If you are like me and have never been to Boston but want to see everything before you leave, this is a great way to do it. I literally checked half of the things off of my list in one 8-hour day. Plus it was a nice workout/walk: 12.50 miles to be exact.
This guy got "Everybody wants to love" by Ingrid Michaelson stuck in our head for the rest of the day.
Ever heard of the story "Make way for the Ducklings"? Well here's the statue! :) Yes, I had to wait in line like all the other children.
18. King's Chapel burying ground - the first burial ground in Boston. John Winthrop was buried here!
The piano was hand painted and super pretty! And right across the front it said "Play me, I'm yours."
28. Paul Revere House - unfortunately it was closed when I got there. Another time Paul.
32. Old North Church - this is where they lit the 2 lanterns to let everyone know the British were coming by land. You could/can still see it all the way from Charlestown, across the river.
Instead of getting a guided tour, I went online to their website and bought a $15 audio tour for my phone and printed off a map. This was really neat because you could download it up to 6 times (different devices) and it let you listen to all the different, interesting historical stories about every little stop you took on the trail. It even had cute little portions were they played old music, made the old street sounds, and talked in old accents. It was also really nice because I was able to walk at my own pace and take everything in. By coincidence, one of my roommates (who is also from San Antonio) was taking her visiting cousin (from San Antonio) to the freedom trail that same day. So I let her download the audio tour, and we went together
So here is your virtual tour! I'm not going to post every single picture that I took, but I'm showing you my favorites! Prepare for a long blog :)
1. Boston Public Garden - (not actually part of the "freedom trail" but right next to the commons and worth the stroll.) They have actual live swans there, a pretty bridge, and flowers that look like truffula trees.
2. Boston Commons - where what used to be the public punishment area. If you every stole something, they would brand your head with a B for burglar. This is funny/ironic because now it is where a bunch of people lay around in the grass and be happy and sing and wear bright colors.
This guy is playing a hurdy-gurdy, and his dog was just chillin there listening.
3. The new MA state house - apparently they only open the front doors if someone new is coming in to office. Otherwise they are always shut.
4. Mary Dyer statue
5. Shaw Memorial - there's a movie about this, basically a black military unit was completely taken out during the civil war. They had soldiers from (don't quote me, but I think -) 14 to 60-something years old.
6. William Blackstone plaque
7. Park Street Church
8-16. Granary burying ground - pretty much everyone was buried here: Benjamin Franklin's parents (the giant statue in the middle), James Otis, John Hancock (the biggest tomb in the graveyard - go figure), Peter Faneuil, Judge Samel Sewell (basicalled damned a bunch of "witches"), Paul Revere (which had pennies all over his tomb.. not sure why, but I put one there too!), Mother Goose! (awesome right?), Robert Treat Paine, Samuel Adams, and Boston Massacre victims.
This particular grave was pretty sad. Apparently, it was very very common for infants to die before they were 1 year old. So common that families wouldn't even name their child until they made it to their first birthday. If they were to pass away, they would be burried here at this unmarked grave. It's a little hard to tell in the picutre, but there is a giant mound directly behind it (you can kind of see it in the first picture), where as the rest of the graveyard is flat. This is because (if I remember correctly) over 300 unnamed infants were buried here.
17. King's Chapel - it was gorgeous. People actually had to pay for those cubicles too.
18. King's Chapel burying ground - the first burial ground in Boston. John Winthrop was buried here!
19. First Public School & Benjamin Franklin - he is their most famous student.. who dropped out.
20. Old Corner Bookstore - before it was the bookstore, it was Anne Hutchinson's house.. and now? It's a freaking Chipotle!!!?
21. Old South Meeting House - you know, where they used to have meetings and stuff.
22. Old State House - apparently they used to get so packed people would be hanging out the 2nd floor windows. I also love how this building looks surrounded by the modern skyscrapers.
23. Boston Massacre site
24. Sam Adams Statue
25. Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market - there was too much going on here to focus on one thing! It was filled with all sorts of smells, sounds, and people. You can see Faneuil Hall behind Sam Adams. It was originally made to help people sell their goods, but the people in charge weren't too much of a fan so it was also used for meetings and stuff. Below in Quincy Market.
I got a little brave inside.
26. Union Oyster House - apparently has been there forever. It cost $16 for 6 oysters though, so I didn't try it... yet.
27. Blackston Block & Haymarket Vendors - this was actually really cool. The audio tour gave an example skit of what it would've sounded like back then: crazy, loud, bustling people yelling with their boston accents about prices for their berries... What was the best part was that was STILL what it sounded like!
28. Paul Revere House - unfortunately it was closed when I got there. Another time Paul.
29. North Square - now known as Little Italy
30. Thomas Hutchinson's House and Rose Kennedy's Birthplace
31. Paul Revere Statue
32. Old North Church - this is where they lit the 2 lanterns to let everyone know the British were coming by land. You could/can still see it all the way from Charlestown, across the river.
33. Copp's Hill burying ground
34. The Brinks Robbery & Great Molasses Flood - there was a road that literally flooded with molasses... like a tidal wave. People died.
35. Bridge to Charlestown - since it wasn't there way back when, Paul Revere dressed up like a British person to get over to Charlestown. Risky Risky.
36. Bunker Hill - you know what's funny? I work less than a mile away from this thing, but this was the first time I ever saw it. I guess I was never looking up, but now I notice it every single day.
37. Charlestown Colonial Militia training ground
38. USS Constitution & Constitution Museum - this think looked like it was straight of Pirate's of the Carribean. Apparently it's black because of some special fancy super strong and light wood from some place like North Carolina. It was the fastest of it's time and rumor has it that cannons would be fired at it and just bounce of the sides. The dang thing never lost a battle!
& Here's a giant anchor to look at just because I thought it was cool.
39. Commandant's House - the last thing we saw. It was a pretty large house that had an almost rooftop deck that let the commanders see who was coming in to their docks.
So there you have it! We continued on the harbor walk for a little while, just in time to catch this spectacular view: Boston skyline, Bunker Hill, and a sunset.
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