Park Street Congregational Church
Plaque Identifying The Park Street Congregational Church
Enlargement Of Benjamin Franklin Memorial Inscription In Memory Of His Parents.
Enlargement Of Benjamin Franklin Memorial Inscription In Memory Of His Parents And General Information About The Granary Burying Grounds.
This Is Sign 2 That Tells About A Riot, The Massacre, And The Tea Party.
Information About The Tea Party
Information About Samuel Adams Signer Of The Declaration Of Independence
Information About Capt & Lt. Edward Blake And Thomas Treat Paine. Paine Was One Of Three Signer Of The Declaration Of Independence Buried Here.
Along The Trail We Find The Tremont Temple Baptist Church Where A Service Was In Progress At The Time
Tremont Temple Baptist Church
The plaque above indicates the Park Street Congregational Church was constructed in 1809. It was built on land that was occupied by the town granary in the 1700s. This granary had the capacity to hold over 12,000 bushels of wheat, and other grains that were sold to the needy in nearby towns. After the Revolution the building was leased and the sails for The USS Constitution were made here. After the New State House was constructed then the granary was removed and this church building was constructed. There is an interesting store about the church's nickname " Brimstone Corner ". You might think they gave it this nickname because of the fiery sermons that were preached about hell fire and brimstone. That is not the case at all. During the War of 1812 gunpowder was stored in a crypt of the church. An ingredient of gun powder is sulphur ( brimstone ). People may have been more afraid of the church blowing up rather than worrying about eternity spent in hell.
The Park Street Church was an evangelical church with a history of social work and sending missionaries out. The first Sunday School was started here in 1817. Mission work in prisons was started in 1824 and in 1826 the earliest temperance activities was created. In 1819 the first missionaries were sent to Hawaii. As I indicated in an earlier posting so many historical events happened here that it is amazing but logical when you stop to think that this was a new country establishing a new form of self governance so virtually everything was a new experience or a first. For example the on July 4, 1829 the first anti-slavery message was preached over much loud protesting by many Bostonians. This speech was made by William Lloyd Garrison and two years later on July 4, 1831 the Hymn " America " known then as " My Country 'Tis Of Thee " was performed publicly for the first time on the steps of the church. The song was written by a divinity student ( Samuel Francis Smith ) to the tune of German origin. I am sure you also recognize the tune as it is used in the British National Anthem " God Save The King ". The church was not open for tours when we were there.
Just beyond The Park Street Church the red line leads us to the Granary Burial Ground known as the last resting place of the patriots. This is reportedly the cities third largest graveyard and was once part of the Commons. It got its name from the old granary that stood near the Park Street Church both mentioned above. There are three types of graves here. One and the most common is the ones marked with a headstone. Some may also have a foot stone. Over the years the gravestones and foot stones have been rearranged for whatever reason so there is no assurance that the person indicated on the stone is actually buried in that spot. I did not see any logical explanation as why they would rearrange to stones. Then there are the Table Tombs. The Tables are permanent markers for the brick enclosed tombs below. No one is actually buried above ground. Finally you have the Vaults which are placed around the fence and marked with a sign on a fence or wall or a marker flush with the ground. Table and Vaults were normally preferred by the wealthy. These were owned by the family and usually had more than one family member buried inside them even though only one name might be shown on the outside. As you walk through the area you soon find that there are numbered signs that will lead you through the burying grounds. I did not realize this until I was about half way through so some of my photographs may appear to jump around.
Partial View Of Granary Burial Grounds. You Can See A Large Tour Ground To The Right And Another One In Front Of The Tall Monument. The Back Side Of The Monument To Benjamin Franklin Parents Is In The Center Of The Photograph. Isn't This A Beautiful Photograph?
The Above Monument To Benjamin Franklin Parents ( Josiah And Abiah Franklin ) Replaced The Memorial That Franklin Erected After Their Death Was So Worn That This Was Erected By The Citizens Of Boston To Replace It. The Original Memorial Had An Inscription Which
Is Shown Below In The Square.
More About Benjamin Franklin. Free At No Charge Is My Shadow.
Enlargement Of Benjamin Franklin Memorial Inscription In Memory Of His Parents.
Enlargement Of Benjamin Franklin Memorial Inscription In Memory Of His Parents And General Information About The Granary Burying Grounds. Near By This Monument Are Two Gravestones Of Other members Of His Family. He Was Named After An Uncle " Benjamin " But That Gravestone Has Disappeared In The Last Few Decades As Has Many Others..
Enlargement Of This Is Sign 2 That Tells About A Riot, The Massacre, And The Tea Party.
