I was concerned when someone at the Elks Lodge told us to expect to pay at least $50 a day for parking in Boston, but I discovered the ParkWhiz parking app. It showed the various parking lots with the price when you reserve and prepay for a spot. I booked/prepaid for a really convenient 12-hour parking space in the Boston Common Garage on Charles St. The parking garage was under the large Boston Common. Using the ParkWhiz app our cost was the same as the student/faculty rate for the day! This app worked so well, that we repeated it for our second day.
Having only two days in Boston, we had to preplan our days to see as much as possible. Due to our positive experience with Old Town Trolley Tours in Nashville, we rode the Hop On Hop Off trolley on Day 1 to get a nice overall introduction to the city. On Day 2 we walked the Freedom Trail using our Action Tour Guides (ATG) walking app. “Follow the yellow brick road”… well, not quite, but we did follow the red brick trail!
While the marking of the trail wasn’t identical throughout, you knew it when you saw it, and it was pretty cool to see how the trail adapted to the many changing road and sidewalk surfaces, yet remained unique and easy to follow.
Since multiple points of interests were part of both the Trolly Tour and the “Freedom Trail” walking app, I’m blending our two days into a single Boston experience. This blog contains a lot of historical sites and information about many of them, as well as a variety of unexpected sites around the city.
The Boston Common
This large area was founded in 1634 and is about 50 acres. It is the oldest public park in America. The Puritans purchased this common land from William Black by having each Boston homeowner chipping in to pay for it. It was agreed by all to use this open, slightly rolling hill area for the people of Boston to gather and allow their cows to gather and graze. They even had a town shepherd to watch over the cows.
At Packman Plaza, a plaza within Boston Common, are these three bronze statues representing Religion, Industry, and Learning.
This monument in Boston Common is dedicated to the Massachusetts soldiers and sailors who died in the Civil War. The monument was started in 1874 and dedicated in 1877.
Near the base of the monument is a type of mine laid and swept in the North Sea by the US Navy during the World War 1917-1919. This was the greatest achievement of this nature recorded in all of naval history.
While remaining a gathering place, the Boston Common has had quite a varied history of its use. Puritans hanged criminals from a large tree in the Boston Common. During the Revolutionary War, British soldiers camped and trained here. Victory gardens were planted here during World War II. Martin Luther King Jr led a civil rights rally here, and Pope John Paul II conducted a Catholic Mass here. It is pretty cool to see that the Boston Common continues to be a gathering place for locals and visitors. (But it isn’t near as lush and relaxing as the Boston Public Garden – coming up later.)
The King’s Chapel Burial Ground – This is the oldest burying ground of Boston. It was established in 1630, the same year as Boston. It was called “The Burying Place” for thirty years. A second burying ground, Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, was established in 1659, followed by the Granary Burying Ground in 1660. The first cemetery went from being called “The Burying Place” to “the Old Burying Ground” until the mid-1750s, when it was re-named “King’s Chapel Burying Ground” since it was adjacent to the King’s Chapel church. The church never owned or was affiliated with the cemetery.
The first governor of Massachusetts, John Winthrop (and his family) is buried here, as well as Mary (Chilton) Winslow, who was the first woman to step off the Mayflower. Mary was just 12 years old when she arrived.
The King’s Chapel – Founded in 1686. King’s Chapel became the first Anglican Church in Boston. Some graves were removed and re-interred so that none were covered by the church building. The corner stone of the present stone building was laid in 1749. The stone exterior was put up around the original wood structure to allow services to continue throughout the construction. After the Revolutionary War, it became the First Unitarian Church of the United States.
King’s Chapel has the oldest American pulpit still in continuous use. The bell, forged in England in 1772, cracked in 1814. It was recast by Paul Revere in 1816 and still rings to today for services. Revere is quoted as saying it was the “sweetest bell he had ever cast.”
