Boston: Temple; Black Heritage Trail; Part of Freedom Trail; Salty Dog Dinner

We spent Wednesday in Boston, which called for another long ride. The colorful tree-lined freeway made the drive very enjoyable.

Our first destination was attending an endowment session in the Boston Temple. It was so peaceful looking at the beauty of the temple and also seeing the beauty of nature outside the temple.

The parking lot had some stunning fall foliage.

We did a quick change of clothes and headed out to explore Boston, enjoying more fall foliage in the process. We walked around Boston Common Park.

The Soldiers and Sailors Monument -- "is located on a rise called Flag Staff Hill. The base bears the following inscription: 'To the men of Boston who died for their country on land and sea in the war which kept the Union whole, destroyed slavery, and maintained the Constitution.'"

We went to the Museum of African American History and learned about the Abiel Smith School which is the oldest public school in the United States that was built for the sole purpose of educating African American children. 

We walked the Black Heritage Trail through part of Boston, stopping at various spots along the way to read about what happened in that particular place. 

The largest African American community in Boston during the decades before the Civil War was on the northern slope of Beacon Hill. 

The African Meeting House -- "Built by free African American artisans, the Meeting House was once a church, a school, and vital community meeting place. It has been returned to its 1855 appearance through historic restoration and is open to the public for talks, tours, and events."

It was pleasant walking in that part of the city. The tree-lined streets with fallen leaves along the parked cars were so picturesque.

Some people had set up some interesting Halloween decorations such as this windowsill hand skeleton display.

Once back at the park, we decided to walk part of the Boston Freedom Trail.

From the brochure: "Boston's iconic Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile red-brick path, embedded in city sidewalks from Boston Common to Bunker Hill, that leads visitors to 16 nationally significant historic sites, every one an authentic American treasure. 

"The Freedom Trail is a unique collection of museums, churches, meeting houses, parks, burying grounds, historic markers and a ship that tell the story of the American Revolution and beyond."

The Robert Gould Shaw Monument -- "is a monumental memorial to the first African American infantry unit from the North to fight for the Union during the Civil War. 

"It depicts Colonel Robert Gould Shaw leading members of the 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry as it marched down Beacon Street on May 28, 1863, to depart the city to fight in the South. It is the first civic monument to pay homage to the heroism of African American soldiers."

The protecting angel flying above them really touches my heart as I have been looking more closely at this photo.

Park Street Church -- "acquired the nickname Brimstone Corner, both in reference to the fire-and-brimstone sermons and to the gun powder that was stored in the crypt during the War of 1812. On July 4, 1831, the hymn My Country 'Tis of Thee, was first sung on the Church steps."

The Massachusetts State House -- "John Hancock, signer of the Declaration of Independence and the first elected Governor of Massachusetts, originally owned the land. The oldest building on Beacon Hill is now the seat of Massachusetts state government.

"The golden dome, one of Boston's distinguishing landmarks, wasn't always gilded. It was originally built of wood. Paul Revere & Sons was commissioned in 1802 to cover it with copper to prevent water leakage. In 1874, the dome was gilded with 23-karate gold leaf."

Granary Burying Ground -- "So named because of its proximity to Boston's first granary. This is the most visited burying ground in Boston and the final resting place of many prominent Bostonians. Buried here are John Hancock, Samuel Adams, nine governors, all five Boston Massacre victims, Paul Revere, Ben Franklin's parents and Peter Faneuil."

Boston Latin School Site/Benjamin Franklin Statue -- "the site of the first public school in the U.S. Among the school's alumni are Ben Franklin, John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Charles Bulfinch and Ralph Waldo Emerson. The sculptor of Benjamin Franklin said that he found the left side of the great man's face philosophical and reflective and the right side funny and smiling."

There were tour guides dressed in period costumes all along the Freedom Trail. Because one was leading a tour at the moment we passed by, we were unable to get a close up view of the statue.

Old South Meeting House -- "Many of the crucial events that led up to the Revolution took place here. The most famous of the meetings was held on December 16, 1773, when over 5,000 gathered to protest the tax on tea.

"During the British occupation of Boston in 1775-1776, British troops desecrated this sanctuary of freedom by using it as a stable and riding school, while drinks were served from the balcony. The pulpit and pews were chopped into firewood and the library was used as kindling."

Faneuil Hall -- "The building was a gift from wealthy merchant Peter Faneuil in 1742. Faneuil Hall served as a meeting place and an open-air market. It was here that Bostonians met to form their opposition to British authority. The women's rights movement, early temperance rallies and nearly every war since 1812 have been debated within these walls."

Today Faneuil Hall is a bustling marketplace with many shops and restaurants inside and out.

We decided to eat at a restaurant in the courtyard outside Faneuil Hall and listened to a violinist play all through our dinner.

I got a good chuckle when I saw the table next to us butted right up to a fire hydrant. I thought the Salty Dog Restaurant was carrying the dog theme to an extreme. Haha!!

This view of an old three-story building nestled right in the middle of tall modern skyscrapers was one of the most memorable sites I remember from the first time I visited Boston with Nani. We got off the cruise ship to do a land tour in Boston when we were on a cruise with Dad and Mom quite a few years ago.

Old State House Museum -- "built in 1713, the Old State House was the center of political and commercial life, housing the merchant's exchange (a precursor to today's stock exchange) on the ground floor and the royally appointed government offices and the freely elected members of the Assembly of the Massachusetts Bay Colony on the upper floors."

In July 1776, the Declaration of Independence was publicly read from the east balcony. It was interesting to learn that every July 4th, it is still being read to the Bostonians from the east balcony.

We enjoyed all the interesting facts we learned and had previously learned many years ago in school in our history classes.

It was time for us to find the parking garage to make the long car ride back to Falmouth as it was getting dark. What a great day spent in Boston!!