Information About Thomas Treat Paine. Paine Was One Of Three Signer Of The Declaration
Of Independence Buried Here.
Of Independence Buried Here.
Plaque To Paul Revere
You will find many historical personages buried here such as John Hancock, Peter Faneuil founder of the famous market we will visit later, the Boston Massacre victims and even Mother Goose. Here is the story on Mother Goose. She was Elizabeth Goose the second wife of Issac Goose. She had ten of her own children plus the ten children by his first wife. 20 in all. Upon the death of her husband she moved in with her daughter and 14 grandchildren. Like all mothers and grandmothers she told nursery stories to the children. Legend has it that her son-in-law who was a printer published a book of these nursery rhymes although a copy has never been found. Elizabeth Goose was a real person but the stories she told go way back to England and France before her time so she was not the original Mother Goose if there was ever a person who actually had that title. But these are the things that make for good legends and our country is full of them and they often get woven into the fabric of our history. There isn't a gravestone for Elizabeth Goose but there is a marker for his first wife.
King's Chapel
The history of the King's Chapel is a very interesting one. When you think back about why the Puritans fled Europe you recall they left their homes and country because they were fleeing what they considered religious corruption in the official Church Of England ( The Anglican Church ) as well as heresy in the church. Now here in Massachusetts 50 some years later King James II ordered the establishment of Anglican Parish in Boston. This is the very thing they had fled from. No one would sell them land so the Governor of Massachusetts in 1697 simply seized a corner of the burying ground using the argument that " the dead would not complain ". So a small wooden Anglican church was built. The present structure was started in 1749 and in order not to disturb church services it was built around the wooden church and when the new structure was finished they simply tore the old building down and removed the left overs. The exterior is plain but the inside is beautiful with the original high walled pew boxes. The pulpit is the one that was used in the original wooden chapel in 1717. In the gallery is the organ which is a replica of the one used in 1713 which was the first to be used in any church in " British America ". That term sound so strange. To the Bostonians this church and all its trapping were fearful reminders of what their ancestors had fled. On top of this the Royal Governors, army and navy officials, and colonial officials worshipped there. The Rector of King's Chapel wanted to have an Boston Bishop. Now this was going to far because they saw this as the starting point of infringement on their religious freedoms. They knew from history back in England that the combining of political and religious activities led to all sorts of corruption and this they did not want and would not tolerate. To show their displeasure they demonstrated at the celebrations for laying of the cornerstone for the chapel. They threw dead animals, garbage and curses at the celebration. Bostonians were hostile toward King's Chapel for the next several years until the Revolution when the British pulled out of Boston in 1776 and a larger number of the high class pew holders left with them. In 1785 the Parish adopted a Unitarian theology and became the first Unitarian Church in America. Today they still follow this tenant which is unique in the respect that they combine the Unitarian beliefs with the liturgy adopted from the Anglican Book Of Common Prayer. A steeple was planned for the church but was never built due to the lack of funds.
From King's Chapel we move on to the King's Chapel Burial Ground.
King's Chapel Burial Grounds.
King's Chapel Burial Grounds.
The town of Boston was settled in 1630 and a burying ground was needed so they established one at or by land that would later be the site of King's Chapel. It is the oldest burying ground in Boston and has no official connection with the church.
Visitors Check Out A Information Sign
Plaque Dedicated To William Dawes
I overheard a tour guide telling his group that Dawes was the " other Man " or the " Forgotten Man " who made the midnight ride to warn of the British coming. Paul Revere received so much notice that Dawes was basically forgotten. In 2006 historians discovered documents that show that William Dawes was actually buried in Jamaica Plain in Forest Hills Cemetery. Some of his relatives are buried here. The gravestones here display the excellent work of the craftsmen of that time ( 17th and 18th century ). Because of no accurate records the number of people buried here is unknown. It is estimated that for each stone there are probably 10 to 20 persons buried there. In the past there have been times when the burial ground was not looked after and you would find pieces of caskets and bones sticking out of the ground. Considering the age of the burial ground it is natural that many of the stones have deteriorated and the carvings and writing on them has become indistinguishable.
Headstone Of Elizabeth Pain
Along with many very notable people buried here you find some who are better known because of a fictional character. For example Elizabeth Pain is buried here. You say who was she and what did she do? I don't know but in the novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne " Scarlet Letter " his fictional character " Hester Prynne " was said to have many real life similarities to the real Elizabeth Pain. It is said that Hawthorne liked to wander through this cemetery and Elizabeth Pain's headstone was the inspiration for his story. According to Wikipedia she lived 1652 to her death 26 November 1704. She had a child out of wedlock which was considered evidence of fornication. This child died and she was charged with murder but found guilt on the charge of fornication and neglect of the child. She was fined and flogged 20 strips.
