Historic sites in Boston

Historic Boston Landmarks

Boston's historical landscape features the 2.5-mile Freedom Trail connecting 17 American Revolution sites. Key landmarks include the 1680 Paul Revere House, the Old North Church (1723) with its revolutionary lantern signals, and the Old State House (1713). Architectural highlights range from Beacon Hill’s federal-style brick row houses to the Dorchester Heights National Historic Site. The city also preserves significant memorials, such as the site of the 1770 Boston Massacre and the Ether Monument, which commemorates the first use of anesthesia.

Historic Boston Landmarks — Map

Ian Howard / CC BY 2.5

A

Beacon Hill

Historic neighborhood known for colonial and Federal-style architecture, brick row houses, and the Massachusetts State House. Features narrow streets illuminated by gas lamps and rich cultural heritage.

Ranjansanjeev / CC BY-SA 3.0

B

Paul Revere House

Historic colonial wooden house from 1680 that served as the home of American patriot Paul Revere and now operates as a biographical museum focused on his life and the American Revolution.

Victorgrigas / CC BY-SA 3.0

C

Old North Church

Historic Episcopal church built in 1723, known for its role in the American Revolution and distinctive steeple with lantern signals.

Ben Schumin / CC BY-SA 3.0

D

Freedom Trail

The Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile-long path through Boston that passes by 17 locations significant to the history of the United States.

Kimberly Vardeman / CC BY 2.0

E

Boston Massacre Site

On this site an incident that is now considered to be one of the sparks that ignited the Revolutionary War happened in 1770.

Chensiyuan / GFDL

F

Old State House

The Old State House is a historic building in Boston, Massachusetts, built in 1713.

Thaidragon27 / CC BY-SA 3.0

G

Old South Meeting Place

The Old South Meeting House is a historic Congregational church building located at the corner of Milk and Washington Streets in the…

Robert Linsdell / CC BY 2.0

H

Benjamin Franklin Statue

Located at the site of the original Boston Latin School, this 1856 bronze monument by Richard Saltonstall Greenough was the first portrait statue erected in Boston to honor the locally-born statesman and inventor.

Jameslwoodward / CC BY-SA 3.0

I

Dorchester Heights National Historic Site

Dorchester Heights is the central area of South Boston. It is the highest area in the neighborhood and commands a view of both Boston Harbor…

John Quincy Adams Ward (1830-1910) / Public domain

J

Ether Monument

The Ether Monument, also known as The Good Samaritan, is a statue and fountain near the northwest corner of Boston's Public Garden, near…

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