Granary Burial Ground
This burial ground was established in the 1660s, and is one of the oldest historic sites in Boston. It was started because of overcrowding at the “old burying ground”, now known as “The King’s Chapel Burying Ground”, which was just one block away. The Granary was Boston’s third burial grounds. It was referred to as the “new burial ground”, the “south burial ground”, then as the “middle” and “central burial ground before taking on the name, Granary Burial Ground in 1800. This name stuck because it was adjacent to a 12,000 bushel granary storage that was meant to help feed the poor. In 1809, the Granary moved to Dorchester to make way for the Park Street Church which is still present today. It is believed there were over 5000 bodies buried here, but there is no where near that many headstones because many were buried together in family tombs.
Paul Revere was a master engraver, silversmith, and goldsmith who lived in Boston’s North End. He is most famous, of course, as one of the patriots who made the “midnight ride” to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams of the British march to Concord on April 18, 1775. (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere”). Revere was an active “Son of Liberty”, helped plan the Boston Tea Party, and participated in the Revolutionary War. Later, he became an industrialist, whose copper foundry and rolling mill made brass fittings for the U.S.S. Constitution and the Massachusetts State House’s original dome.
Revere was married twice, and had eight children with each wife for a total of 16 children! While his first wife died at an early age of 37, his second wife lived to age 68, and witnessed the birth of two of her grandchildren. (Both markers were together.)
Near the entrance is James Otis’s grave. James was a longtime friend and accomplice of Samuel Adams. He was a lawyer and activist who coined the timeless phrase “taxation without representation is tyranny.”
I enjoyed and appreciated our visit to this cemetery more than the other two historic cemeteries because it had graves of several important people of the revolution including three signers of the Declaration of Independence – John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Robert Treat Paine. Paul Revere was buried here, as were the victims of the Boston Massacre.
Robert Paine served as the prosecutor against the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre. He also took part in the debates leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, where he developed a reputation as an overly cautious and disagreeable sort. He objected to almost every measure others submitted, without having any ideas of his own or solutions for anything he was objecting.
There is a wonderful obelisk with the name “FRANKLIN” that many assume is for Benjamin Franklin, but it is not. His parents and other relatives are buried here. Benjamin Franklin is buried in Philadelphia.
I found the history of the gravestone markings/carvings to be quite interesting, and it prompted me to look more closely at many of these aged, weather-worn grave markers.
The deceased often ordered their gravestone prior to their death. Each carver had his own style. Only a few signed their work with their initials. The first, and cheapest markers were made of wood, which did not survive over time due to the damp seaside climate. In the 17th century, early stone markers had simply initials and dates. Carved symbols did not appear till a bit later.
“Death’s head,” a non-religious symbol, is a skull often with wings and/or crossed bones. It was the earliest symbol used in this graveyard. The majority of the carvings in the Granary are death’s heads.
“Winged cherub” or a soul effigy, is characterized by a fleshy face, life-like eyes, and an upwards-turned mouth. These start appearing in the late 17th century and are common in the 18th century.
The “willow and urn” symbols are seen most often after the American Revolution. The willow was an ancient mourning symbol. The urn was an Imperial Roman device used to contain ashes. These motifs were part of the trend toward sentimentality in mourning art. There are very few of these found at the Granary.
I found a sense of humor with the hour glass that appeared on some head stones. The first one below was accompanied with the Latin words “Fugit Hora” meaning “the hour flies” or “times up”. The second one depicts wings on the hour glass to show visually “time flies”.
Some families who could afford to do so, commissioned special symbols or a family crest to be engraved on the gravestone.
Park Street Church – founded in 1809
The steeple on Park Street Church is 217 ft. It used to be the first landmark travelers saw when approaching Boston.
“America” (“My Country Tis of Thee”), by Samuel Francis Smith, was first sung here on July 4, 1831.
Copp’s Hill Burying Ground was the second burial site in Boston in 1659. It was named after the shoemaker, Willam Copp. It was the final resting place for merchants, artisans, and craftspeople who lived in the North End. Copp’s Hill was the largest colonial burying ground. Only about 2300 gravestones remain. In 1838, new walkways were installed and the gravestones were moved and arranged in rows. Consequently, many no longer mark the actual location of the corresponding grave.
