Boston Things to Do Tips by Galahad

Paul Revere's famous ride on the night of 18 April 1775 has only really become known about and made famous as a result of Longfellow' 1860 poem "Paul Revere's Ride".
I have also attached a photo of the house next door to Paul Revere House, perhaps someone will let me know about it!!!

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Phone: 617-5232338
Address: 19 North Square
Directions: On the Freedom Trail in North End.
Website: http://www.paulreverehouse.org/

Filene's is the only department store that I know of that has its own set of bells that chime the hour. The store was built in 1912 and has what is called a Beaux Arts facade. It has two clocks on the outside of the building as well as this four-bell carillion.
I heard on 31.12.05 that Filine's has been bought by Macy's and to be closed at the end of January 2006. I do hope that the building is not just knocked down.

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Phone: 617 262-3000
Address: 426 Washington Street
Directions: Between Boston Common and the financial district.

The Skywalk on the 50th floor of the Prudential Centre was well worth visiting for the view of Boston. Initially I found the audio commentary very cheesy and I thought it a bit too jokey but after a short while I found myself ignoring the worst aspects. It was very useful if helping a complete stranger like myself to orientate myself and it was very useful in pointing out major landmarks that I would not have beeen able to identify myself.
Around the inside of the the 50th floor are historical facts about Boston and its people. I was fascinated to see the section on sports - not one of the sports that are important to Boston (and probably the USA) is important in the UK - in fact they are all minority sports in the UK!!!
Skywalk is open 10am to 10pm.

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Phone: 617 859-1658
Address: 800 Boylston Street
Website: http://www.prudentialcenter.com/play/skywalk.html

Faneuil Hall serves 2 functions. In the basement and ground floor are shops which I thought were of a good standard selling quality souvenirs, Many of the items referred to the Independance from the British Crown and the early constitution. An interesting view if you are a Brit !!! Upstairs, on what we Brits call the First Floor is a meeting hall in which many of the original 18th Century anti-British Meetings were held.

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Phone: (617) 635-3105
Address: Dock Square
Directions: On the edge of the financial district. Originally on the waterfront.

Quincy Market behind Fanueil Hall and consists of 3 halls or covered markets parallel to one another. Both architecturally, the external layout of the halls and the space between the market halls and Fanueil Hall reminded me of the Covent Garden area in London. Quincy Market is built with Boston Granite which came from around Boston Harbour built about 1825.
I was particularly impressed with Gallery and dome in the Central Hall.
There is lots of buzz about the place, lots of street circus skill type entertainment aimed at both families and adults. My photograph is of the central hall and the plaza in front of it.

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Directions: Behind Fanueil Hall

If you set off early in the day you will be able to see these street traders carts outside Filine's. In the background is another trader who is nearly ready for trade and behind him Filine's shop window.

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Address: Washington Street

Almost opposite Old South Meeting House (in the background of my photo) is a small square containing a very small garden and within it the Boston Irish Famine Memorial. It was unveiled in 1998. There are two statutes - the first in the photo depicts a family begging for food following the Irish Famine. The second statue of a prosperous and well fed Irish immigrant family.

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Address: Washington Street

Whilst I can read on the internet the history of the donkey as a symbol for the Democratic party none of my guidebooks tell me anything about this bronze statue just inside the entrance to the Old City Hall in School Street.
October 2005 I have recently had an e-mail to say that Old City Hall's management office have written that :-
" "The Donkey" was imported from Italy. We do not have record of who sculpted the statue."
It turns out the sculptor was Antonio Frilli.

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Address: School Street
Directions: Part way down School Street between Kings Chapel and the Old Globe Bookstore

My own forefathers were Congregationalists and some could well have come to Boston before Independence was declared and worshipped here. Now of course, the Meeting House is both a museum and the location of public lectures. The members of church built themselves a replacement church which is New Old South Church at Coley Square. You can see a lecture about the importance of Old South Church Meeting on WGBH Forum Network on the internet.
The Meeting House is not very easy to photograph, but if you stand in School Street you can just make it.

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Address: 310 Washington Street
Website: http://forum.wgbh.org/wgbh/

Not to be confused with the State House. The Old State House was designed and constructed in 1713 and was the British Colonial Governor's offices. The lion and the unicorn on the outside of the building were, and still are, symbols of the British Crown. During the Revolution the Old State House became the headquarters of the British army. I'm afraid I didn't have time to go inside where the Bostonian Society have a museum.

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Address: 206 Washington Street
Website: http://www.bostonhistory.org/