Explore the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere

Posted by Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism

On April 18, 1775, Paul Revere and William Dawes set out on horseback from Boston to warn fellow patriots and the Massachusetts Provincial Congress that the British Army was mobilizing. Revolutionaries got word that the Brits planned to arrest leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock in nearby Lexington, and then perhaps would venture further west to seize supplies and munitions in Concord. Two lanterns were hung in Boston’s North End, signaling that British troops were traveling by sea, and history was forged.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow immortalized the trek in an 1860 poem – nearly a century after the events took place. While the poem is not fully accurate (some events are changed or omitted in the poem for dramatic effect), it captured the spirit of the Revolution and successfully created an American legend.

Despite the inaccuracies of the poem, the ride did happen, and you can still visit many of the sites where it took place.

 

Boston

What better place to start than where Paul Revere did – his house, still intact and located in Boston’s North End neighborhood. Built in 1680, it’s the oldest house in downtown Boston. Revere lived here intermittently between 1770 and 1800. In 1961, the house was declared a National Historic Landmark. The night of April 18, 1775, it was here that Revere picked up his horse, boots, and coat here before venturing West.

Nearby, you can see another National Historic Landmark – the famed Old North Church, where two lanterns were briefly hung the night of Paul Revere’s ride, giving Revere and Dawes the information they needed to convey to their fellow patriots. The church was built in 1723, but it has been restored over time. The steeple is actually the church’s third – the first two were destroyed in hurricanes in 1804 and 1954. The church’s original golden weathervane, however, still stands tall atop the steeple. Inside, there are estimated to be over 1,000 bodies interred in the church’s crypt in the basement.

Outside the church, a bronze statue of Paul Revere on horseback commemorates and celebrates his famous ride. It was dedicated in 1940. In the square around the statue, 13 plaques celebrate famous Boston residents.

On April 18, 1775, Revere left his home and headed to the waterfront, where he kept a boat that could take him across the Charles River to Charlestown. There, Paul Revere Park commemorates his historic ride with monument inscribed with Revere’s own words describing his actions that night. You’ll also find gardens, a playground, a dog park, and some iconic views of the Zakim bridge. A plaque marks the specific site where Revere landed and began riding.

In downtown Boston, you may also want to stop by The Green Dragon – a tavern dating back to the Revolution that was frequented by revolutionaries including Revere, John Hancock, and Sam Adams. The original tavern was established in 1654 and has been called the Headquarters of the Revolution because of the planning and organizing that took place there. While the original structure is long gone, a “new” Green Tavern still operates today in about the same spot as the original, commemorating and celebrating the original’s legacy.

 

Somerville

Paul Revere continued into Somerville and Medford. While you’re in Somerville, be sure to check out the Old Powder House in Powder House Square. While not directly connected to Paul Revere’s Ride, the revolutionary-era magazine located there was the site of a significant event that set the stage for what happened the night of Revere’s ride.

In 1774, British soldiers had removed gunpowder from the magazine, alarming local militias and setting the stage for the battles of Lexington and Concord 8 months later. Colonists were on edge due to the raid – colonists’ intense reaction inflamed already tense feelings between the two sides, and rumors spread that war was imminent. Revolutionaries decided to create an alarm system to activate militias more quickly and hopefully prevent such seizures in the future. The magazine is located in Nathan Tufts Park.

 

Lexington

Revere and Dawes continued their separate routes through Cambridge, Medford, and Arlington. In Medford, Revere spoke briefly with Isaac Hall, who commanded the Medford Minute Men, at his home. The house is still around, but it is privately owned and not open for tours. Eventually the duo landed at the Hancock-Clarke House in Lexington where Samuel Adams and John Hancock were staying. The men discussed plans and sounded their established alarm system, preparing local militias for ensuing battles.

The Hancock-Clarke house was built in 1738 by John Hancock’s grandfather, and John actually lived here for a bit as a child. The structure was actually moved in 1896 – across the street from its original location, in order to save it from demolition. Today it is open to the public as a National Historic Landmark.

 Concord

From Lexington the men decided to continue to Concord, encountering a third rider – Doctor Samuel Prescott, who was on his way home after visiting a friend in the early morning. Along the way they encountered British troops. Dawes and Prescott escaped, but Revere was held at gunpoint and captured. The site of his capture is commemorated by a memorial at Minute Man National Historical Park. Eventually Revere talked himself out of the conflict, and was released.

While you’re in Concord, you may enjoy stopping by the Concord Museum. They have one of the two lanterns that was reportedly hung the night of Paul Revere’s ride, as well as a variety of other artifacts from the American revolution.

 

Longfellow

While you’re traveling along the same path that Paul Revere took, you may want to stop by the Longfellow House in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Henry Wadsworth Longfellow lived for nearly 50 years and wrote most of his classic poems, including The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. Before Longfellow lived there, it was a headquarters for George Washington. The house dates back to 1759, and has been a National Park site since 1972. The site is open May through October.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

TOPICS: Boston, concord, Lexington, Medford, Patriots Day, Somerville Revolution