The Old North Church sexton, Robert Newman, who hung the lanterns on the night of Paul Revere’s midnight ride, is buried here. Countless free African-Americans are buried in a potter’s field on the Charter Street side of the Copp’s Hill site. A potter’s field is for paupers, and the unknown or those considered insignificant.
Being on a hill with panoramic views, the British used this spot to train their cannons on Charlestown during the Battle of Bunker Hill.
The First Public School
Established in 1635, the Boston Latin School was the first public school in America. By inviting boys of any social class to enter, the school set a precedent for tax-supported public education. The Boston Latin School’s curriculum is inspired by the 18th century latin-school movement, which centered on the idea that study of the classics was the basis of an educated mind. Some of the school’s most famous students were Ben Franklin, Samuel Adams, Henry Ward Beecher, Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Hancock, Robert Treat Paine, and Leonard Bernstein. A statue of Benjamin Franklin keeps a watchful eye on the site and a mosaic on the sidewalk behind King’s Chapel marks the spot of the original schoolhouse. Ironically, Franklin is the most notable dropout of the school.
Currently Boston Latin is located in the Fenway neighborhood and admits both boys and girls.
Old City Hall
This was home to Boston’s City Council from 1865 to 1969. But you have to love the donkey statue out front!
A Cute Donkey Statue Becomes Much More
A man named Roger Webb took a trip to Italy. While in Florence he found himself in an art store of statues. He saw the donkey and thought it would be perfect for Boston’s Freedom Trail. Why? It was cute, and kids would love it. So he bought it, but when he tried to give it to the city to place in front of the Old City Hall, they didn’t want a random, Italian donkey. After a few years, Webb was allowed to place the donkey in this courtyard by telling a small fib. He said the donkey represented the Democratic political party, which has long been dominant in Boston! Some people started asking if an elephant, the symbol for the Republican party, would be added to the courtyard. Webb did not want to distract attention away from his donkey, so he added footprints in front of the donkey, to allow anyone who wished to “stand in opposition”. Love it!
The Old State House
Built in 1713, the Old State House is the oldest surviving public building in Boston with some of its original bricks. It served as a meeting place to exchange news, and became the center of polities for the colonies. The Declaration of Independence was read from the balcony. The cupola on the Old State House was once the tallest point in the city.
Bostonians were so excited to be independent that they ripped down the two symbols of British authority (lion and unicorn) that adorned the roof of the building, and threw them into a bonfire! Replicas were placed back on the roof in 1882 as a recognition of the building’s past. An eagle was also added to the opposite side of the state house.
The lion has always been part of England’s crest as a symbol of strength and courage. The unicorn comes from the kings of Scotland. In Scottish mythology, unicorns were deadly, unpredictable beasts, which is why they were often shown chained on royal crests. When England and Scotland merged in 1707 to form the United Kingdom, the crests merged, too.
The Boston Massacre – or King’s St Riot?
Out front of the Old State House is a large, circular cobblestone medallion in the square marking the site of the tragic event – The Boston Massacre. Colonists did not like having the British soldiers around. On the night of March 5th, 1770 about 9 PM, a crowd of 60-200 men gathered on the square. They began threatening the lone soldier guarding the Old State House. The soldier called Customs House, and eight more soldiers arrived to support him. The crowd began throwing rocks and snowballs at the soldiers, taunting them to fire their muskets.
Supposedly when an object hit the shoulder of a British soldier and his gun accidentally discharged into the crowd, the other soldiers fired their muskets into the crowd. At the end of the firing, three lay dead and two died later. The name Boston Massacre was chosen to stretch the truth as part of a propaganda effort. The British simply refer to this event as the riot on King Street. Regardless, it was fuel added for the inevitable American Revolution.
Faneuil Hall – Constructed in 1742, Faneuil Hall served as a meeting hall (upper floor) and a marketplace (lower level). Here in 1764, Americans first protested against the Sugar Act and the Stamp Act, setting the doctrine that became known as “no taxation without representation.” Gatherings to protest the Townshend Acts, the Redcoat occupation, and the Tea Act followed. Many inspirational and important speeches were given here. The building was expanded to almost twice its size in 1885.
