Page 143 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

BOST ON , M ASSA CHUSE T T S  141

2 Black Heritage depicting the first free black
Trail regiment during the Civil War,
and their white colonel, Robert
Map C3. 8 tours by National Park Gould Shaw. In the south-
Service Rangers, (617) 742-5415. eastern corner is the Central
∑ nps.gov/boaf
Burying Ground, dating from
1756, with graves of British and
In the first US census in 1790, American casualties from the
Massachusetts was the only historic Battle of Bunker Hill in
state to record no slaves. During 1775 (see p155).
the 1800s, Boston’s large free Southwest of the Common is
African-American community the more formal 24-acre (10-ha)
. Nichols House Museum lived principally on the north Public Garden, designed in
This small museum offers an slope of Beacon Hill and in the English style in 1869. Amid its
insight into the life and times of adjacent West End. Free walking beautifully tended lawns and
Beacon Hill resident Rose Nichols, tours of the Black Heritage Trail are flowerbeds is a superb bronze
who lived here from 1885 to 1960. led by the National Park Service equestrian statue of George
Rangers from spring to fall, depart- Washington. A path leads from
ing from the Robert Gould Shaw the statue to a serene lagoon,
Memorial on Boston Common. spanned by the miniature,
The sights include safe houses for ornamental Lagoon Bridge.
escaped slaves, and the Museum Visitors can explore the lagoon
of African American History, on the delightful Swan Boats.
which traces Boston’s black history
and preserves the African Meeting
House, the country’s oldest black
church. Dedicated in 1806, the
building’s restored interior once
rang with the pas sionate oratory
of aboli tionists. The site also
includes the Abiel Smith School,
the first school built solely for
African-American children.
P Museum of African
American History
46 Joy St. Tel (617) 720-2991.
Open 10am–4pm Mon–Sat.
Closed public hols. & 8 Bronze statue of George Washington in the
∑ afroammuseum.org Public Garden
WA L N U T S T R E E T
3 Boston Common 4 Boston
Massachusetts
State House & Public Garden Athenaeum
B E A CO N S T R E E T Map C4.  Park St, Boylston St, Map D3. 10½ Beacon St. Tel (617) 227-
Arlington. Open 24 hrs. Visitor Center:
0270.  Park St. Open 9am–8pm
139 Tremont St, (617) 426-3115.
Mon–Wed, 9am–5:30pm Thu–Fri,
Open 8:30am–5pm Mon–Fri, 9am–4pm Sat. 8 ∑ boston
9am–5pm Sat & Sun (times vary in athenaeum.org
winter). ∑ bostonusa.com
Housed in an elegant Palladian-
The city’s most beautiful green style building, this library’s
space, Boston Common was treasures include George
established in 1634. For two Washington’s personal library
centuries it served as a common and the theological library
pasture, gallows site, and a given by King William III of
military camp and drill ground. England to the King’s Chapel
By the 19th century, it had (see p146). The Athenaeum’s
become a center for open-air collection, first organized in
Hepzibah Swan Houses civic activity and remains so to 1807, originally included many
Charles Bulfinch designed these this day. At the northeastern fine paintings. These were later
three elegant houses for the edge of the Common is the donated to the Museum of
daughters of a wealthy Beacon Robert Gould Shaw Memorial, Fine Arts (see pp152–3) when
Hill proprietress. with a magnificent relief that was set up.

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