Old North Church

Old North Church, formally Christ Church in the City of Boston, stands at 193 Salem Street in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts. Built between 1723 and 1740, with its steeple completed later, it is the oldest surviving church building in the city and a significant example of Georgian ecclesiastical architecture in America. The design owes much to the work of Sir Christopher Wren, with red brick walls, large arched windows and a tall white steeple. The interior is a bright, simple box with white-painted box pews, a gallery and a brass chandelier dating from 1700s. It remains an active Episcopal congregation. The church is most famous for the events of 18 April 1775. Sexton Robert Newman climbed the steeple and displayed two lanterns, signaling that British regulars were crossing the Charles River rather than marching overland to Lexington and Concord. Paul Revere and William Dawes then rode to alert the countryside, giving rise to the line one if by land, and two if by sea. The church also holds eight bells cast in 1744, among the oldest in North America, and a bust of George Washington given by Lafayette. A few pews have name plates of early parishioners, and visitors can see the gallery and crypt. The crypt, with burial vaults, is open on guided tours. The steeple has been rebuilt several times, after damage by the hurricane of 1804 and the Great Storm of 1991 (Hurricane Bob). Interpretation takes place through docent explanations and a gift shop, along with an adjacent chapel and a small museum of artifacts. Guided tours emphasize the church's history, the lantern event, and Anglican life in colonial Boston. A visit takes about 30 to 45 minutes and the site is a stop on the Freedom Trail. Services continue on Sundays, which can limit access.