Introduction To Boston Tour: Portrait Of The North End

Explore Boston's cobblestone Colonial streets with a historian

$289 and up

Private

$85/pp

Small group

Tour Details

About the Tour

Category: History, Orientation
Duration: 3 hours
Location: Boston

Photos & Highlights

Immerse yourself in the historical and cultural connections between the North End of Boston History and the rest of the historic city
Led by a local historian
Old North Church, Quincy Market, and Blackstone Block

Tour Description

Of all Boston's neighborhoods, none captures the essence of the city more than its North End, a maze of winding colonial streets and backdrop to some of the most significant moments in American history. This North End Boston History tour paints a portrait of the city's evolution from the 17th to the 21st century, uncovering narratives that have shaped America, from revolution to immigration.

North End Boston History Tour

We begin our walk near the Blackstone Block, a small network of alleyways and structures dating back to the colonial era. Situated here is the 18th century home of John Hancock's brother, Ebenezer, adjacent to the Boston Stone. Using the streets themselves as visual clues we'll consider the topographical advantages of the North End—nearly separated from the mainland by inlets and swamps—for the early settlers in Boston. Our stroll will take us through Haymarket, one of the city's longest standing outdoor markets, and a place where North Enders still buy their groceries.

America’s Gateway to Europe

Tracing a path along streets that still bear the names of important Bostonians or long vanished features, we'll discuss the major developments of the North End as it evolved into one of the busiest shipping ports on the Atlantic seaboard and became America's gateway to Europe. We'll use some of the old storefronts and pubs to discuss the rise of a longshoreman class and shipping industry, and paint a portrait of the ethnic and racial changes the North End witnessed as English and Africans settled in the district, followed by Irish, Portuguese fisherman, Jews, and Italians.

Revere’s Ride

The neighborhood's importance is etched on our collective memory through the famous ride of Paul Revere on the eve of the American Revolution. We will look deeply into how the character of this corner of Boston informed and influenced the radicalism of those events, stopping along the way at the 17th century Paul Revere House and Old North Church, the oldest house of worship in Boston. (To learn more about the history of the North End through a different, we suggest our African American History Tour of Boston).

Weaving a Historical Tapestry

The North End is a tapestry of history, with fragments of different centuries all woven together. During the tour, we jump forward at key moments to consider the industrial revolution and Boston's decline as New York rose, and how the factories of the North End moved to the suburbs and then farther afield. Old warehouses, wharves, and tenements are now converted into cafes, restaurants, and condominiums, often stitched delicately into the architecture and context of the city's history. Depending on time and how our conversation unfolds we may end the walk down at the waterfront where a park commemorates the Italian immigrants who've defined the North End in the last hundred years. With kinetic Boston harbor behind us and the new linear park leftover from the Big Dig before us, we'll look back at the North End with a unique sense of its role in the city—and the nation.

(For a more contemporary look at Boston's history, try our Boston Big Dig Tour).

FAQ

Where do we meet? Where does it end?

Generally speaking, we meet at the Rose Kennedy Greenway located on Atlantic Avenue, and end in the North End neighborhood.

Does this tour include the Freedom Trail?

The Freedom Trail does run through the North End neighborhood. Sites from the trail that are included on the tour are Old North Church, Copp's Hill Burying Ground and Paul Revere House.

What if it’s raining?

Tours operate rain or shine, but in the case of inclement weather, your expert will modify the tour so more time is spent indoors. It never hurts to have an umbrella on hand.

Is this tour good for kids and teens?

Yes! We have some excellent family friendly experts who can appeal to the learning styles of children.

Is this a walking intensive tour?
This walk covers about 1.25 miles overall. There are occasional opportunities to sit, use the bathroom, and get something to drink if needed.

Where You'll Start

Tour Experts

Jessica

Jessica is an archaeologist and historian who has also worked as a docent for Context in Rome. Born and raised in the historic North End of Boston, she followed the Bostonian cursus honorem of studies at Boston Latin School and Harvard before becoming a certified teacher and guide. She has collaborated with several local cultural institutions on tours of historic sites, including Historic Neighborhoods and the Boston Center for Jewish Heritage. Deeply knowledgeable about the history of Boston, she possesses a teacher's gift for framing and contextualizing information. She loves exploring her native city in the company of her son.

Lauren

Lauren currently researches and teaches in the Boston area, and has a strong interest in sharing her knowledge of her adopted hometown. She completed her doctorate at the Institute of Fine Arts in New York City, writing her dissertation on the architecture and urbanism of banks in early modern Italy. Her enjoyment of architectural history budded after college while working for Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, a Philadelphia based firm.

Meg

Meg is an environmental and travel writer. She has appeared on NPR’s Radio Boston and WCVB’s Chronicle, as well as WGBH’s Forum site. Her work has been featured in the Boston Globe, the Boston Phoenix, Boston Magazine, and the Time Out Boston guide; her book Boston Gardens and Green Spaces (Union Park Press, 2010) is a Boston Globe Local Bestseller. A talented public speaker, she gives frequent talks about Massachusetts history and Boston’s greatest unknown parks to audiences around New England. Meg was awarded a certificate in Field Botany by the New England Wild Flower Society and earned degrees from Harvard and Brown University. She lives in Lexington, Massachusetts.

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65 Reviews – (4.79)

Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.

Not up to quality of previous Context tours.

Ken

Nov. 2, 2019

She was occasionally hard to hear because of the noise of the urban environment.

Bill

Oct. 29, 2019

Very informative. Just wanted more....the tour to last longer.

David

Oct. 28, 2019