Quincy Market
Adjacent to Faneuil Hall is the Quincy Market. Quincy Market provides a lot of retail shopping opportunities and a variety of eating options. Food is packed “to go”, but in the middle of the building is both a ground level area with tables, and an upper level with tabled seating. The upper level was more of a circular balcony.
We enjoyed a table upstairs that butted up to the circular railing. We preferred the view up here, and it was definitely less crowded. We like having space and breathing room. The hot lobster roll was great! A hot one roll is definitely our preference over the cold ones with mayonnaise.
The Large Cobblestone Plaza outside Fanueil Hall Marketplace
hosts an extraordinarily large statue of Kevin Hagan White, mayor of Boston from 1968-1984. His “walking statue” invites you to walk along with him.
He definitely had big shoes to fill! LOL
These guys loved Barry’s “cute, little camera”. Someone comments on the Osmo every time we are out and about! These two were so friendly and started “dancing”, but they really weren’t good. I said to them, “I thought you guys were supposed to have rhythm!” LOL. (I wouldn’t have said that if I didn’t think they would react well.)They immediately laughed – and agreed that they “should”, but did not. Fun guys.
Samuel Adams Taproom
We went into the brewhouse to hopefully let our clothes dry out from being in rain for most of the day while Barry enjoyed a beer.
The Old South Meeting House
The Old South Meeting House is a Puritan place of worship, and was the largest building in colonial Boston. When a gathering was too large for Faneuil Hall, the meeting was held here.
The Sons of Liberty met at the Old South Meeting House on December 16, 1773, with 5,000 colonists in attendance. The discussion that ensued regarding the British tax on tea led promptly to the Boston Tea Party later that evening. The colonists had had it with Britain’s multiple acts of taxation on them without having any representation in Parliament. The tea tax was the “straw that broke the camel’s back”.
So how much tea went into the Boston Harbor the night of the Boston Tea Party?
At the Griffon’s Wharf, 116 men made the surprising dump 92,000 pounds of tea overboard that contained in 342 chests. That’s enough tea to fill about 18.5 million teabags! In today’s terms, that would be $2 million! No wonder it infuriated the British.
The Old South Meeting house is viewed today as a symbol of the right to free speech and free assembly.
Beacon Hill
Beacon Hill is one of Boston’s oldest neighborhoods. It is also one of the most desirable, and therefore, one of the most expensive. It is full of charm with the narrow cobblestone streets, federal style row houses, and gaslit street lamps. John Kerry and his wife have a home here, but it is a neighborhood known for the authors who have lived here such as Louisa May Alcott, Robert Frost, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Michael Crichton.
Christ Church – The Old North Church
The Old North Church is the oldest church building in Boston, and is a National Historic Landmark. It is officially called Christ Church, but due to the famous ride of Paul Revere in Longfellow’s poem, we tend to know it as “The Old North Church”.
In 1775, the steeple of the church was the highest point in Boston making it the ideal location for Revere to get a signal across the harbor to Charlestown.
Paul Revere told three Boston patriots to hang two lanterns in the steeple. One of the men was the church sexton. Two of them carried the two lanterns up to the steeple, while the third stood watch outside the church. The lanterns were lit for less than a minute to quickly be a signal, but not long enough for the British in Boston to notice. Revere and William Dawes raced on to Lexington and Concord to warn them “The British are coming!”
Plaque on the Church describing actions of Paul Revere.
The original steeple was blown down in 1804. The replacement steeple that is still the current steeple is 16 feet shorter than the original.
Paul Revere Mall – area that leads to the Old North Church, and is the location of the statue of Paul Revere on his horse warning, “The British are coming!” The inside perimeter wall has numerous plaques installed that pay tribute to the North End men defending their lives in the North End and the integrity of the Union as well as men and women who were significant in this community.
Paul Revere’s House
This small wooden house was built in 1680, and is the oldest house in downtown Boston. Paul Revere lived here from 1770-1800. Paul Revere had 16 children!
