Today is my sweet baby’s 13th birthday! Hard to believe that Brooke is that old. I can’t be that old so I’m in denial that she is a teenager. Today she woke up as happy as can be knowing that it’s her birthday and that we are going to Boston. She has been talking about it forever and here we are. The two main things that she has been talking about it eating clam chowder and buying a Boston side bag for her birthday. She cracks me up!! We showered her with a stack of donuts & candy decoration for her breakfast treat! She was thrilled.
Then we drove to the Boston subway to ride it into the city. We asked an attendant with a wonderful “Boston” accent to help us, and he bent over backwards to make sure we were on the right train with the right fare. What a different experience from DC where all the “colored” attendants had major attitudes – I’m not being prejudice, I’m just sayin’ that was our experience with them.
The subway dropped us off right at the freedom trail in the Boston Commons. We got signed up right away for the docent led walking tour and we were assigned to Rachel Revere, Paul Revere’s second wife. She was the perfect imitation! She talked to us throughout the freedom trail about the historical significance of each stop.
The freedom trail is the red brick walking path around the city of Boston that takes you to all the important historical sites of the American Revolution. You can do it as a self guided tour or you can pay a little bit for a docent led tour like we did – it was totally worth it. We started out at the capitol building with the beautiful dome made of gilded gold.
Then we walked to the Boston Commons founded in 1634, with Honorable John Winthrop as governor of the colony. Next we walked to the Park Street Congregational Church built in 1809 after the American Revolution.
Next we walked through the famous Boston Cemetery that is the burial ground for many famous leaders of the American Revolution such as: Paul Revere, Benjamin Franklins parents, James Otis, John Hancock, Robert Paine, Samuel Adams, and victims of the Boston Massacre. Next we went by Boston’s old city hall and several old churches. We went by the site of the Boston Massacre and ended up at Faneuil Hall, which is the old court building, used for all kinds of community events today. From there we walked on our own to Quincy Market, Paul Reveres house, Bunker Hill and the USS Constitution. On the way to Bunker Hill the path takes you right to the statue of Paul Revere. Did you know the only reason that Paul Revere is famous is because Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a poem about his famous midnight ride one hundred years after it happened – “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.”
Paul Revere’s house is small, crooked and adorable. Paul Revere was a silversmith and engraver who was instrumental in the American Revolution. In 1770 he moved into this small house on North Square, in Boston’s North End. It was built in 1680 as a rich man’s swelling but by the time the Revere’s moved in it had been altered and was no longer fashionable. Paul Revere owned the house for 30 years. He had 8 children with his first wife and 8 children with his second wife, Rachel, who raised all 16. In 1902, Paul Revere’s great-grandson, John P. Reynolds Jr. purchased the building to ensure that it would not be demolished, and the memorial was established. It’s very authentic even though it has been redone.
Following the path to the end of the freedom trail, we walked over the Boston bridge and up to Bunker Hill. On the morning of June 17, 1775, the New England provincials, subject to the king, stood up to the British army for the first time in battle. It was the beginning of the American Revolution. In 1843 the granite obelisk which is the Bunker Hill Monument was dedicated on the anniversary of the battle. President john Tyler was there and Daniel Webster spoke that day saying that the “monument stands a memorial of the past, a monitor to the present, and to all succeeding generations.” The monument stands tall and proud, where it is visible from almost everywhere in the city of Boston!
The end of the freedom walk ends up at the USS Constitution, which is the oldest commissioned Navy ship in the U.S. and used in the war of 1812. During the War of 1812, to the surprise of both the Americans and the British, she defeated four English warships, earning each of her three captains a congressional gold medal. When it returned to Boston from each victory at sea, the ship and her sailors were honored with parades and public fans, and her legend grew into the national icon of “Old Ironsides”, which was given to her because the sides of the ship were so strong that cannons were bouncing back, and they claimed that her sides were made of iron.
On our way back on the freedom trail, we veered off to go to Mike’s bakery, which is famous in Boston. They had all kinds of amazing desserts and it was just like Carlo’s Bakery in New Jersey. The favorite is the cannoles and this bakery had all different flavors. Brooke picked out 2 things for her birthday treat – the mint chip cannole and the strawberry lobster tail (which was just like strawberry shortcake); Brandon and Brittany split 3 cannoles – cookies and cream, chocolate covered, and the waffles type shell with chocolate!! YUMMY! Dave got the famous Boston Cream Pie and I just had a taste of everything. They wrapped them up in adorable boxes just like Carlos Bakery – we were in heaven! But first we have to eat dinner.
We went to the famous Bell in Hand Tavern established in 1795. Brooke was looking forward to having clam chowder for weeks and this Tavern is well known for it’s incredible sea food. And it sure was yummy – Brooke’s clam chowder was amazingly good; Dave had fish and chips with fresh cod and it was the best that I have ever tasted, and I had salmon that was marinated in delicious terriaki sauce. Brittany and Brandon had boring burgers, but they were huge and yummy! The food was excellent and a fun atmosphere of the quaintness of Boston.
After dinner we went to Quincy Market to do some shopping which is in the beautiful old brick buildings and they have wonderful shops. We had fun picking out sweatshirts for all of us. We ran out of time to shop in any more of the shops because everything closed right at 9:00pm – very different than New York. Boston is a big city, but it is very quaint and charming. I love Boston and can’t wait to go back someday. What a perfect day for my beautiful daughters 13th birthday.
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