The Boston Massacre: A Guide to One of the Colonial City’s Bloodiest Events
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About the Tour
About the Tour
“The riot on King Street” is what newspapers originally called the moment when 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.
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.
Tour Producer
Tour Producer
Mitch Lapin
I work as a historical tour guide specializing in Boston, MIT, Harvard, and The Battle Road from Lexington to Concord. For the National Archives I transcribe historical documents online. Through the Find A Grave Foundation, I offer my services as a volunteer photographer to genealogists and family members. My genealogical research dates back to 1630, the start of the first Great Migration.
I broke new ground historically completing primary research into the five years Paul Revere was a coroner of Boston. Ongoing I am updating the original listing by Edward and Evelyn Stickney of the 429 church bells produced by Paul Revere and Sons. One-hundred and thirty four are confirmed in use as far away as Singapore.
The Arlington Sanctum is my first novel available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. We search out MIAs in every American War of the 20th century.
My educational degree from Temple University and paralegal certificates from Bentley University provided me with the tools to research and present Boston’s unique history.
May I guide you on my fifth tour, The Old City of Boston walking you back to the 17th century? You may prefer my Boston Civil War, Boston Massacre, Boston in Brass & Bronze, and Freedom Trail tour as worthyl options.
We look forward to hearing from you or answering questions through our website or [email protected] or downloading our tour at Voicemap.me/Boston
Preview Location
Preview Location
Location 17
And you have been calling it a Massacre?
[5 SECONDS PAUSE]
Private Hugh White did guard duty on Monday, March 5, 1770, at 9 PM in front of the Customs House. Images of the Town S... Read More
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Major Landmarks
Major Landmarks
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Chart House
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Long Wharf
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New England Aquarium
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Central Wharf
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Rowes Wharf
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Hungarian Memorial
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54 Kilby St
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Boston Massacre: Actual site
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Old State House
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Granary Burying Ground
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Samuel Adams Grave
Getting There
Getting There
Route Overview
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Start location60 Long Wharf, Boston, MA 02110, USA
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Total distance2km
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Final locationTremont St, Boston, MA 02108, USA
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Distance back to start location983.93m
Directions to Starting Point
Begin your tour on Long Wharf in Boston on the opposite side of the Chart House restaurant at 60 Long Wharf, Boston, MA 02110, USA
By Public Transportation use the Blue Line exiting at the Aquarium stop. The Chart House is 200 feet behind you.
A parking garage is available at the Harbor Tower Condominiums at Milk Street and Old Atlantic Avenue, fifty-feet Long Wharf. On your GPS enter The New England Aquarium.
If you are driving to town, interstate 93 north and south lets you exit at Government Center putting you on Atlantic Avenue. Another parking garage is available from either north or south next to Quincy Market.
Use the MBTA Green lines from the west. Take the escalator up to the surface level and exit right. Walk down the steps to the Bill Russell memorial and go right down the alley and left on State Street to the harbor. When on Long Wharf find the Chart House Restaurant on your left after the Marriott Long Wharf Hotel. The walking distance is four city blocks.
If you are arriving from the North Shore the Sumner Tunnel will exit onto Atlantic Avenue. You may turn right on Milk Street to the garage or left into the financial district for more parking.
If it is Sunday morning, before 9 AM you will find free unlimited parking to your left on side streets off Atlantic Avenue.
If you are arriving by taxi, Lyft or Uber they should be familiar with Long Wharf or the Aquarium as drop off locations.
Any of the hop on hop off trolley tours stop at Long Wharf.
The tour will end at the Granary Burial Ground on Tremont Street. You will be 100 feet from the Red and Green lines and the Boston Common. Ample inexpensive parking is available at a Boston municipal lot below the Common with its entrance on Charles Street. The walk from the Boston Common to the starting point of the tour is a mile.
Hope to see you soon.
Show Directions
Tips
Tips
Places to stop along the way
Save Quincy Market for the end of the tour to enjoy a slice of Regina's Pizza and clam chowder at the Walrus and Carpenter's Oyster bar. Local political color and fresh seafood with a flair can be purchased downstairs at the Salty Dog or calmly enjoyed upstairs: situated at the front of Quincy Market that abuts Faneuil Hall.
Recommended restaurants in the Italian North End are Antico Forno, 93 Salem Street. Mother Anna's, 211 Hanover Street, closest to the Rose Kennedy Greenway and Luccia's across from the Paul Revere Park at 417 Hanover Street; the best spicy seafood and most unusual ceiling portraits. For an old-world taste and demeanor try to find Bricco Salumeria's pastry shop 11 Broad Alley between Cross and Richmond Streets.
Great seafood, at a price, can be had at Legal Sea Food Restaurant where the tour began on Long Wharf.
Restaurants in the Granary and Boston Common area are just convenient.
If you have parked at the Boston Common garage, many fine restaurants, sandwich shops and bakeries, can be found on both sides of Charles Street as soon as you cross Beacon Street. Walk to the bottom of the Common and turn right to cross Beacon Street on Charles.
Best time of day
The best time to tour is 10 AM or 1 PM all year long. The Granary Burial Ground closes at 4PM. There are no other time constraints. The best time to be in Boston is Patriot's Weekend, the third weekend in April, July 4th and the second or third week of October for the color change and wonderful 70 degree weather.
Precautions
The Granary Burial Ground is the only stop not ADA compliant but we offer a work around if you cannot negotiate the five front steps. You can finish the tour on the street level feet from Samuel Adams tombstone.
Boston drivers always think they have the right to turn right even if you have the walk sign.
Noise cannot be averted. Stand in place and let the fire engines, tour buses and other tour guides pass or replay the stop by clicking on the pinpoint on the map.
Our tour balances your need to keep moving with the in depth unveiling of the tragic historical events. Several stops have places to sit and several stops are quite close to each other. Unfortunately, 11 fires in Boston have left the events and structures on Kilby Street to your imagination. We have closed that gap with many period pictures on your smart phone.
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