After Allen was born, Rita and I decided to plan a short trip to get away. We left Allen with a nurse, and spent 2 days over New Year’s break in Boston. We set out in the morning and arrived in Boston after a 4 hour drive. It was chilly out, with snow on the ground, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying the historical sites and the New Year’s festivities.
Freedom Trail
The first thing we did was set off on the Freedom Trail. Starting in Boston Commons, we bought a guidebook that took us along the route, marked by red bricks in the sidewalks. This route took us through some popular and not-so-popular sites from the revolutionary period. This was a great way to learn about the revolutionary period in history, and how the actual people of the time navigated the politics and differing viewpoints. It was incredible to see how these sites were intertwined in downtown Boston of today. Here are some of the highlights:
Boston Common – large park in middle of Boston which used to be a common grazing area and militia training ground. Today its a public park
Granary Burial Ground – Graves of several famous revolutionaries including Samuel Adams and Paul Revere
Old State House – place where revolutionary ideas were fostered and shared and debated. Right outside was the site of the Boston Massacre in 1770 which sparked the revolution.
Faneuil Hall – Public meeting house and marketplace until today.
Paul Revere House – House that Paul Revere lived in, preserved from the 1700’s. Oldest remaining structure downtown.
Old North Church – departure point for the famous Paul Revere’s ride.
We also stopped by the Holocaust memorial along the way, which wasn’t an official part of the trail. We stopped for the day here, and continued to the sites on the other side of the river the next day.
USS Constitution – Old ship from the revolutionary era. We went aboard the ship to see how it was built and operated, and explored the nearby naval museum.
Bunker Hill Monument – Stone monument on the site of one of the first battles of the American Revolution right outside of Boston at the time. We even climbed to the top of the obelisk.
First Night
On New Year’s Eve, we enjoyed the outdoor festivities deemed “First Night” in Boston. We watched the parade, and fireworks, and cool ice sculptures around the city. Everyone was outside braving the cold welcoming 2016!
