Behind the Scene – Part 2
As we stood near our meeting spot awaiting the arrival of our tour guide for the Freedom Trail, we took in the scenery around us. So much history took place right here at the Boston Commons. We stood under the spreading branches of a massive elm tree that dates back to pre-Revolutionary War days. The trees in this park are all gigantic. Of course I had to take and send pictures to my tree-loving hubby. He was duly impressed. Our Freedom Trail exploration took us to fourteen historic spots. Since this is a blog post and not a book, I’ve chosen my favorite to share with you.
We moved on to the Granary Burying Ground. This is where the grave monuments for John Hancock, Paul Revere, and Samuel Adams are located. Also in this grave yard is Benjamin Franklin’s parents’ monument. Of course, Ben himself is buried in Philadelphia because he detested Boston and considered himself a Philadelphian. That’s okay, Ben! To each their own.
The Granary Burying Ground
Along the Freedom Trail, we stopped to see the building that was once called the Old Corner Bookstore. It’s a Chipotle restaurant now, but it’s still so cool. Close by the Old Corner Bookstore, sits the Old South Meeting House. This is where several leaders of the Sons of Liberty were meeting while the Boston Tea Party was going down less than a mile away… Treasonous scalawags. Hehe!
The Old Corner Bookstore & the Old South Meeting House
The Paul Revere Monument & the Old North Church
This was one of my favorite parts of the tour today. I grew up reciting the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem, “The Ride of Paul Revere.” The church spire in the background is the Old North Church where the lanterns were hung to tell how the British Regulars were coming.
Paul Revere House
Paul Revere bought this house when he was 35 years old. Paul was married twice. He first wife died after giving birth to their eighth child. He remarried and they had eight more children. The Paul Revere Memorial Association has been operating and maintaining the house as a museum since 1908.
The Boston Holocaust Memorial
An unexpected discovery left us emotional today. Walking through these monuments and seeing the 6,000,000 ID numbers representing the Jewish people who lost their lives left us feeling sober and thoughtful. Right here, in the middle of amazing historically American landmarks, stands a stark reminder just how important freedom and liberty truly are.
Well, that’s it for today! Tomorrow we have a day “off” and plan to just explore and have fun here in Boston. I might hop on and do a quick blog post if we see something that might be of interest to you all. 🙂 Thursday is our day trip to New York City. Look for photos from that adventure.
