Hall. In the earlier part of the 18th century, many small merchants in Boston were door-to-door peddlers. But Peter Faneuil knew that this growing city needed a central marketplace—and he was willing to pay for it himself with the fortune he had acquired from the Slave Trade. Today, the first floor has the same purpose it had back then. There are a variety of shops there, along with a visitor information center. But many visitors don’t realize that the second and third floors are open to the public as well. It was on these floors that outraged patriots held many of their most important meetings in the early days of America.Faneuil Hall has often been referred to as “the home of free speech” and “the cradle of liberty,” because of the numerous consequential gatherings of patriots and momentous political speeches that took place on the upper floors.While this Hall was built by a slave trader, enslaved people were not sold at Faneuil Hall, but down the street by the docks. Many pro and anti-slavery speeches have been given at Faneuil Hall over the years. Some of the most famous abolitionist speakers include Fredrick Douglas and Sojourner Truth.Most days, you’ll find National Park Rangers giving free talks there. In a sense, the whole building served as a marketplace of goods and ideas. If you step back a bit, you can see the much-loved grasshopper weather vane way up at the top. NARRATOR: Now, turn and face the building with the tall columns—Quincy Market. This structure was added in the 1820’s and became the first supermarket in America. From its beginning, it was crammed full of stalls. Today, Quincy Market is still packed with food stalls, but now you can find international cuisines. In fact, this building is one of the most visited sites in the entire country! By the 1960’s, however, these buildings stood virtually empty. An architect and some urban planners decided to restore these two buildings to their former grandeur—and keep their function essentially the same. And this bustling area has become a model of waterfront urban renewal.

Stop 26 Union Oyster House

NARRATOR: You are standing in front of the historic Union Oyster House. Let’s hear from its president, Joe Milano, for context:JOE MILANO: Welcome to the Union Oyster House, I’m Joe Milano, president of America’s Oldest Restaurant. The records in the City of Boston show that this building was built in 1716.NARRATOR: In colonial times, this site is where the radical newspaper, the "Massachusetts Spy," printed pro-revolutionary articles. It wasn’t until 1826 that this building became the Union Oyster House. Today, it’s much the same as when it opened. Look at the menus posted in the windows.JOE MILANO: If you look at a menu that goes back to its origin days, half that menu still appears on our menu today. So, there were oysters, fried clams, clam chowder, scallops...NARRATOR: And it has hosted some famous patrons!JOE MILANO: Daniel Webster was probably our favorite customer. Daniel was a US Senator, great orator, and when he frequented the restaurant, he had no less than (as it was written) 1/2 dozen oysters - 6 plates, accompanied by a tumbler of brandy and a wad of chaser.NARRATOR: You can find an authentic New England meal in many of the nearby restaurants. Remember to look at your app to find your next stop on the Freedom Trail.

Stop 27 Blackstone Block and Haymarket

NARRATOR: This narrow cobblestone street gives you the feeling of Colonial Boston. Notice all the restaurants and taverns lined along the street.Here’s Bill Fowler, author, scholar, and Northeastern University Distinguished Professor of History, EmeritusBILL FOWLER: In the 18th century, there was a toast that was often given in Boston taverns. The toast went: "here’s to the crooked little town of Boston.” It had nothing to do with the morals of the people, and everything to do with the way the town was laid out. Boston was a crowded place. It was surrounded by water and the streets were narrow. Some were cobblestone. Some were simply dirt. It was also a town of wood and brick. Fire was a constant threat to Boston because the buildings were so crowded together. Should there be a fire, there was great danger that the entire town would be wiped out. It was a place filled with noise and people. It was a seaport, a bustling place; you could walk and listen to a cacophony of voices. You could listen to hear people speak Italian, Spanish or Portuguese. You could see slaves and free blacks – people from all over the world.NARRATOR: And today, you can hear the same crowded cacophony. Face the "Bell in Hand" Tavern. Look to your right. In the open area at the end of this block is the city’s open air weekend market known as the "Haymarket." You can find…VENDOR: (yelling) C’mon, I got the best for less over here! I got the sweet berries! They’re berry good!NARRATOR: On Fridays and Saturdays, this block is still bustling with fruit and vegetable stands.The Haymarket has been a Boston tradition since colonial times. But today, it sells much more than hay.Remember to look at your app to find your next stop on the Freedom Trail.

