Freedom Trail
Photo: Marco Almbauer, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
To travel back to Revolutionary Boston—to understand the people, the events, and the ideals of the 1700s—is a great leap for us today. But the sites along the Freedom Trail speak eloquently of that time. Bostonians and other colonists shared a notion of liberty as something precious and worth fighting for. The Freedom Trail sites include the scenes of critical events in Boston's and the nation's struggle for freedom. Some visitors choose to trek the entire 2.5 mile route or select an individual site to visit at length, while others experience the Freedom Trail as a cohesive story built around four chapters, organized along geographic and thematic lines.
UnderstandIn the 1870s, imbued with the spirit of the nation's centennial, Bostonians began saving colonial and Revolutionary era buildings that were critical in the struggle against British rule.
PrepareThe National Park Service maintains two visitor centers here, as many of Boston's historic sites are considered part of the NPS.
Get inIf you are starting in the park like everyone else, your best bet is to take the Red Line or Green Line to Park Street. If you're going in reverse, try Community College on the Orange Line.
Walk
Stay safeThis is a heavily trafficked and touristed area, so take normal big city precautions securing your valuables.
Go nextThe trail winds through the districts of Back Bay/Beacon Hill, Downtown, and Charlestown. So whenever you step off the trail you are never far from a great restaurant or transit station.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Freedom Trail" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Marco Almbauer, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons