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Old North Church
Rating Details »
Category: Landmarks & Historical Buildings [Edit]
Neighborhood: North End193 Salem St
(between Charter St & Hull St)
Boston, MA 02113
(617) 523-6676
- Nearest Transit:
-
Haymarket (Orange)
North Station (Orange, Green)
8 reviews for Old North Church
I think this is my favorite Boston historical spot because it is so beautiful and amazing. This is the church from which Paul Revere hung the signal lantern to warn the Colonists that the Redcoats were storming Lexington and Concord. I absolutely love history and I think it is amazing to have the opportunity to go to the place where Paul Revere once stood and made history.
The old church is amazingly beautiful and very well kept. The pews are essentially boxes that people purchased for their own private use. The pews still have the names of the original owners. There is a pew in back for "strangers" and the poor had to sit upstairs. There are even a few boxes with markers for famous guests who have attended services in them, including Teddy Roosevelt. I think part of this church's charm is this set up because nothing really exists like this in the country anymore.
I highly, highly recommend stopping here if you get the chance. The Freedom Trail takes you right here and there's a ton of history. Bonus: you don't even have to pay for a tour to actually learn something about the site. That's always a plus in my book.
On the night of April 18, 1775 two laterns were hung from its steeple as a signal to Patriots keeping watch in Charlestown. This was the signal that British troops were leaving Boston to seize rebel stores of munitions in Lexington and concord by sea and not by land. This was the event that ignited the American Revolution.
A visit to Boston would not be complete without stopping in to see this amazing house of worship. Truly inspirational.
The ONC is a) fantastically historical, b) amazingly beautiful, and c) the church where my parents got married.
My elementary/middle school's requisite Freedom Trail fieldtrips just weren't complete until I had been an obnoxious twatwaffle and screamed "My parents got married here! My PARENTS got married HERE!" at least a dozen times.
The Old North Church was probably my favorite stop in Boston. What a beautifully maintained building oozing with history. It only takes 15 minutes to see if you're taking your time and read everything on the walls but it is 15 minutes well spent. I was happy the gift shop next door has silver charms of the church so I could add one to my charm bracelet.
This steeple was where the church sexton, Robert Newman, held up two lanterns signaling Paul Revere's warning. Every few minutes last Saturday, a docent would tell the exciting tale from the lectern, as weary tourists gladly rested their feet in the pews.
In the churchyard, the Memorial Garden has thousands of dog tags, commemorating the soldiers and civilians who've died in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
An interesting landmark and a chance to sit down for a few minutes if you've been walking the Freedom Trail, before you make the long trek over to Charlestown. The church has been very well preserved and well maintained, and I like the fact that there are guides situated at the front of the chapel to answer questions. For being an active church with an active congregation, Old North does a pretty good job of being historical while keeping the building's "lived in" feel. Don't expect to spend a ton of time here, as the church is fairly small and there isn't a lot to see, but it's nice to duck in for peace and quiet.
Compared to some of the other offerings on Boston's Freedom Trail, the Old North Church is fairly mild. Sure it played a part in the whole Paul Revere/Midnight Ride tale/myth but it the church was really only famous because it's steeple was tall enough to see the "two if by sea" lanterns from across the river. If you want to explore the events surrounding the midnight ride, you're time will be better spent at the nearby Paul Revere House where the extremely user-friendly guides will be happy to explore most any topic related to this event or life in Revolutionary times in general.
Speaking of the guides, the Old North Church tends to attract the sort of employee who would rather be doing something else. When I visited, on a moderately unbusy day, one guide was slouched in a pew looked bored and another was reading a paperback in the pulpit. No effort is ever made to look available for questions.
Unless you are really really into the church itself for architectural purposes or something similar, you experience at the Old North Church will be disappointing. The crowd is herded like cattle into the church, given a less-than-ten-minute speech on why the church is special, and then herded out again to accommodate the next herd.
If this "tour" were not free, I suspect that hundreds would demand their money back every day. As a historic building, it is minimally impressive. As a part of American history, there are much better ways to experiences history in Boston. As a historic site, it lacks interpretation, engagement, and leaves the visitor thinking he shouldn't have bothered those bored polo-shirted undergraduates and should have used the time to visit one of the excellent Italian bakeries up the street and enjoyed the building from the outside.
The Old North Church (or Christ Church in the City of Boston as it's officially named) is the oldest church building in Boston built in 1723. It's free and open to the public year round. Besides it's revolutionary connections be sure to check out the oldest working clock in a public building in the US (ticking since 1726) and the first organ built entirely in the American Colonies. The Old North is still an active Episcopal congregation with Sunday services at 9 and 11. I worked there as a tour guide for the last few summers and it's yet another great historical gem in Boston. In the summer months pay the eight bucks for the Behind the Scenes Tour and get to see the crypts where over 1,000 people are buried, the 2nd oldest house in Boston, and the Ringing Room where Paul Revere rang the bells as a teenager. Fridays in the summer also feature Paul Revere Tonight, a one man show where Paul Revere himself tells his own story. The Old North Gift shop is one of the best in Boston. Lastly be sure to ask the guides about the stolen Pirate treasure on display in the church.