Irish Famine Memorial
Irish Park, funded by Boston business Thomas Flatley, opened in 1998. There are two families depicted. One starved and ragged from the deprivation of the famine of 1845-1852, the other is well-fed having found prosperity in America. It is said to emphasize the transformation from a “anxious immigrant” to a “future of freedom and opportunity” in America for the Irish. I was quite moved by this memorial. We weren’t aware of it prior to our visit. The accompanying plaques were good to read to get the full impact of this piece of Irish-American history. I’ve included the statements from each further below.
The placement of the two separate, but connected pieces was not by chance. From the angle below we saw the woman of the family that made it to America looking back at the life they escaped. She will not forget that others weren’t as lucky – or will she?
From the memorial:
- DYING OF HUNGER
Starting in 1845, a virulent fungus devastated the potato crop, depriving poor Irish families of their main source of food and subsistence. Ironically as thousands of Irish starved to death, the British government then ruling Ireland callously allowed tons of grain to be exported from Ireland to pay absentee landlords their rents. “The stranger reaps our harvest, the alien owns our soil,” wrote Irish poet lady Jane Wilde. - THE GREAT HUNGER (AN GORTA MOR)
The great famine which ravage Ireland between the 1845-1850 was the major catastrophe of the 19th century. It brought horrific suffering and loss to Ireland’s 8.5 million people. Over one million died of starvation and disease. Another two million emigrated to Boston and other North American cities. Those remaining in Ireland poverty, eviction and the decimation of their culture. This memorial remembers the famine, known in Ireland as An Gorta Mor (The Great Hunger). It depicts the Irish exodus from their homeland, their arrival in Boston, and ultimate triumph over adversity in America. - ARRIVING IN BOSTON
In 1847 alone, 37,000 Irish refugees landed in Boston, on the edge of death and despair. “Native Bostonians might have been willing to send money and food to aid the starving Irish as long as they remained in Ireland,” wrote historian Thomas H. O’Connor, “but they certainly didn’t want them coming to America.” The newcomers moved in along Boston’s waterfront, packed together in damp cellars and overcrowded hovels. “Children in the Irish district,” wrote Bostonian Lemuel Shattuck, “seemed literally born to die.” - CROSSING THE BOWL OF TEARS
In a frantic attempt to outwit death, nearly two million people fled Ireland. “Many thousands of peasants who could still scrape up the means fled to the sea, as if pursued by wild beasts, and betook themselves to America.” wrote Irish patriot John Mitchel. The emigrants boarded vessels so unseaworthy they were called Coffin Ships. So many passengers died at sea that poet John Boyle O’Reilly called the Atlantic Ocean upon which they journeyed “a bowl of tears.” - BOSTON SENDS HELP
Citizens of Boston, of all faiths, responded to the desperate plight of the starving Irish. On March 27, 1847, the U.S.S. Jamestown, commanded by Captain Robert Bennet Forges, sailed from Boston Harbor with 800 tons of food, supplies and clothing.15 days later it put into Cork Harbor, Ireland. “Deeply are we indebted to the citizens of Massachusetts,” Robert Hare of Cork told the ship’s crew. “We will ever cherish their generous solicitude for Ireland in her hour of trial and suffering.” - THE AMERICAN DREAM
Despite hostility from some Bostonians and signs of NO IRISH NEED APPLY, the Famine Irish eventually transformed themselves from impoverished refugees to hard-working, successful Americans. The leadership of Boston Irish like John Boyle O’Reilly, Patrick Collins and Richard Cardinal Cushing culminated in a descendent of the famine generation, John F. Kennedy, becoming the nation’s first Irish Catholic President in 1960. Today 44 million Americans claim Irish ancestry, leading the nation in Medal of Honor winners, and excelling in literature, sports, business, medicine and entertainment. - LEST WE FORGET
The commemoration of the Great Hunger allows people everywhere to reflect upon a terrible episode that forever changed Ireland. The conditions that produced the Irish famine – crop failure, absentee landlordism, colonialism and weak political leadership – still exist around the world today. Famines continue to decimate suffering populations. The lessons of the Irish famine need to be constantly learned and applied until history finally ceases to repeat itself.