Stop 28 Paul Revere House

NARRATOR: When Paul Revere bought this house in 1770, it was already 90 years old! It was built in 1680, after a great fire destroyed this part of Boston. Today, it is the oldest home in downtown Boston.Check the street for traffic and then step across it to get a better view. Revere is best known as the messenger who brought news of the British troops’ movements to Lexington and Concord. But his main occupation was not as a messenger, but as a silversmith. His shop was located about two blocks away.Revere lived here with his mother Deborah, his wife Sarah, and their children. Soon after Sarah died in 1773, Revere married a woman named Rachel Walker. Rachel was home with the children when Paul Revere went on his midnight ride. Boston Globe syndicated Columnist Ellen Goodman explains that it was Rachel who got the Revere family to nearby Watertown:ELLEN GOODMAN: When Paul Revere ended up on the other side of the water after his historic ride, he was separated and here was his wife and kids in the North End and she's the one who got the whole family over to the other side, conning the British and keeping things going. NARRATOR: In fact, Paul Revere didn’t dare return to his house for nearly a year! Today, this house is a museum dedicated to 18th century domestic life.NARRATOR: During the Revolution, Boston’s North End was a maze of crooked streets. Paul Revere grew up in this neighborhood, and was active in local politics. Revere was part of a new class of men, unique to America. He was an artisan who worked with his hands. But he was also a gentleman, educated, and interested in politics. Democracy was part of his upbringing. When he was fifteen, he formed a bell ringer association for the Old North Church with a group of friends. They drew up a document that said:PAUL REVERE: We will choose a moderator every three months…all differences shall be decided by a majority of voices.NARRATOR: A majority of voices, just like the town meetings at Faneuil Hall. When General Gage became governor of Massachusetts, he wrote: "Democracy is too prevalent in America!" But it was men like Revere—artisans or farmers, all democratically minded—that formed the backbone of the American Revolution.

Stop 29 North Square

NARRATOR: This tiny triangle of a park marks North Square. It’s in the middle of the North End—the oldest neighborhood in Boston. The North End retains the scale and much of the feeling of colonial Boston, with the charming, cozy, tightly packed homes.ELLEN GOODMAN: We think of the North End as quaint and charming and full of energy and life and restaurants and festivals.Some of it was one wave of ethnic groups replacing the next. So the one in my memory that remained was the Italian but that wasn’t the only one at the turn of the century. It was mostly Italian and Jewish and prior to that, as you can tell, quite a while prior to that, it was Paul Revere whose house remains the oldest in that area.NARRATOR: More on this neighborhood from Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the late senator from Massachusetts:SENATOR KENNEDY: Now of course with welcoming all the new immigrants to Boston…we have about a thousand a week that become American citizens.Remember to look at your app to find your next stop on the Freedom Trail.

Stop 30 Rose Kennedy’s Birthplace/Thomas Hutchinson’s House

NARRATOR: There’s a rather humble apartment building on Garden Court where Governor Thomas Hutchinson lived, marked by a plaque. Then across the street at #4 Garden Court is Mrs. Rose Kennedy’s first home. Here is the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy from Massachusetts:SENATOR KENNEDY: And then look upstairs. Look up at a small apartment, where she was born.NARRATOR: Now, turn around. Do you see the building with a bronze plaque? Step over to it and look at the plaque. It shows the grand home that stood here during the time of the Revolution. It was the governor’s mansion—the King’s governor, that is! In 1765, riots broke out in Boston over the Stamp Act—which imposed taxes on all legal documents and newspapers. On an August night, an angry group of Patriots stormed Governor Hutchinson’s house—to ransack it!The building behind you, marked by a bronze plaque, was the Governor’s Mansion—the King’s Governor, that is! In 1765, riots broke out in Boston over the Stamp Act, which imposed taxes on all legal documents and newspapers. On an August night, an angry group of Patriots stormed Governor Hutchinson’s house to ransack it.CHARACTER VOICE: The hellish crew fell upon my house with the rage of devils. Such ruin was never seen in America.NARRATOR: There was an elaborate dinner party in the house that evening. The Governor and all his guests were driven out by the mob, but before the Patriots proceeded with their planned destruction, they sat down and helped themselves to the luxurious meal.After the looting, the Governor rebuilt the plundered interior. Keep in mind that not all Colonial Bostonians wanted Independence! Many Bostonians, like the Governor’s guests, remained loyal to the King. They were known as "Loyalists." As you move through these streets you can listen to a Loyalist folk song.Remember to look at your app to find your next stop on the Freedom Trail.

