Historic Boston

I've been looking forward to visiting Boston after seeing the battle fields and the front lines of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.  This town has seen it all, from the midnight ride of Paul Revere to warn John Hancock and Sam Adams that the British were coming to the 1840 speeches in Faneuil Hall by Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglas.  These are proud people who fought for liberty from tyranny and who continue to voice their opinions even today.  I met people from all over the world along the Freedom trail yesterday, including Bostonians hosting family members.  Everyone was kind and happy to share their travel stories.  

The Freedom Trail features the Revolutionary War sites all around the city.  You can follow it easily since the trail is marked with a narrow red brick trail on the side walks.  It took about six hours for me to finish walking through the city and spending time at each stop.  

For me the highlights were the graves at the Granary Burying Ground where John  Hancock, Paul Revere, and and Sam Adams were buried in addition to families and other patriots.  

The Old State House was the seat of government at the time of the Revolution.  It is the place where descension with the British government was first raised and where the British first fired on the colonial citizens.  The battle was known as the Boston Massacre resulting in the deaths of five patriots.

It is also the place where Margaret Sanger spoke openly about the need for birth control.  She was arrested several times and wore tape on her mouth to protest and dramatized their efforts to silence her. 

This meeting house has a long history of its citizens debating social issues.

This is Faneuil Hall where town meetings were held.  The Stamp Tax was debated here and abolitionists spoke about eliminating slavery.

This is Paul Revere's House.  His family (5th generation) is still in Boston and involved with the Museum.

Bunker Hill is the site of the decisive battle with the British on June 16, 1775.  There was no turning back!  Learning that the British would be seizing Charlestown and Dorchester Neck, overnight the Patriots built a fort to foil their plan.  Twice they held the British back, but the third time proved to be too much.  They had run out of ammunition and the British were able to over take them.  It was the first major battle of the Revolutionary War, a war that continued for eight more years.