Charlestown Neighborhood – Feeding the Revolution

The Boston neighborhood of Charlestown is visited by thousands of tourists each year as the northern terminus of the Boston Freedom Trail.

But it also has a rich and colorful history outside the revolutionary era.

This is the fourth in the series of visitor’s guide to Boston’s neighborhoods, and today I’ll be highlighting Charlestown.

There are 23 neighborhoods comprising Boston, Massachusetts but most of these neighborhoods fall outside the average visitor’s spots to visit.

In previous posts I’ve covered Back Bay, Beacon Hill and the North End. Today I’ll be talking about the Charlestown neighborhood. Charlestown is located north of Boston on a peninsular between the Charles River and Mystic River. Its main points of interest for visitors include the Bunker Hill Monument and Museum and the Charlestown Navy Yard, where the U.S.S. Constitution is docked and tours are available along with visiting the dockyard museum.

History of Charlestown:

Settled in 1625 as a separate city distinct from Boston it became part of Boston in 1874. Charlestown was where Paul Revere begun his ride after seeing the lanterns hung in the North Church across the river, and also saw the first major conflict of the revolutionary war fought on Breed’s Hill.

In the 1860s Charlestown saw a large influx of Irish during the Irish famine period and they provided Boston with a rich heritage of culture and history since they arrived. Throughout the 1060s and early 1990s Charlestown became better known for its Irish Mob presence and the wars between rivaling gangs.

Today Charlestown is a residential mix of professionals and working-class peoples.

Bunker Hill Monument:

The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775 and is mostly remembered because of the legendary command "don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!" While the American forces were eventually overwhelmed and retreated after three assaults, the site is commemorated by the 221-foot granite obelisk and marked as the first major battle of the revolutionary war.

The majority of the fighting took place on Breed’s Hill which is where the monument is erected, and for those taking the walk along the Boston Freedom Trail this is the northern terminus.

The area surrounding the monument is a park with a museum, and you can climb the stairs all the way to the top. Monument is open 9:00am-5:00pm.

The Battle of Bunker Hill Museum is located on the Freedom Trail, across the street from the Monument. Completed in June, 2007, the museum houses all new exhibits on the Battle of Bunker Hill, the building of the Monument and the history of Charlestown.

More >>> www.nps.gov/bost/historyculture/bhm.htm

Charlestown Navy Yard:

Located in the Charlestown Navy Yard are the U.S.S. Constitution and the U.S.S. Constitution Museum. The area surrounding these museums is managed by the National Park service and part of the Boston National Historical Park.

The U.S.S. Constitution was built in Boston and launched in 1797 to provide protection for American ships sailing the North African coast, "Old Ironsides" saw it's most memorable action in the War of 1812 when it defeated HMS Guerriere in a 35-minute battle that in one event projected the United States into a super naval power.

Today this historical ship is permanently docked at the Charlestown Navy Yard and offers free tours of the ship every 30 minutes. Old Ironsides is the oldest commissioned naval vessel in the world.

More >>> www.nps.gov/bost/historyculture/ussconst.htm

Just across the pier from where “Old Ironsides” is docked is the U.S.S. Constitution Museum. The museum was opened in 1976 as a compliment to the frigate on display to house in one place artifacts and stories from the famous frigate’s past.

The museum is housed in a historic building which has been renovated within the last ten years, and includes galleries, a reading room and research library. Regular summer hours are 9:00am – 6:00pm. Both the ship and museum are free to visit.

More >>> www.ussconstitutionmuseum.org/

For many more suggestions on things to see and do see my Boston vacation guide here and this page for the best list of free things to do in Boston.

Cliff Calderwood
Executive Director
New England Vacation Guide