Stop 31 Paul Revere Statue

NARRATOR: In the center of this pleasant square is a statue of one of the North End’s most famous residents: Paul Revere. It was sculpted by Cyrus Dallin, and shows Revere as the daring messenger of Henry Longfellow’s "Midnight Ride" poem.The statue depicts Revere as a stylish gentleman. Notice his ruffled sleeve cuffs. He’s riding a finely bred horse. But Revere didn’t see himself like that at all! When Revere had his portrait painted in 1770, he dressed in the clothes of his profession – an artisan in shirtsleeves and an open vest.But Revere also acted as a messenger for the Committees of Correspondence. The morning after the Boston Tea Party, it was Paul Revere who carried the news to New York and Philadelphia. On the night of April 18th, 1775, he was given his most famous errand. The King’s troops were preparing to march. The Patriots thought the troops were headed for Lexington to arrest John Hancock and Samuel Adams. Someone had to warn them.Two messengers were chosen: one was Paul Revere. The artist has sculpted Revere’s horse with one leg raised. That usually symbolizes that the rider was wounded in battle. But Paul Revere wasn’t wounded: he was successful that night, and got word to Lexington on time. This statue faces Hanover Street.NARRATOR: This neighborhood is like walking into an Italian villagio.ITALIAN CAFÉ OWNER: Well, you do have a very good mix of Italian restaurants now. Each of the restaurants or the cafés all come from a different area of Italy, and they try to put their specialties out, what their mothers or fathers or forefathers taught them.

Stop 32 Old North Church

NARRATOR: You’re standing in front of the famous—and beautiful—Old North Church. It opened for worship in 1723.BILL FOWLER: By any standard, the architecture of the church is magnificent…. the red brick, the magnificent high, clear windows and dominated, of course, by that magnificent white spire that reaches so effortlessly into the sky.NARRATOR: That’s Bill Fowler, author, scholar, and Northeastern University Distinguished Professor of History, EmeritusBILL FOWLER: But, of course, it’s also an icon of American history, made famous on the evening of the 18th of April in ’75 when "hardly a man is now alive who remembers that famous day and year." That was a line from Longfellow’s poem, "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere," which he wrote in 1863 in the middle of a Civil War to inspire Americans to stand by the Union.NARRATOR: You can hear more about that famous night in a moment. But here’s an interesting coincidence: the 15-year-old Paul Revere worked in this church as a bell ringer! This has always been a functioning church. You may go inside, where you’ll see tall box-style pews. The ones nearest the door are labeled "For Wardens and Strangers." That’s because non-church members weren’t trusted; they had to sit with the churchwardens, who would keep an eye on them. Outside the church, make sure to move up the hill for the best view. That’s what late Senator Edward M. Kennedy always did:SENATOR KENNEDY: Take a moment just to look at the magnificent bell tower, the spires just take some time. My Grandfather Fitzgerald, when I was a small boy, would prop up his chair, sort of across the street so that he’d be looking at the wonderful architecture.NARRATOR: The tall steeple of the Old North Church is one of Boston’s most famous landmarks. And most importantly, on a night in April, 1775—it was clearly visible from Charlestown. The patriots in Boston were aware that the British were planning something, but they didn’t know what. And they needed a plan to alert the countryside when the time came. Paul Revere later remembered:PAUL REVERE "I agreed with a Colonel Conant and some other gentlemen that if the British went out by water, we would show two lanterns in the Old North Church steeple and if by land, one, as a signal, for we were apprehensive it would be difficult to cross the Charles River, or [git] over Boston neck."NARRATOR: That night Paul Revere made his way down to the water’s edge in order to row over to Charlestown. At the same time, the church sexton, Robert Newman, went and climbed up the steeple to light the lanterns. Now, this sounds easier than it was. You see, Newman lived with his mother, and on the night of April 18th, she was boarding a large party of British soldiers. Newman went to bed early that night, and when the coast was clear, escaped out his window. With a friend, he hurried to the church and climbed 154 creaking steps to the top of the steeple. They lit two lanterns and thrust them out the window, in the direction of Charlestown. The lights burned only for a moment—but that was enough. When Newman tried to leave, he found British troops in the street. To escape, he and his friend slipped out a back window. Remember to look at your app to find your next stop on the Freedom Trail.

