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During your Boston vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Paul Revere House
One of the most pleasant stops on the Freedom Trail, this 2 1/2-story wood structure presents history on a human scale. Revere was living here when he set out for Lexington on April 18, 1775, a feat immortalized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem "Paul Revere's Ride" ("Listen, my children, and you shall hear, / Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere"). The oldest house in downtown Boston, it was built around 1680, bought by Revere in 1770, and put to a number of uses before being turned into a museum in the early 20th century. It holds neatly arranged and identified 17th- and 18th-century furnishings and artifacts, including the famous Revere silver, considered some of the finest anywhere.The thought-provoking tour is self-guided, with staff members around in case you have questions. The format allows you to linger on the artifacts that hold your interest. Revere had 16 children (he called them "my lambs") -- eight with each of his two wives -- and he supported the family with a thriving silversmith's trade. At his home, you'll get a good sense of the risks he took in the events that led to the Revolutionary War.Across the courtyard is the home of Revere's Hichborn cousins, the Pierce/Hichborn House. The 1711 Georgian-style home is a rare example of 18th-century middle-class architecture. It's suitably furnished and shown only by guided tour (usually twice a day at busy times). Call the Paul Revere House for schedules.Before you leave North Square, look across the cobblestone plaza at Sacred Heart Church. It was established in 1833 as the Seamen's Bethel, a church devoted to the needs of the mariners who frequented the area. Today it's Roman Catholic, and one Mass every Sunday is in Italian. Wharves ran up almost this far in colonial days; in the 19th century, this was a notorious red-light district.To continue on the Freedom Trail: The trail leaves the square on Prince Street and runs along Hanover Street past Clark Street. Before turning onto Prince Street, take a few steps down Garden Court Street and look for no. 4, on the right. The private residence was the birthplace of Rose Fitzgerald (later Kennedy).
Harrison Gray Otis House
Legendary architect Charles Bulfinch designed this gorgeous 1796 mansion for an up-and-coming young lawyer who later became mayor of Boston. The restoration was one of the first in the country to use a computer analysis of the wall paint, and the result was revolutionary: It revealed that the colors on the walls were drab because the paint was faded, not because they started out dingy. Furnished in the style to which a wealthy family in the late-18th-century and early-19th-century United States would have been accustomed, the Federal-style building is a colorful, elegant treasure. Guided tours (the only way to see the house) discuss the architecture of the house; post-Revolutionary social, business, and family life; and the history of the neighborhood.
Massachusetts State House
Boston is one of the only American cities where a building whose cornerstone was laid in 1795 (by Gov. Samuel Adams) would be called the "new" anything. Nevertheless, this is the new State House, as opposed to the Old State House. The great Federal-era architect Charles Bulfinch designed the central building of the state capitol, and in 1802 copper sheathing manufactured by Paul Revere replaced the shingles on the landmark dome. Gold leaf now covers the dome; during World War II blackouts, it was painted black. The state legislature, or Massachusetts General Court, meets here. The House of Representatives congregates under a wooden fish, the Sacred Cod. John Rowe, known as "Merchant" Rowe (Rowes Wharf bears his name), donated the carving in 1784 as a reminder of the importance of fishing to the local economy. Tours (guided and self-guided) leave from the second floor; call ahead to see whether weekend hours have been reinstated.Whether or not you go inside, be sure to study some of the many statues outside. Subjects range from Mary Dyer, a Quaker hanged on the Common in 1660 for refusing to abandon her religious beliefs, to Pres. John F. Kennedy. The 60-foot monument at the rear (off Bowdoin St.) illustrates Beacon Hill's original height, before the top was shorn off to use in 19th-century landfill projects.To continue on the Freedom Trail: Walk down Park Street (which Bulfinch laid out in 1804) to Tremont Street.
Seaport Hotel
Seaport Hotel is located in the heart of the Boston's Seaport District overlooking Boston Harbor. It is independently owned distinguishes itself as a deluxe hotel, meeting, exhibition, and function facility located amongst historical seaside attractions. It is swiftly accessible to Logan Airport and Boston's downtown. Whether one yearns for a business retreat, romantic getaway, or family adventure, this responds to your unique needs and attends to every ...
Doubletree' Club Boston-Bayside
Located adjacent to the Bayside EXPO and Executive Conference Center off I-93, the Doubletree Club Hotel Boston-Bayside is just 1 and 1/2 miles from downtown Boston and five miles from Logan International Airport. Boston Logan Airport 6 MI NE, Hotel Shuttle, Taxi, rental car, limo. JFK/U Mass Red Line T 0 MI W, Subway train. Downtown Boston 2 MI N, Financial district TF Green Airport- Providence 53 MI ...
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