Massachusetts State House
This State House was completed in 1798. The wings and extension in the back were added later. We were not able to get any closer due to work being done. The gold dome is the State House’s most distinctive feature and makes the Massachusetts State House iconic. The dome was sheathed in copper by Paul Revere’ copper company in 1802 to stop a leaking wood dome. In 1874, the dome was gilded with 23 karat gold! It sparkled in the sunlight for miles. Therefore, during WWII the dome was painted a gray to prevent it from being a bombing target. In 1997, the dome was re-gilded with 23k gold. This distinctive dome made it onto the big screen. It is visible in multiple scenes in the movie, The Departed.
Old Corner Bookstore/ The Boston Globe
The Chipotle in the red-brick building was the Old Corner Bookstore. It is the oldest commercial building in Boston. It was built inn 1718 and housed the publishers Ticknor and Fields. They introduced the world to Henry David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott, and Ralph Emerson.
Trinity Church-Breathtaking!
Trinity Church was first established in 1733 in downtown Boston, but after the Great Fire of Boston 1872, the church moved to its current location with the new construction completed in 1877. The architectural details are exquisite.
Even the outside grounds were worth taking the time to enjoy (and the adjacent plaza area).
I loved the exterior so much that I paid the $8 to see the inside. I’m so glad I did! The carvings, the frescos and the stained glass windows were incredible! I haven’t been so completely immersed with such detailed artistry in a church since I was in Italy on a January Interim from Muskingum College studying the arts with Professor Louis Palmer.
Copley Square – Adjacent to Trinity Church
Boston Marathon – On Boylston Street near Copley Square. I believe this post marks where the finish line is painted out on the street.
CHEERS – Where everyone knows your name!
This was a must stop and see. I can’t imagine anyone in our age group who did not watch “Cheers”. The Boston Pub was discovered by Hollywood in 1981. They took all kinds of pictures inside and out. Had a set built, and Cheer debuted in 1982 and ran for 11 seasons. I think it’s pretty cool that the pub actually changed it’s name to “Cheers”. I’m sure it has paid off for them!
Barry was going to have a beer, and we thought we would get something to eat, but it was incredibly busy, and the waitress I tried to ask about ordering was pretty rude. When I told Abby about it, she said, “You had Carla!” OMG. She was right. Wish I had thought of that at the time, we may have laughed and stayed. LOL
Boston Public Garden –Founded 1837
Wow! We loved the lush grass and peacefulness of this park! Definitely worth walking around to take it all in, but to also sit somewhere to decompress and enjoy some relaxation time before heading back to work or going home. What a great spot to meet up with friends. Locals must cherish this protected park. We saw two weddings while we were here.
Trees were magnificent and all were labeled with identifying information.
And the colors- and we were not there when the colors are the most spectacular.
Some monuments around the park:
George Washington
Edward Everett Hale – Clergyman and journalist
Edward Everett Hall is the nephew of Edward Everett, namesake of the Boston suburb, and is the grandnephew of Nathan Hale.
Wendell Philips– Abolitionist speaker and lawyer
The quote below is from the monument.
“I LOVE INEXPRESSIBLY THESE STREETS OF BOSTON OVER WHOSE PAVEMENTS MY MOTHER HELD UP TENDERLY MY BABY FEET AND IF GOD GRANTS ME TIME ENOUGH I WILL MAKE THEM TOO PURE TO BEAR THE FOOTSTEPS OF A SLAVE”
As a previous kindergarten teacher and now a Nana, I had to make sure I found the Make Way For Ducklings sculpture in the park!
A couple fountains
Bagheera Fountain – From The Jungle Book. Bagheera was the panther character.
Siblings – “Triton Children Fountain”
The U.S.S. Constitution
Visiting the U.S.S. Constitution was fascinating. I had no idea the ship was still a commissioned ship which means there is a Commanding Officer and crew! The Constitution first launched in 1797, and is clearly the oldest commissioned warship still afloat. Paul Revere is in this story, too! He designed the copper fastenings for this ship. This three-masted frigate participated in the Barbary War off the coast of North Africa and sailed the Caribbean in search of pirates. During the War of 1812 she was given the nickname “Old Ironsides” because the shots she took from enemy ship cannons appeared to just bounce off her. While the oak that was used was extremely hard and resilient, the fired cannonballs did do some damage, but it was mild enough that the crew was able to make repairs through the night. To the enemy the mighty “Constitution” appeared completely unscathed, and unsinkable!