Stop 33 Copp’s Hill Burying Ground

NARRATOR: Welcome to Copp’s Hill Burying Ground. Step up and into the burying ground. Turn left on the walkway. Start moving towards the large pillar at the corner ahead of you. Most of the people buried here aren’t Boston’s so-called "leading citizens," but ordinary tradesman and their families. In fact, this burying ground is named after a shoemaker! After you reach the monument at the corner, continue to the right. We’ll be first stopping at the grave marker for Robert Newman. It’s on the gate, about halfway down the walkway. As you move there, listen to Bill Fowler, author, scholar, and Northeastern University Distinguished Professor of History, EmeritusBILL FOWLER: Eighteenth century graveyards are wonderful places, filled with stories. But there is a caution here. These gravestones that are so carefully laid out in these neat rows. Well, not quite the way it was. You see, when people died and were buried they were buried in groups, family groups. Well, of course, in the 19th Century the poor church sextons had to care for these graveyards and mowing grass amidst gravestones that were laid out in a random fashion was just too difficult. And so…in the 19th Century the sextons gradually moved these grave markers into neat rows. So when you look at the grave markers here at Copp’s Hill, yes, it’s true that the person etched on the gravestone is buried somewhere, but not necessarily where the gravemarker is.NARRATOR: Robert Newman is the man who hung the lanterns in the Old North Church—"one if by land, two if by sea." He was the church sexton, so he was familiar with the building. Lucky thing too, because in order to escape from the waiting British soldiers, he ducked out of the church’s rear windows. On his tomb marker is a letter "G" with a compass. This is the symbol of the Masons. Many Patriots were members of this organization. More from Bill Fowler on this:BILL FOWLER: Freemasonry was originally established in Europe in form of resistance, really. And it was a secret organization because they did resist power, they did resist unbridled authority and here in Boston to be a Mason was to be part of that community and they stood together to fight against what they viewed as dictatorial tyranny of King George III.NARRATOR: Now, turn around. Slightly to your left is a tall stone with skull and crossbones at the top. It’s marked: "Captain Daniel Malcolm”. Look at the inscription above Malcolm’s name; it says that he wanted to be buried quote "in a stone grave 10 feet deep. " That’s because he was a great Patriot, member of the "Sons of Liberty"—so he wanted to make sure his body would be safe from British bullets. The British troops were certainly aware of his secret political activities. Look at the skull at the top. It looks like it has a rather deep eye socket! In fact, this is not part of the gravestone’s design. It was made by British soldiers—who used Malcolm’s grave marker for target practice! And now you can probably see that there are four more bullet holes on the gravestone. During the Revolution, British troops camped in this burying ground. It’s the highest point in the North End, so it was a good lookout point.NARRATOR: Turn around. Do you see the very tall dark monument shaped like a column? It’s marked "Prince Hall." Walk over to it.Prince Hall was a former enslaved man, but he was freed when his owner let him enlist in the Continental Army. African-Americans did indeed fight in the American Revolution. In the 18th Century, there was a large community of free blacks living in the so-called "New Guinea" neighborhood within the North End. There are over one thousand African Americans buried in this section of Copp’s Hill. Prince Hall was a leader of the free black community and helped set up the first school for black children in Boston—as well as the first black Masonic Lodge in the world. On Hall’s gravestone, do you see the eyeball with the triangle? This is again a symbol of the Masons. The Mason’s belief in intellectual independence made them a driving force within the Patriot’s cause. Look in your own wallet—if you have a dollar bill you can find this same symbol on it. This is the last stop in Copp’s Hill Burying Ground. But please take your time and explore. Along the back of the graveyard there’s a particularly beautiful view over the water. Pulitzer prize winning columnist Ellen Goodman says that this is her favorite place on the Freedom Trail.ELLEN GOODMAN: When you stand at the corner of the cemetery you…look straight across and you say oh, yeah,…one if by land and two if by sea. Oh, yeah, there it is over there. And then you look in the other direction and you see the waterfront which was an active part, hugely active part, of the economy. So to me standing at that spot…you’re standing right in the middle of all of Boston’s centuries. And you’re surrounded by people who lived and died during those times.

