I love history, and one of our countries most historical cities is Boston, the birthplace of the American Revolution. One of the “must do” things while in Boston is to walk the Freedom Trail. There are many ways to take the trail. You can use a costumed guide, you can go on your own, or you come along with me and take a virtual photo tour.

The Freedom trail is a red brick line that weaves about two and a half miles through Boston, connecting sixteen historical sites. Our starting place is Boston Common.

Boston Common, established in 1634 as “common land” for the residents of the city to be used for farming and grazing. Later it was a parade ground for military training and assembly. Over 1,000 Redcoats camped on the Common during their occupation of the city, and it was from there that the three brigades of Redcoats left from for Lexington and Concord.

Today Boston Common is a large and beautiful park that offers picnicking, boat rides and gardens to stroll through.

 

 

 

Going north from Boston Common on Tremont Street is the Granary Burying Ground. This small cemetery is the final resting place of some of our most famous founding fathers and revolutionary heroes. At one time this property was part of the Common. In 1660 it became a burying ground for Boston.

The Granary got its name by a building that stood next to the burying ground that stored bushels of grain. Although this graveyard has over 2,400 markers it is believed that over 6,000 are buried there.

 

The large marker you see as you enter is that of the Franklin family. No, Ben is not buried here (he’s buried in Philadelphia), but his parents are.

 

Paul Revere, Samuel Adams and John Hancock’s graves are there.  Along with Adams and Hancock fellow Declaration of Independence signer Robert Treat Paine is also buried here. A plaque marking his tomb is on the right hand wall. He makes three signers of the Declaration of Independence buried at the Granary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also the five colonists killed at the Boston Massacre of March 5, 1770, are buried together here. Their grave is in the family plot of Samuel Adams.

Near the back of the cemetery to the right of the Franklin plot is an interesting grave. It is the grave of Mary Goose, rumored to be the real “Mother Goose.”

When this graveyard was still connected to the Common livestock would graze among the headstones; this was natural landscaping care. After buildings separated the graveyard from the rest of the Common it was necessary to use mowers to keep the grass down. So some of the headstones had to be repositioned to make room.