During battle, the Constitution’s Marines fired at the enemy with their muskets. The muskets were loaded with a lead ball wrapped in a paper “cartridge” with enough gun powder to fire it. The Marines bit off the tip, and tipped a little powder into the gun’s pan. Then they poured the rest of the powder, and the ball down the yard-long barrel, ramming it all the way with a rod. Only a properly loaded musket will fire.
Expertise of the heavy gun crew was essential.
The Constitution’s 52 heavy guns gave her awesome power in battle, but those guns could do just as much harm to those firing them as to the enemy targets they are firing upon, if the seamen lack training. The seamen practiced regularly rehearsing a strict routine until they could do it blindfolded. Every man had to do his part with exceptional concentration. With each of these guns weighing more than 3 tons, if one rolled away, it would effortlessly crush a man. A stray spark on its powder charge would likely kill the gun crew and set the ship on fire.
Gun-powder Magazine – housed below the waterline of the ship.
“Grog Time” – the strong happy hour.
Shipboard Life – for the seamen (enlisted crew)
Sleeping – the Berth Deck
Hammocks were a light weight option used for sleeping. Each black hook in the picture below was for one hammock. Only half of the crew slept at one time. The seamen either slept from midnight to 4am, or from 4am to 8am, while the other group sailed the ship.
Eating
Each sailor was part of a 12-member mess. “Messmates” select each other and thus become as close as brothers as they share meal times together. They gathered in the same spot on the berth deck, spread out a cloth, and sat cross-legged to share their food. In a mess, everyone was equal no matter their age or rank. Choosing their messmates was about the only freedom the seamen experienced. The officers controlled almost everything else they did.
Shipboard Life for Officers – Rank has its privileges
Staterooms
The Captain’s quarters.
First Lieutenant Quarters
The Wardroom – Dining
The officers ate far better than the seamen they commanded. They pooled their money to buy fresh food, preserves, and wines. The wardroom provided dining with tables and chairs. Their sleeping quarters bordered the room.
Sickbay
There was an area of additional hammocks for anyone who may be sick. This was on the same deck as the seaman berth deck.
The Charlestown Shipyard
Dry dock is essential for repairs and general upkeep of the underwater portion of ships. The USS Constitution was the first to use Dry Dock #1 after it opened in 1833. She was recently there from 2015-2017. Although Dry Dock #1 has been enlarged several times to accommodate bigger ships, it is still kept drained and operable today for use by the USS Constitution and the USS Cassin Young.
The Commander’s House is the oldest building in the Navy Yard, and the most elegant. It was designed for formal entertaining and family life with the house and its gardens forming a refuge from the industrial nature of the shipyard. The U.S.S Constitution’s first captain, Samuel Nicholson, and his family moved into the new home in the summer of 1805, when Nicholson became the first commandant of the shipyard.
The small park area between the workings of the shipyard and the Commandant’s House.
Bunker Hill Monument
When you see the obelisk that is the Bunker Hill Monument, you think it is modeled after the Washington Monument in DC, but Bunker Hill Monument was the first public obelisk in the US. The monument was started in 1827, but not completed till 1842. The battle was actually misnamed. It took place instead on Breed’s Hill, so this is where the monument is located, but they call it the Bunker Hill Monument.
The Battle of Bunker Hill, which was among the first major battles, was the bloodiest battle between the British and the Patriot forces in the American Revolutionary War. The taking of Bunker Hill was supposed to be easy for the British, but the Patriots learned of the British plan and fortified the hill with 1200 men. Outnumbered and low on ammunition, they were told not to fire “until you see the whites of their eyes,” so they wouldn’t waste a single bullet! The Patriots held their ground against one assault, and then another. On the third attack, the Patriots were out of ammunition, so they were forced to retreat. Both sides had major casualties. The British ended up taking the hill, but their personal losses were greater. In addition, the news of the Patriots’ valiant defense spread quickly which energized them to continue the revolution.