Stop 34 Brink’s Robbery and Molasses Flood

NARRATOR: You should be standing on the corner of Hull and Commercial Street. Today, there's a brick parking garage here. But imagine a dark night on January 17th, 1950. At that time, this was the site of Brinks—an armored car company famous for its security. Seven men in pea coats and plastic Captain Marvel masks piled out of a truck parked along this curb. Specs O’Keefe was the ringleader. Five Brinks employees were working inside.O’KEEFE CHARACTER: "We took our guns and spread out, fast, in front of the wire screen that separated us from them. There they were, counting money, checking papers, sorting checks, working around the main vault. For a little bit they all kept working. Then they looked up, looked through the wire at us. To say they froze isn’t enough. They seemed to be saying, This can’t be happening to Brinks!"NARRATOR: O’Keefe and his men got away with over a million dollars in cash and another million in money orders and checks. The case went unsolved for years until O’Keefe turned State’s evidence. Only 68,000 dollars were ever recovered.This same corner is rather infamous for another reason! It’s the so-called "Great Molasses Flood." You can hear about it as you continue walking.NARRATOR: Sniff the air around here: can you detect the faint aroma of molasses? Some people claim that on a hot summer day, you still can. That’s because there was actually a huge flood of the sticky stuff here—a tidal wave, in fact! There was a two million gallon tank of it here. On January 15th, 1919, the tank burst. It sounds funny, but it was quite deadly. The fast-moving molasses killed 21 people and innumerable horses. Afterwards, the mess was tracked all over the city— leaving sticky residues all over the trolleys and sidewalks. As you continue walking, you might be wondering: why was there so much molasses here? Today, it’s not a very common cooking ingredient. But in earlier times—and especially in Boston—it certainly was. In colonial times, it was used as a basic sweetener, and also in making rum. Molasses is also an essential ingredient in the famous "Boston Baked Beans." This dish was actually a Puritan invention. Puritans attended long Sabbath services and these cheap beans could be left on the hearth to bake for hours—simmering in aromatic molasses. Remember to look at your app to find your next stop on the Freedom Trail.

Stop 35 Crossing the Bridge to Charlestown

NARRATOR: Stand facing the water. Boston will be on your right side and Charlestown will be on the left. Beneath you is the Charles River. Before the Revolution, there were only two ways that you could get from Boston to Charlestown. The first, and the easiest, was the ferry boat. The second was by land—an eleven-mile journey that meant traveling over a thin spit of land called Boston neck. In 1774, the British closed the port of Boston and shut down the ferry. On the night of April 18th, 1775, the Patriots wanted to spread word that the King’s troops were on the move. They sent two messengers. The first messenger, William Dawes, was to try to ride past the soldiers at Boston neck: the second, Paul Revere, was to cross the river. Revere’s mission was extremely dangerous—the warship HMS Somerset was anchored mid-river to prevent anyone from crossing. Imagine, Paul Revere, stealing down towards the water’s edge after dark.PAUL REVERE: "I went to the north part of town, where I kept a boat…"NARRATOR: Two friends came along, to row him across.PAUL REVERE: "It was then a young tide, and the moon was rising…"NARRATOR: The rising moon, which could have exposed Revere and his friends, instead hung on the horizon. The tiny boat remained in shadow, and they safely reached the other side. Revere was met there by friends, who had seen his signal from the Old North Church. You can imagine how it looked that night. Look to your right, at Boston’s North End. In 1775, there were no other tall buildings, so the high white church steeple was easily visible. In the blackness, two lanterns shined brightly: warning the people of Charlestown that the British were coming by boat.

