In honor of Patriots Day and the anniversary of Paul Revere’s famous ride, we are focusing on some of Paul Revere’s less famous rides this week. When Paul Revere set out to warn the Provincial Congress that the British Regulars were coming in April of 1775, it wasn’t his first gig as an express rider for the patriots. For almost three years, he had been carrying messages from the Boston Committee of Correspondence on horseback to patriots in New York, Philadelphia, New Hampshire, and beyond. It’s just that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow didn’t write poems about the other rides.
Paul Revere’s Rides
- Ray Raphael’s article inspired us to write this episode.
- JL Bell examines the provenance of “Come in Revere; we are not afraid of you.”
- Paul Revere’s own account of his most famous ride.
- Paul Revere’s Ride, by David Hackett Fischer.
- The Boston Port Act.
- The Suffolk Resolves.
- John Adams reacts to the Suffolk Resolves.
- John Rowe’s diary entry about the Powder Alarm.
- Accounts of the Portsmouth Alarm from the New England Historical Society and Smithsonian Magazine.
- Learn about the court martial of Paul Revere in Episode 25.
- And of course, we have to include Sarah Palin whenever we talk about Paul Revere…
Featured Historic Site
The Suffolk Resolve House in Milton is a unique reminder of the Revolutionary era. The Suffolk Resolves, a document penned by Joseph Warren that helped spark colonial resistance to British rule, were signed in the house in 1774. At the time, it was an inn that stood on the tidal Neponset River near Dorchester Lower Mills. In the mid-20th Century, it was moved about three and a half miles inland and restored. Today, it’s owned by the Milton Historical Society. It’s not open every day, because caretakers live in the house. Keep an eye on the MHS website to see when the next opportunity to visit will be.
Upcoming Event(s)
As a special bonus this week, we actually have two upcoming historical events to highlight this week.
First up, is a talk by friend of the show Brooke Barbier. Brooke is the owner of Ye Olde Tavern Tours, author of the book Boston in the American Revolution: a Town Versus an Empire, and was the special guest in Episode 22. She’ll be speaking on April 26th, as part of Old South Meeting House’s Occupation series, marking the 250th anniversary of the occupation of Boston.
From the event listing:
In 1768, the British Parliament enacted a military solution to what was not yet a military problem by dispatching thousands of British troops to Boston. Many Bostonians feared standing armies and struggled with the presence of these armed men in their streets and buildings. Brooke Barbier will discuss the bewildering and curious ways the two groups interacted with one another – It will surprise you!
The talk begins at 6pm on Thursday, April 26. Admission is free, but advanced registration is required.
We also want to highlight one of our favorite local walking tours, “Survival: Boston 1630,” from the Partnership of the Historic Bostons. It will meet at the State House on April 21st at 10am.
In late summer 1630 hundreds of people people stepped off their boats into a new world. They were forced to live in shacks, tents, or English wigwams. Then food began to run out. Disease began to take its toll. Any hope of replenishment by sea was dashed as Boston harbor froze solid and remained so for two months.
Survival: Boston 1630 explores the story of the first, dangerous year, when nearly half the original Puritans either died or fled back to England. We will then explore how they managed to combine their collective skills to succeed against incredibly daunting odds. Our walking tour immerses you in their world and shows you how they survived in the place that became the city of Boston by visiting the sites where they lived, cooked their meals, drew their water, and began to establish what would become a thriving community.
The tour is free, but the partnership welcomes donations. (It’s a good tour… plan to give them a few bucks!) Register online.