Boston’s Freedom Trail Springs into the Season with Expanded Schedule

Freedom Trail Foundation’s 18th-century costumed guides will be out on the Trail in full force this spring, offering more opportunities to bring history to life.

The Freedom Trail Foundation’s current tour schedule offers Walk Into History® Tours daily at 11 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 1 p.m., and 2  p.m. from the Boston Common Visitor Information Center. The schedule will grow to include a 10:30 a.m. Walk Into History Tour, starting on April 6, and a 1:30 p.m. North End Tour, starting on April 13, both departing from the ArtsBoston Booth at Faneuil Hall, and a 3:00 p.m. Walk Into History Tour, starting on April 13, departing from the Boston Common Visitor Information Center. Tour offerings will continue to expand throughout the spring for adults and children, history buffs and curious visitors alike.

Walk Into History Tours are the official 90-minute walking tour of the Freedom Trail featuring tales of revolutionary actions, walking to 11 of Boston’s historic Freedom Trail sites to and from Boston Common and Faneuil Hall. North End Tours feature stops along the Trail including the Paul Revere House, Old North Church, Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, and other historic places in Boston’s oldest neighborhood. 

Led by 18th-century costumed guides, Freedom Trail Foundation walking tours are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors/students, and $8 for children. Tickets may be purchased at the Visitor Information Center on Boston Common, ArtsBoston Booth at Faneuil Hall, Old Town Trolley locations and ticket booths, Cheers retail gift shop at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, and online at TheFreedomTrail.org – tickets are discounted when purchased online.

Freedom Trail sites are offering special events for students, families, and visitors during April School Vacation Week, Monday, April 15 through Friday, April 19. Enjoy National Literature and Poetry Month at King’s Chapel, experience revolutionary Boston at the Paul Revere House, try needlework at the Old South Meeting House, join a tour of the Old State House, and watch the Patriots’ Day Parade at Boston City Hall.

For a schedule of Freedom Trail historic sites activities during April school vacation week as well as an updated tour schedule, please call (617) 357-8300 or visit TheFreedomTrail.org. The following is a list of the sites’ exciting activities along the Trail:

King’s Chapel

Join the King’s Chapel History Program in April to celebrate National Literature and Poetry Month. Throughout the month, the site educators will share literary works connected to and inspired by the chapel, and pieces written by and about members. Selections will include patriotic poetry, Dr. Joseph Warren’s eulogy, letters of John and Abigail Adams, and more. Visitors are invited to try their hand at writing their own poem inspired by their visit to the chapel. Visit http://www.kings-chapel.org/history-events.html for more information.

Old South Meeting House

Old South Meeting House will host “From Nightgowns to Needlepoint,” beginning  Monday, April 15, to Friday, April 19, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Visitors will view original samplers from the Meeting House’s collection, learn about the history of this craft, then try their own pattern-making and needlework. Don an 18th-century dress or pair of breeches from the Meeting House’s collection of Colonial-era replicas, and take a selfie with George Washington or Anna Green Winslow! All activities are included with museum admission, and are free for Boston residents aged 18 and under and accompanying adult with identification. For more information, go to https://www.osmh.org/event/from-nightgowns-to-needlepoint-explore-colonial-textile-arts.

Patriots’ Day Parade at Boston City Hall

On Monday, April 15, 2019 starting at 9 a.m., attendees can celebrate the events leading to the American Revolution, in honor of the first Battle of Lexington and Concord. A morning flag-raising ceremony on Congress Street at City Hall is followed by speeches and the annual Patriots’ Day parade. The parade stops at the Granary Burying Ground for a short service and wreath-laying at the graves of Robert Keayne and Paul Revere. At the end of the parade, the Massachusetts Lancers stage the midnight rides of Paul Revere and William Dawes. From their start in the North End near the Old North Church, Revere’s reenactor stops at Foss Park in Somerville, Hall House in Medford Square, and Arlington Town Hall before arriving at Lexington Green. Visit https://www.boston-discovery-guide.com/patriots-day-schedule.html for more information and parade schedule.

Old State House

The Old State House will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during April school vacation week, with free admission for kids under 18. Take one of more than a dozen daily tours with friendly and knowledgeable guides, enter meticulously-restored period rooms, and see rare treasures of the past. Visitors can sit in the seat of the British Empire’s colonial power and stand on the site of the Boston Massacre. The Hands-on History rooms invite children and adults alike to explore the building’s long history and pivotal role in American Independence through interactive exhibits. Visit bostonhistory.org for more information on the Old State House’s programs and tours.

Paul Revere House

At the Paul Revere House’s “Call Upon a Colonial: Rachel Revere at Home,” visitors can chat with Paul’s wife, Rachel Revere, as she roams throughout the site’s historic house, gardens, and courtyard on Monday, April 15 and Thursday, April 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Learn more about the dangerous missions her husband undertakes, the many children she is raising, and life in Colonial Boston. Families can enjoy Colonial Kids Corner from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16. Try on reproduction colonial clothes, write with quill pens, or play an 18th-century game. These drop-in activities are free with admission to the site. Later on Wednesday, April 17, from 1p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Diane Lent brings to life Harriet Revere, one of Paul Revere’s 16 children. Join her in reminiscing about her father’s dramatic life, the adventures of her many siblings, nieces, and nephews, and growing up in the historic North End. For more information on the Paul Revere House’s events, visit https://www.paulreverehouse.org/events/.

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