Boston's Freedom Trail

We spent a couple days in downtown Boston exploring the historical landmarks. So what's this? As soon as we got off the train we saw a crowd gathered for the opening of the very first Primark in the US. This is a huge chain in Europe, and it's landed here now.

We made our way to the southern end of the Freedom Trail. The first site we ran into was the Park Street Church, which has been an active Congregational Church since 1809.

The Massachusetts State House, which is what they call their state capitol, overlooks Boston Common. Samuel Adams and Paul Revere laid the cornerstone in 1795.

Boston Common - cattle once grazed here and British soldiers camped, but now just homeless people camp here.

Wait a minute - I see a Redcoat! Somebody shoot him!

The National Park Service has a terrific brochure on the Freedom Trail. All you have to do is follow the red line. Even I didn't get lost.

The trail then goes back to the Park Street Church and its cemetery. There are lots of old tombstones in the cemeteries around here. This one is from 1690. The winged skull, along with the crossbones, is very common on these old tombstones. It's a symbol of death and mortality that has been used since the medieval period.

Our next stop was King's Chapel, designed in 1749 for the first Anglican congregation in Boston.

The pews inside are box pews. Each one was owned by a family. They were designed to protect worshipers from winter drafts in the days before central heating.

Next up is the Old South Meeting House, built in 1729. Samuel Adams launched the Boston Tea Party from here in 1773.

Up the street is the Old State House, built in 1713. Just outside is where the Boston Massacre occurred, when British soldiers fired into a crowd of Bostonians in 1770.

Faneuil Hall is the old market building. Market stalls on the first floor service shoppers much as they did in Paul Revere's day.

And speaking of Paul Revere, here's his house, built way back in 1680. Paul's family occupied it from 1770 to 1800.

"One if by land, two if by sea!" On the night of April 18, 1775, two lanterns were hung in this steeple of the Old North Church to warn Charlestown patriots of advancing British soldiers.

The trail then goes across the Charles River

There are two big attractions over on the north side of the river. The first is the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world, launched in 1797.

Unfortunately, it's in dry dock now, undergoing a three-year restoration program. We were allowed on, but just the upper deck.

But at least I got to drive!

The other big attraction is the Bunker Hill Monument, commemorating the Revolution's first major battle.

You can climb the 294 steps to the top -

Where you get a very nice view of Boston and the Harbor.