Stop 36 Training Grounds

NARRATOR: This Charlestown park is called "The Training Grounds." In 18th-century New England, almost every town had a training ground.Bill Fowler has more on this site:BILL FOWLER: When the Puritans arrived in New England in a place the Indians called Massachusetts, they organized into militias. They would meet periodically at the training ground. NARRATOR: On the sidewalk outside the park, you probably noticed that the brick line goes in several directions. If you go up the hill, you’re approaching the Bunker Hill Monument. But face the training grounds. If you go to the left, then you’re approaching the USS Constitution. That’s also one way towards Boston. Another way is to follow the brick line through the park. Either way, you’ll be enjoying a stroll through Charlestown, which is just one square mile.As you walk, keep in mind that Charlestown has always been a close-knit neighborhood of immigrants. In the 1800’s it became predominantly Irish. This is where the original Puritans first tried to settle! But no matter how many wells they dug, the water here was too salty to drink. And that’s when they moved across the river, to Boston.

Stop 37 Bunker Hill Monument

NARRATOR: This tall monument commemorates the famous Battle of Bunker Hill. It was the first real battle of the Revolutionary War. The first thing to know about the battle is… it didn’t happen on Bunker Hill! This is Breed’s Hill. The Patriots were supposed to build a fort on nearby Bunker Hill. It may have been a mistake—or their leader may have changed his mind. In either case, this hill was indeed on higher ground, and closer to the harbor.They worked all night, and the next afternoon, the Redcoats reacted quickly. Look down the hill you just climbed. That’s the direction the British came from—the best-trained army in the world. The Patriots’ leader that day was Colonel Prescott. That’s him, with a hat and a sword, in front of the monument. As the British got closer, it’s said that Prescott gave this famous order:COLONEL PRESCOTT: "Don’t fire ‘til you see the whites of their eyes!"NARRATOR: That was a brilliant military move. The Americans couldn’t afford to waste their meager supply of gunpowder. As the British got closer and closer, they began to wonder, were there any Patriots even inside that fort? The Patriots, meanwhile, took careful aim at the bright white straps crossing each British soldier’s chest—perfect targets. The British were stunned. Only after three assaults were the King’s troops able to finally take the hill.In the end, it was technically a British victory. But when the smoke cleared—this Hill was littered with over a thousand dead bodies—most of them the King’s troops. And so it was finally clear: war was on, and the Patriots would be formidable foes.Now, move to the side of the monument, near the entrance to the building. Before you go in, you can hear about the monument itself.This tall structure took nearly 20 years to build, from 1825 to 1843. It may remind you of the even larger Washington Monument in our nations’ capital. That one was built later.Bill Fowler discusses this enduring shape—called an obelisk.BILL FOWLER: Obelisks, pointed objects reaching up towards the sky, were a common classical architectural device. And so, the design of the obelisk was both a reminder of those classical times of some thousands of years ago, as well as a dramatic reminder of what had happened at Bunker Hill only 50 years ago. The cornerstone was laid by the Marquis de LaFayette who had been a hero of the American Revolution.NARRATOR: Susan Wilson, author and public historian, tells us what happened:SUSAN WILSON: The monument had begun, the designer was there...they had actually begun construction and they ran out of money. Basically, the essence of the story is a woman had a huge bake sale and was able to afford to finish the monument largely because of that bake sale.NARRATOR: This woman was the influential Sara Josepha Hale—the Martha Stewart of her generation!SUSAN WILSON: She published in her magazine an appeal to women all over the East Coast to donate things. And they donated quilts and things they had made and cookies and all kinds of crafts and then went down to the area we now know as Quincy Market and had this huge sale and earned over $30,000 which back 150 years ago was a heck of a lot of money and this...along with another grant that came in...enabled them to finish the Bunker Hill monument.NARRATOR: You can climb to the top of this monument for a beautiful view of Boston.

