Visit the Historic Paul Revere House in Boston

The story of Paul Revere and his "midnight ride" to herald the start of what would become the American Revolutionary War, has been familiar to almost every school-aged child for generations. For over a century, visitors to Boston have been able to see the house where Revere lived during this historic time. The Paul Revere House, which opened to the public in 1908, was one of the first historic home museums in the country.

Paul Revere was a silversmith and merchant in Boston during the colonial period. His work in silver and gold, a craft he learned from his father, is recognized today as among the best examples of early American decorative art. As a prominent local businessman he was one of the most vocal proponents of American independence in Boston - a hotbed of revolutionary fervor.

One night in April 1775, after leaving his house in the North End of Boston, Revere set out on horseback for the Massachusetts countryside. He knew, by way of a pre-arranged signal of lanterns hanging in a church steeple, that British troops were crossing the Charles River to arrest colonial leaders John Hancock and Samuel Adams. Along the road to Lexington, Revere warned residents of the advancing British troops.

It wasn't until nearly a century later, when Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem was published, that Revere's "midnight ride" became a slightly embellished legend.

Rescued from demolition by Revere's great-grandson, the Paul Revere House was preserved and renovated to very closely resemble the way it looked in the late 1700s. Over 90 percent of the structure is original, according to the Paul Revere Memorial Association, which maintains the house and operates the museum. Today, it stands as the oldest building still in existence in the city of Boston.

The Paul Revere House is open to visitors for self-guided tours. The first floor includes a period kitchen with its large stone-and-brick fireplace. On the second floor of the house, the museum features two bedroom chambers that are filled with the actual furnishings that belonged to the Revere family.

Outside in the courtyard, along with the colonial gardens, tourists can see a 900-pound bell produced by Paul Revere at his Revere & Sons foundry. After the Revolutionary War, Revere became a successful businessman. His company provided the copper sheathing to clad the USS Constitution, and a copper-rolling mill that produced pots and pans that became well-known as copper-bottomed "Revereware."

The Paul Revere House is one stop along the historic Freedom Trail through Boston. The two-and-a-half-mile walking trail includes 16 historic sites that played pivotal roles in America's quest for independence.

The Paul Revere House is located at 19 North Square in Boston. It is open daily year-round. There is a nominal admission charge.