An Unexpected Memorial – Holocaust Memorial
This was such a unique Holocaust Memorial. We had no idea it was here till we were walking near it. It was a truly sobering experience. The memorial consists of six glass towers that represent the six extermination camps (Majdanek, Chelmno, Sobibor, Treblinka, Belzec, and Auschwitz-Birkenau). You actually walk through the lower part of each tower. Engraved on the outside walls of each tower are groups of numbers representing the SIX MILLION Jews killed in the Holocaust. The inner walls are inscribed with quotes from survivors of each of the six camps.
As you walk through each tower you experience steam rising up around you from the metal grates of the dark floor. WOW! What a great, yet safe way, to have people today get a small sense of being in a gas chamber! Definitely an emotional experience.
Rose Kennedy Greenway and The Big Dig
The Rose Kennedy Greenway is a one-mile linear park with water features. It stretches over several downtown neighborhoods. The area we saw was where the roses are, but none were currently in bloom. Steady rain also deterred us from lingering to check it out any further. The Greenway officially opened in 2008 on the Big Dig.
The Big Dig is a series of long, complex and technologically challenging tunnel highway projects. Since the highway relocated underground, city leaders decided to enhance city life by providing these additional parks and gardens named Rose Kennedy Greenway. Unfortunately, the Big Dig became the single most expensive highway project in the entire US. Planning began in 1982 and was supposed to finish by 1998 at under $3billion. Everything went wrong when the companies in charge decided to cut corner by using shoddy materials. As leaks became rampant and delays never-ending, the Big Dig was finally patched and finished nine years late in 2007, and at a total cost of $22 billion.
Paul Revere Park – Charles River Reservation
Little Italy
After all the hype, we went ahead and went for a cannoli in Little Italy at Mike’s Pastry. We ordered one Florentine since a review on Facebook claimed that to be amazing. I really wanted to love it, but it was way too sweet. Two bites was more than enough. I should have asked for the one that was the least sweet. That may have been better for us since we don’t indulge in super sweet/rich desserts.
Then we went for pizza at Galleria Umberto because that’s what a YouTuber raved about, saying that’s where locals go for real Italian pizza. They said you have to go early because they sell out, and don’t make any more that day. It was just OK pizza with much more sauce than I recall every on pizza in Florence or Rome. Maybe we should have tried Pizzeria Regina. It is the oldest pizza place in Boston, and highly recommended. But someone shared that the place we went was supposedly more authentic.
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston to roving actor parents in 1809, but he never considered Boston home or felt welcomed here. However, a “Poe Returning to Boston” statue was unveiled in 2014, near his birthplace. The square is now known as Edgar Allen Poe Square.
Boston Tea Party site in Boston Harbor
Colorful Art Sculptures in the Waterfront District– These adorned the median along Seaport Boulevard in the Seaport area of Boston. All these were taken from the HopOn-HopOff Trolley.
Interesting architecture and additional sites around Boston
Multiple taverns
The Tiffany windows of the Arlington Street Church would be spectacular to see, but we weren’t able to see from inside. The inside picture I got from their Facebook page to share with others who visit Boston to put this on their “Must See” list.
We stayed at the Wakefield Elks Lodge. The proximity to Boston was better than any RV park, and the price was ideal. People here were very friendly, and extended an invitation for us to join them for a drink and to come back for the dance that was happening the second night we were there. As much as I thought I would go to the dance, I was too tired from walking all over Boston for two days.
Stay tuned for our adventures in Maine!
Thanks for the tour. We’ve been to Boston a couple of times and it fun to experience it through your eyes. Did you see the Orpheum Theater? We saw Steely Dan when we were there last.
We may have seen it from the trolley, but I don’t fully recall it at this point. Cool concert to see though!
Omg you guys covered a lot!! We are from that area n we haven’t seen that much! Glad u had a great visit
Loved your comment. Yes, we felt we used our time well, but we were wiped out by the end of the second day. We walked A LOT and definitely enjoyed Boston!
WOW, what a great history lesson this morning! Makes me want to see it all.