As we were getting ready to move on down the trail I noticed people over in one corner of the burial ground gathered around a small fenced area so I just had to go over and see what they were looking at. Well to my surprise I found a sign that explained that this fenced area ( called a cage ) is not a tomb but a ventilation shaft for the subway under Tremont Street. I was so unimpressed I did not bother to take a photograph of it. Now I know why curiosity killed the cat. Some of the trail literature actually says that you can think of this as a tribute to " Charlie " the man who never came back from the Kingston Trio's hit song of the 1950s. Any of you remember that?
Out on the trail again we head for Site Of The First Public School which is just past the King's Chapel. Very soon after Puritans landed in this new land was to set their feet on the ground so to speak they elected a school master to teach their children to read. This election was April 13, 1635. The school was a crude wooden structure built in 1645 and the school was open to all children rich, poor,and they could attend without paying any tuition however few poor children got to attend because they were needed to work at home. Children of color were not allowed to attend and if they received any education they were home-tutored. The first two years the school met in the home of the School Master Philemon Pormont. The old wooden structure was torn down to make way for the an addition to King's Chapel. Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock and Samuel Adams attended this school known as Boston Latin School.
To believers of the Puritan faith the ability to read the Bible ( in Latin ) was of primary importance. Reading was the main focus of education. To the Puritan's then, as to Christians today, people need to read and know the Bible because one of Satan's major objectives is to keep people from knowing the Word of God.
Not far away is our next stop at the Old City Hall Whose plaque is the next photograph.
To believers of the Puritan faith the ability to read the Bible ( in Latin ) was of primary importance. Reading was the main focus of education. To the Puritan's then, as to Christians today, people need to read and know the Bible because one of Satan's major objectives is to keep people from knowing the Word of God.
Not far away is our next stop at the Old City Hall Whose plaque is the next photograph.
Old City Hall
Bostons Old City Hall
Enlargement Of Plaque Above About Old City Hall. The top portion of this got cut off so I am typing it as follows:
This building served as Boston's City Hall from 1863 until 1969 when it was renovated for use as an office building. Boston's Old City Hall is one of the first examples of adaptive reuse. In the 1960's the concept of recycling outdated public buildings was untried. The successful conversion ( 1969 - 1971 ) of Boston's City Hall into a restaurant and first class office building heralded the beginning of this new concept. It was widely published by the American Society of Architects and became a model of successful redevelopment for underutilized municipal property. Old City Hall became a role model stimulating the reuse of landmark buildings across the United States in the 1970's and 1980's and this pioneer rehabilitation continues to win recognition.
Continuation Of Enlargement Of Plaque Above About Old City Hall
Benjamin Franklin Statue
Name On Franklin Statue
Plaque On Franklin Statue
Plaque On Franklin Statue
Plaque On Franklin Statue
Plaque On Franklin Statue
Plaque On Franklin Statue
School Street Political Life
Plaque Telling Of The Origin Of The Symbol For The Democratic And Republican Parties
Joyce Rubs The Ear Of The Donkey
Closer Look At Josiah Quincy
Old Corner Bookstore
Josiah Quincy
Plaque About Josiah Quincy
Plaque About Josiah Quincy
This red brick building has seen a lot of history since it was originally built around 1712. It is reported to be one of Boston's oldest surviving buildings. It was built for a merchant and it served as his shop, office and home. He was what we call nowadays a pharmacist. In the 1980's ( 1833 - 1864 ) it was the office of the leading book publisher in the United States. The greatest writers such as Longfellow, Emerson, Harriet Beecher Stowe and Hawthorne, Dickens, Thackeray and many others visited here. Some of our most beloved books were published here. This is only the second building to occupy the space on this corner. The home of Anne Hutchinson was located here. She was banished from Massachusetts in 1638 for expounding on her religious views. You ask what did she do that caused them to take such drastic action. Well she believed in a " Covenant of Grace " instead of a " Covenant of Works ". She also challenged the male authorities. Remember earlier the comments that were made about the people objecting to the King's Church. When you stop to think about it where was the idea of believing you could worship the way you believed is correct. It was there but the only problem you had to believe what you were told to believe. Her home and a large section of town was destroyed by fire in 1711 in fact it was known as " The Fire Of 1711 ". If you notice the sign on the building it is now a Chipotle Mexican Grill.
Our next stop is just around the corner where we will find the Boston Irish Famine Memorial and The Old South Meeting House which we will visit on our next posting.
Until then remember what I always say God loves you and so do I.
Grandpa Bill
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