Boston Common aerial photo Freedom Trail

Boston Common aerial view, Boston, MABoston Common, autumn, looking East. The Freedom Trail starts at the Visitors Center, near the corner of Park St. and Tremont St., (top left in this view)

USS Constitution drydock photo

USS Constitution is in drydock now, so no “Turnaround” celebration this year.  Visitors can tour the ship most days, after 2:30 PM. A great opportunity to see Old Ironsides.

Constitution in drydock

Constitution in drydock

USS Constitution stamp

USS Constitution stamp

USS Constitution stamp

Old Ironsides is now in drydock for repairs, so no “turnaround” this weekend July 4th.  This Commemorative stamp is from 2012, on the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812.

Battle of Bunker Hill 6/17/1775 painting

Battle of Bunker Hill

Battle of Bunker Hill

The Battle of Bunker Hill, as painted by John Trumbull. General Warren, the great patriot doctor, lies mortally wounded on the left. Patriot forces moved onto Bunker & Breed’s Hills in Charlestown the night before.  The British regulars struggled to force them off these ramparts, while shelling the peninsula.  The Patriot survivors retreated late in the afternoon, while the Regulars counted their dead and wounded. This painting is part of the magnificent Trumbull collection at Yale University.

USS Constitution to drydock photo

USS Constitution, Charlestown, Boston, MAUSS Constitution prepares to enter the drydock, at 12:30AM May 20. The booms are off, the cannons are off, much of the rigging has been removed, and the ship floats much higher than usual.

Paul Revere statue Boston photograph

Revere statue by Cyrus Dallin

Revere statue by Cyrus Dallin

Celebrating Paul Revere’s midnight ride on April 18th, 1775, this statue stands near Old North Church in Boston’s North End. The famous ride began with “two if by sea” and ended near Lexington, early on the 19th. Patriot’s Day, and the Boston Marathon, take place on the monday following.

Boston Massacre engraving by Paul Revere

"Bloody Massacre" Paul Revere

“Bloody Massacre” Paul Revere

“Bloody Massacre in King Street,” engraved by Paul Revere, based on a drawing by Henry Pelham. From the collection of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Boston Massacre + Old State House photo

Old State House, snow © Steve Dunwell

Old State House, snow © Steve Dunwell

The Boston Massacre occurred on a snowy evening, March 5, 1770, in front of the Old State House. Troops occupying Boston to enforce the new British taxes fired into a mob of about sixty rowdy Bostonians, wounding eight and killing five. Crispus Attucks, an African-american, was among the first to die.

USS Constitution interior 360 google streetview

Gun Deck, USS Constitution, by Google-Street View

Gun Deck, USS Constitution, by Google-Street View

Interior views of “Old Ironsides” USS Constitution are now available on Google Street View, so you can look around, up and down, and visit below decks on this amazing ship. The quality is excellent. Go to www.maps.google.com and search for “USS Constitution, Boston, MA”, then click “street view”…a great way to visit the ship before it goes into drydock for a 3 year rehab.

Boston Tea Party starts at today Old South Meeting House – photo

Old South Meeting House © Steve Dunwwell

Old South Meeting House © Steve Dunwwell

241 years ago. December 16, 1773 – A great crowd gathered at the Old South Meeting House to hear speeches protesting new taxes on imports, including tea. Shouting “Boston harbor a tea party tonight,” they went down to the nearby docks. Thinly disguised as “Mohawks”, fifty men boarded three East India ships – Dartmouth, Beaver and Eleanor. Breaking open 342 chests of imported tea, they dumped the lot into the harbor. The “Intolerable Acts” soon followed as punishment.