Yum! The men would slice them open right in front of you! |
Yes, that's my orange shirt reflected in the sign! |
According to my guide book, I was supposed to find the Boston Stone, a stone ball used as the point from which all distances from Boston were measured, embedded in a building just across from the Ebenezer Hancock House. I failed. I wandered this cobbled corner for about 5 minutes, still coming up short. However, I did find the Green Dragon Tavern, the unofficial commemoration of where the Boston Tea Party was planned and from where (allegedly) Paul Revere was sent on his famous ride to Lexington. The actual Green Dragon Tavern was demolished in the 19th Century, but this modern version is a nice homage.
I continued north for the second half of The Freedom Trail, officially having finished my first walking tour and embarking on my second. I walked through a lovely park before I entered the delightful North End and all its Italian cafes and restaurants. I meandered through the streets, bobbing and weaving between some slower Freedom Trail walkers -- why I decided I needed to speed walk The Freedom Trail, I'll never know. But you all have seen me walk through the hallway -- I'm a woman on a mission!
Eventually I walked into North Square and immediately noticed two very striking and well-preserved buildings: Paul Revere House and Pierce-Hichborn House. The Paul Revere House is the oldest wooden house in downtown Boston. It was built in 1680. Can you believe that? Revere moved into the house in 1770; the house is currently a non-profit museum furnished much as it was when Revere lived there. The Pierce-Hichborn House was owned by a cousin of Revere and mostly has significance in terms of its architectural departure of wooden Tudor houses of the previous century.
From here I journeyed to the Paul Revere Mall, past St. Stephen's Church, the bell of which is one Paul Revere cast himself, and enjoyed a leisurely stroll through what North Ender's refer to as the Prado, or the Paul Revere Mall. The shaded brick courtyard, fountain, and plaques gave me a nice respite from the sunny streets, and allowed me to snap a picture of a statue of Paul Revere. Join me for the rest of my journey on the other side of the Prado!
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