Boston

https://www.nps.gov/bost/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_National_Historical_Park The Boston National Historical Park is an association of sites that showcase Boston's role in the American Revolution. Seven of the eight sites are connected by the Freedom Trail, a walking tour of downtown Boston. All eight properties are National Historic Landmarks. Five of the sites that make up the park are neither owned nor operated by the National Park Service, and operate through cooperative agreements established upon the park's creation. The park service operates visitor centers in Faneuil Hall and at the Charlestown Navy Yard. Discover how one city could be the Cradle of Liberty, site of the first major battle of American Revolution, and home to many who espoused that freedom can be extended to all. Visitor Centers are located at Historic Faneuil Hall, 1 Faneuil Hall Sq, and the Charlestown Navy Yard, Building 5. Go to the Directions page for more detailed information. Bunker Hill Museum The park's main exhibits are at the Bunker Hill Museum. Located across the street from the Monument grounds, the exhibits are housed in the old Charlestown Branch building of the Boston Public Library. The museum is closest to the Community College MBTA subway station on the Orange Line. From the station, walk toward the neighborhood on Austin Street. At Main Street, cross to Green Street. Turn right on High Street. At Monument Square, the Museum is on the right. If approaching via the Freedom Trail, follow the trail up toward Bunker Hill Monument. Charlestown Navy Yard Visitor Center Located in Building 5 of the Charlestown Navy Yard, this Visitor Center features exhibits and a short film about the work and workers of the Navy Yard who supported the United States Navy from 1800 to 1974. Please note that access to this building is through a security checkpoint. Faneuil Hall Visitor Center Located in the heart of downtown on the market floor of the historic 1742 building, the Faneuil Hall Visitor Center is the main visitor center for Boston National Historical Park and Boston African American National Historic Site. Maps and information for the Freedom Trail® and Black Heritage Trail® are available here. Tours begin here seasonally. Faneuil Hall is close to the MBTA Government Center (Green "B" "C" "D" and "E" line and Blue line), State Street (Blue and Orange line), and Haymarket (Orange and Green "C" and "E" line) subway stations. Taking public transportation into Boston is strongly recommended. Visit www.mbta.com for local transit options. On-street parking is extremely limited. There are several private parking garages in the area. Commandant's House Commandant's House in Spring Commandant's House is the oldest structure in the Charlestown Navy Yard. Paul Revere House Sign Paul Revere House Sign Paul Revere House is a proud partner of Boston National Historical Park Rainbow over Faneuil Hall Rainbow over Faneuil Hall Rare image of rainbow was captured over Faneuil Hall Colonial Town Meeting View of the Colonial Town Meeting program from the desk The Revolutionary Town Meeting program is one of the park's most popular. Navy Yard from the harbor View of the Navy Yard from the harbor showing the USS Constution, USS Cassin Young and Bunker Hill More than 200 years of Navy history and tradition can be found in the Charlestown Navy Yard. National Park Getaway: Boston National Historical Park If 4th of July weekend puts you in a celebratory mood, let those feelings of pride and patriotism boil over into the streets of Boston … the home to so many of those stories that made your eyes bug out when you were a kid. The midnight ride of Paul Revere. The Boston Tea Party. The 1770 Boston Massacre when British soldiers fired into a crowd killing five, including former slave Crispus Attucks. A statue standing in front of a tall monument in front of a blue sky. Greater Boston Area Annual Youth Summit: A Day of Network, Reflection, and Fun More than 130 youth from National Park Service programs across the Greater Boston area gathered in the Charlestown Navy Yard at Boston National Historical Park on Thursday, August 10 for the annual Youth Summit. This is the first year the summit was held at Charlestown Navy Yard. Previously, the summit has been held at other park sites in the Boston area. A large group of youth pose for a photograph in front of an historic home. Designing the Parks: Learning in Action The Designing the Parks program is not your typical internship. Each year since 2013, this program at the Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation has introduced a cohort of college students and recent graduates to NPS design and planning professions through projects related to cultural landscape stewardship. In the internships, made possible by partner organizations, participants focus on an in-depth project that directly engages with a national park unit. A group of young people stand on forest trail and listen to two maintenance employees Black Men in Navy Blue: John H. Lawson and William B. Gould During the American Civil War, Navy Yards like Charlestown had to build and outfit dozens of warships to help the Union Navy successfully blockade the Confederate States of America. Once off to sea, the Navy required thousands of men to serve as crewmen aboard the hundreds of ships involved in the blockade. Critical in this effort was the role of African American sailors in the Union Navy. In 1863, for example, roughly 20% of all naval enlistees were African Americans. Black and white photograph of a crew on a ship REVOLUTION 250. Commemorations Bring People Together Faneuil Hall 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts is not the Faneuil Hall of 1767, Nor is Boston for that fact. Today, Faneuil Hall, and the adjacent Quincy Hall Marketplace, is an international