Stop 38 USS Constitution

NARRATOR: Well, there she is—the USS Constitution. The most celebrated ship in American History. George Washington himself commissioned this great vessel. He said that it was crucial to the young county’s economic security to provide a naval armament. Look at the boat’s sides. The hull is made from wood—but not just any wood. It’s made from a rare, incredibly strong oak that grows on the islands off the coast of Georgia. Did you notice that the hull is also painted black? This symbolizes the ship’s power and indestructibility.During the War of 1812, this ship was pelted with British cannonballs. But they seemed to bounce off the surface! An unknown seaman cried: "Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron!" And the nickname stuck—“Old Ironsides.” This grand lady of the sea has been in 47 major battles—and never lost a one. Look at the masts: the ship is as tall as a 20-story building! And yet, it’s incredibly fast. When it first went on active duty, it held a crew of about 500. Officers had cabins, of course—but the rest of the crew slept in hammocks. That is—if they were lucky. Marines and young boys, who were apprentices on board—would simply sleep on the floor. These children, eight to 14 years old, were called "powder monkeys." Senator Edward M Kennedy, the late Senator from Massachusetts:SENATOR KENNEDY: Well, The USS Constitution, this magnificent ship, which was really the predecessor for the American Navy, was about to sink in Portsmouth Harbor, in 1895. And my grandfather saw that. And when he was elected in 1896 to the Congress, where he served three terms, his first bill was to preserve the Constitution. And it’s now preserved with a wonderful history museum, close to it.NARRATOR: After you’ve finished visiting “Old Ironsides,” you may want to visit this fascinating—and fun hands-on museum. It’s just across the plaza from the ship. Take a stroll behind this museum, too. There’s a shuttle boat that can take you to downtown Boston. On Pier 4, look for the "Navy Yard Water Shuttle." It runs every half-hour for a nominal fee. Remember to look at your app to find your next stop on the Freedom Trail.

Stop 39 Commandant’s House

NARRATOR: Directly behind the tall flagpole is the building known as the "Commandant’s House." You can step up the stairs for a better view. It was a home for the Officers of this Navy Yard, and their families. Notice the roof—do you see the walkway around the top? The officers could use this to view the boats coming in and out of the Yard. Now, turn around and look at how big this Navy Yard is. As you walk around, imagine this area as a busy Naval manufacturing center. By the time of the Civil War in 1861-1865, this Yard had launched many important Navy vessels. But it was during World War II that this Yard became particularly important to America’s war effort. Women and men worked side-by-side here. The original buildings that had earlier made sails by hand—gave way to electronic labs. All this activity continued through the post-war years. But it came to a rather sudden halt in 1974. That was when then-President Nixon ordered the Navy Yard closed. The general feeling in Boston was that this was a retaliation against Massachusetts, which was the only state that voted against Nixon in the Presidential election. Today, the entire Yard is preserved by the National Parks Service as part of the Boston National Historic Park.

Stop 40 USS Cassin Young

NARRATOR: You should be standing in front of the US Navy Destroyer, USS Cassin Young. The Cassin Young was commissioned in 1943. During World War II the ship was in service in the South Pacific, at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. It was twice struck by kamikaze airplanes. Although many lives were lost aboard, the ship survived. In many ways, this vessel is a 20th century counterpart to the indestructible USS Constitution. Notice how the two ships stand proudly facing each other today! Both vessels are examples of the kinds of high-quality ships built here at the Charlestown Navy Yard. For nearly two centuries, the Navy Yard has served its country well, building more than 200 warships. During World War II, nearly 50,000 workers kept the nation's fleet repaired and ready for action.

Stop 41 Conclusion

We hope you learned more about the history of the city of Boston on your walk through The Freedom Trail today! Thank you for joining us on this journey back in time. The Freedom Trail app was developed by the Freedom Trail Foundation. All rights are reserved. This script and recording may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the Freedom Trail Foundation. Freedom Trail is a trademarked term and may not be used without written permission of the Freedom Trail Foundation. You may contact the Freedom Trail Foundation at (617)357-8300 or online at TheFreedomTrail.orgWe invite you to visit and experience Boston and the Freedom Trail much more as there are always new things to learn, do and see in our great city!