The attraction also features a full-scale replica of an 18th-century sailing ship, a post-tea party patriot-loyalist debate on Griffin’ s Wharf. Visitors may also observe the Robinson Tea Chest, the only surviving tea chest, and attend“ Let it Begin Here,” a film depicting April 19, 1775, the date of Paul Revere’ s Midnight Ride. The experience concludes, perhaps paradoxically, with an invitation to Abigail’ s Tea Room & Terrace for refreshments.
USS CONSTITUTION
For many history buffs, the chance to touch a genuine artifact is one of the most rewarding parts of travel. The USS Constitution remains one of America’ s most significant treasures, a three-masted frigate first launched in 1797.“ Old Ironsides,” a nickname the ship earned during the War of 1812 when cannonballs appeared to bounce off its wooden hull, is still afloat today.
Moored in Charleston Navy Yard, the ship remains an active ceremonial vessel in the United States Navy. Active-duty Navy personnel maintain the Constitution, which is free of charge to board. The ticketed USS Constitution Museum features historical documents and artifacts, revolving maritime historical exhibits, and interactive activities.
BUNKER HILL
The“ Battle of Bunker Hill” on June 17, 1775, was the military confrontation between the British and the colonists after the revolutionary forces learned that Britain planned to occupy the hills surrounding Boston and take control of Boston Harbor. One thousand soldiers in the 2,400-strong British military were either killed or wounded, dramatic losses that presaged the coming Revolutionary War.
National park rangers and volunteers provide“ Decisive Day” talks that illustrate the armed conflict, the consequences for either side, and the successful undertaking, fifty years later, to construct the obelisk and establish the park. The Bunker Hill Museum dives deeper into this history and contains artifacts from this dramatic moment in Revolutionary history.
LONGFELLOW HOUSE WASHINGTON’ S HEADQUARTERS
Located at 105 Brattle Street in Cambridge, the Longfellow House was built by John Vassall Jr., a sugar plantation owner and enslaver. George Washington used the house as his headquarters for nine months during the Siege of Boston, when revolutionary colonists sought to deny British troops access to supplies.
The Longfellow House bridges Revolutionary and literary history. The National Historic Site contains galleries featuring extensive studies of Longfellow’ s life, his work, relationships with other literary figures, and his family, many of whom became outspoken abolitionists, suffragists, and advocates for Indigenous and LGBTQ rights. A Longfellow House visit is a must for anyone interested in America’ s revolutionary, literary, and cultural history.
LEXINGTON & CONCORD
No visit to Revolutionary Boston is complete without a day trip to Lexington and Concord, the two outlying villages where the first battles of the American Revolution occurred. On April 18, 1775, having learned of the Redcoats’ intentions, Paul Revere rode under the cloak of night to Lexington, informing local militias of the impending British movements. On April 19, Captain John Parker led the Lexington militia onto the village green to confront British troops who had been sent to seize colonial armaments, presumably stored on a farm in Concord.
The Minute Man National Historical Park Visitor Center offers art, artifacts, and a 27-minute multimedia theater presentation,“ Road to
Hancock-Clarke House
Credit: Conny Pokorny
Boston Harborfest
Credit: Kyle Klein
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