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Saturday, October 24, 2009

Boston and the Freedom Trail

No trip to Boston would be complete without visiting the Freedom Trail.


We spent a lot of time at Boston Commons, the oldest public park in the U.S.


The Frog Pond. These frogs are fishing in fron the Frog Pond which hosts ice skating events in the winter and a shallow pool to splash in during the summer.


And here's where the boys soaked up their Boston culture at Boston Commons.



Boston Commons


The Massachusetts State House. The oldest building on Beacon Hill, it was completed in 1798. The land was originally owned by John Hancock. The dome is gilded with 23-carat gold leaf.


Park Street Church. For decades this was the first landmark travelers saw when entering Boston. The hymn "My Country 'Tis of Thee" was first sung on the church's steps on July 4, 1831.



Granary Burying Ground behind Park Street Church. Those buried here include John Hancock, Samuel Adams, the five Boston Massacre victims, Paul Reve, Ben Franklin's parents, and Mother Goose.



King's Chapel that was build in 1749 on orders of Kim James II. Mary Chilton, the first woman to step off the Mayflower, is buried in America's first burial grounds behind the church.


The site of the First Public School. Alumni include Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. It still continues today in another location. It's very competitive.


Old City Hall. A beautiful building. Now home to a Ruth's Chris restaurant, which makes me sad.


The Old State House is now a museum. It is the oldest surviving public building in Boston, completed in 1713. The Declaration of Independence was read from the east balcony on July 4, 1776.


Faneuil Hall was the site of the beginnings of opposition to British authority. Citizens gathered here to rally against the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, the Townsend Acts, and the landing of British troops. Later it was the site for anti-slavery speeches and then the women's rights movement.







Other shots as we walked around Boston. I loved the architecture and gardens as we walked around downtown. It was a cold, windy day so my co-travelers did not enjoy it as much as I did :)




Beacon Hill area outside of Boston Commons.





Boston is a beautiful city, and so much history! We did not complete the Freedom Trail (again, cold/windy day) but I had seen the rest before on a visit with work years ago. It's a wonderful place to walk and look and we're so glad we made the trip!

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