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Schofield and then Boston Mayor John Hynes advocated for an organized route that linked them all together. These landmarks included Paul Revere’s house, the Old North Church, the Old State House, and the Old South Meeting House, all of which are historical gems. The Freedom Trail was the brainchild of local journalist William Schofield, who in 1951 suggested building a pedestrian trail to link together important local landmarks. As a matter of fact, the trolley stops at many of the landmarks along the Freedom Trail, making it easy and stress-free to take it all in along with the rest that this magnificent city has to offer! When you’re ready to re-board, simply return to the nearest pick-up/drop-off point and hop-on for more Boston adventuring! When it comes to the famous Freedom Trail, the trolley is never too far away from either of the 16 places of interest outlined on the red-brick path. That means you can get off at any of the 18 stops anywhere in the city and explore the surrounding area for as long as you like. Rated by Forbes as one of the Top-Ten Best Tours in the city, Old Town Trolley Tours has applied that concept to how their tours are conducted by offering all-day hop-on, hop-off access. Get MORE out of your summer in Boston aboard the iconic Old Town Trolley and see the best first!Īs one of the most important cities instrumental in the forging of the republic Americans know today, the word ‘freedom’ takes on an even deeper meaning in the city of Boston. There was also the idea that the Freedom Trail would’ve been a typical path to walk for the average colonist back in the day, further enhancing the sensation of traveling back in time. Schofield proposed a solution – Link the most important sites in a numbered sequence along a clearly marked, easy to follow trail that could be walked from end to end without the chance of getting rerouted or lost. He noticed that visitors eager to immerse themselves in the city’s historic past were having trouble finding the landmarks they were looking for.
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The thinking behind the design of the Freedom Trail is attributed to William Schofield, a former travel writer for the Boston Herald. This historic attraction literally lays out Boston’s colonial history before you on the very streets where the city’s most transformative events unfolded several hundred years ago. These were arduous and challenging times and living under the yoke of an oppressive foreign monarchy would eventually prove too much to bear and, thus, a revolution was born.Ĭomprised of 16 places of interest, each one a milestone in the evolution of Boston from English colony to independence, the Freedom Trail is an essential component of any trip to Boston. Most of the population subsisted as farmers, the drinking water was unsafe, medicine was still in the Dark Ages, and the average lifespan was just shy of 40 years.
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This building practice was abolished toward the advent of the 1700s due to the susceptibility of fire. Before they were built by stone or brick masonry, homes were small, dank, drafty and made entirely of wood.
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For the average Bostonian, life in the New England colonies during the 17th century was, as you might’ve guessed, not exactly one of ease and leisure.
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