The Boston Massacre
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The Boston Massacre a Self-guided Tour of One of Boston's Bloodiest Events
“The riot on King Street,” referred to the moment British soldiers opened fire on an angry crowd in Boston on March 5, 1770. On this walking tour, you’ll explore the months of tension between the British and American colonists that culminated in the bloody shooting, now known as The Boston Massacre.
Long Wharf, where the British came to occupy Boston
Stop 2; discussion of the Quartering Act
John Hancock's Counting House
Impressment. An instant form of slavery.
The Archway at Rowes Wharf and a discussion about murder.
Where Gray's Ropewalks stood.
Rowes Wharf built in 1759, replaced in 1961.
John Rowe, the most fashionable of Bostonians.
The HMS Rose replica, used in several pirate movies.
Town Square, just before the Massacre.
Henry Pelham's version of the Massacre.
Hand written by John Adams.
First of the two raucous trials.
Tombstone of the five killed at the Boston Massacre
The original court house
The Old City Hall
British soldiers
Sam Adams pudding rock.
Two musket balls fired during the Massacre.
The Marriott Long Wharf, at the foot of the Blue Line exit.
The tour starts in front of the Chart House on Long Wharf, built in 1760 by John Hancock, a prominent merchant and advocate for colonial rights. From there, you’ll hear about the events that led up to the March 5th massacre, while passing significant sites that are connected to it. While walking along Long Wharf, you’ll learn about the Quartering Act, a housing law that prioritized British soldiers at the expense of Americans. You’ll see the Old State House, the second oldest building in Boston and now a symbol of British occupation, where John Hancock and Samuel Adams, another fierce critic of the British, gathered among 5,000 protesters in the aftermath of the massacre. As you continue along City Hall Avenue, I’ll tell you about the trial of Captain Preston and the seven British soldiers, and the legal hurdles faced by local lawyer and patriot John Adams, in their defense. The tour ends at the Granary Burying Ground, where you’ll take in the graves of a few Boston Massacre victims, including Sam Adams’, and hear about the legacy of one of Boston’s most fateful days.
Along the way, you’ll have a chance to:
Learn about the Vagrancy, Quartering, and Tax acts that the British imposed, and the impact they had leading up to March 5th
Visit the true site of the Boston Massacre on State Street and listen to the events as they unfolded
Find out how the customs snitch Ebenezer Richardson inadvertently ignited tensions leading up to the Boston Massacre by murdering young Christopher Seider
See the ‘poor man’s pudding rock’ (the name given to inexpensive gravestones) that marks Saml Adams’ grave at the Granary Burying Ground
Marvel at the longevity of Long Wharf, the oldest and longest wharf in America where the British began their occupation of Boston
Stop for refreshments at Quincy Market where you can find the city’s finest clam chowder and lobster roll
Join me on this 90-minute tour to immerse yourself in 400 years of revolutionary history. Prepare to have your perspective changed by our heroes and troublemakers as you follow the route in and around the Freedom Trail.