destination for shoppers to the historic marketplace in the oldest part of Boston. Faneuil Hall, a gift to the residents of Boston from Peter Faneuil, allowed for a more formal marketplace and meeting hall which became the meeting place in Boston by the 1770’s. As tension grew with the m Reenactors dressed in period costumes for Revolution 250, commemoration in Boston. Curriculum Connections: Making the Most of National Park Experiences Developing curriculum-based programs is the cornerstone for a solid foundation for park education programs. Providing relevant resource-based experiences for people of all ages will ensure a continuum of opportunities for citizens to support their own learning objectives through the national parks and to find meaning in their national treasures. Offering curriculum-based programs, especially for school age children will help foster stewardship. Carriage roads at Acadia National Park. NPS Photo Patriots' Weekend 2018 Patriots' Weekend at Minute Man National Historical Park for April 2018. John McConnell leads march of patriot and redcoats to North Bridge, Concord, MA. When The Rising Came to Boston On 14 January, 1917, Faneuil Hall, the revered "Cradle of Liberty" to patriots of the American Revolution, witnessed a speech that ironically, in its description of British military atrocities, would not have seemed dissimilar from those of the 1770s, and yet perhaps would have sent the heads of those stoic Yankee Protestants spinning in that it was delivered to an estimated 3,000 people by an Irish-Catholic Feminist; Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington. Exterior photo of Fanueil Hall Boston ca 1906. From LOC All Hands on Deck at the Charlestown Navy Yard! October 2019 has been a busy month at the National Parks of Boston’s Charlestown Navy Yard. Charlestown Navy Yard Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail e-Newsletter Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail, WARO quarterly e-newsletter "We Can Do It!" - Shipbuilding Women invade the Charlestown Navy Yard The 17,000 civilian employees on the Boston Navy Yard's 1941 rolls were not numerous enough for the facility to increase building, converting, and repairing ships to levels demanded by wartime needs. To get the work done, Boston Navy Yard turned to people who normally wouldn't be hired, namely, women. By mid-1943, over 50,000 civilians came to work each day at the shops, offices, piers, and dry docks of the Boston Navy Yard. Between 15 and 20% of these workers were women. Women welding hull plates Women Workers at the Boston Navy Yard during World War I In spring of 1917, more than two years before the 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote, a radical transformation was taking place at the Boston Navy Yard. The US Navy adopted a radical enlistment policy that opened its clerical ranks to educated, white women. Parallel to this national watershed, the Boston Navy Yard (now known as the Charlestown Navy Yard) hired civilian women as unskilled laborers for the first time in its history. Black and white photograph of women in their Mayflower II Coming to National Parks of Boston in 2020 The Mayflower II is making her debut voyage to the Charlestown Navy Yard in 2020, following a three-year multimillion dollar restoration effort. On July 8, 2019, National Parks of Boston hosted a joint press conference for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, City of Boston, and Mayflower Sails 2020, at the Charlestown Navy Yard to announce the kickoff of Mayflower Sails 2020, in honor of the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower landing on the shores of Massachusetts. Boston Navy Yard and the "Great War," 1914-1918 At the turn of the 20th century, the Boston Navy Yard (now known as Charlestown Navy Yard) entered its second century of service by embarking on its first major expansion since the Civil War. This push for preparedness grew more intense when World War I began in 1914. When the United States joined the war, the Yard would reach its greatest rate of production yet in its history. World War I warships moored to a Pier in the Boston Navy Yard The Boston Navy Yard during World War II Between September 8, 1939 when a limited national emergency was declared and the end of the War in 1945, the Boston Navy Yard launched 303 vessels and commissioned another 120 ships that were constructed at private yards. In addition, it overhauled 1108 vessels; another seventy-four underwent extensive conversion, and 3260 were repaired. This effort was critical to the Allied victory during World War II Photograph of of several landing ships on a beach in a tight row. 250th Anniversary of the Boston Massacre 250th of the Boston Massacre Image shows British troops firing into a crowd. Buildings in background. Traitor! Decoding Benjamin Church Dr. Benjamin Church was one of the prominent leaders of the Sons of Liberty in Boston early in the Revolution. However, on October 3, 1775, General Washington and his leading advisors met at headquarters in Cambridge to discuss accusations of treason against him. Decode Dr. Church’s letter to find out what he wrote to the British army and decide for yourself if he was a traitor! five lines of text in a cipher with symbols representing letters Summer 1812: The USS Constitution shatters the aura of British naval superiority Though not strategically significant, the brutal engagement between the American’s USS Constitution and the British Guerriere shot to pieces the aura of the Royal Navy’s invincibility on the high seas. Two ships battling at sea A tonic for national pride: Early triumphs of the super-frigates Thomas Jefferson was never more wrong. In late June 1812 he wrote to his friend Thaddeus Kosciuszko that no war had been “entered into under more favorable auspices” and that “[o]ur present enemy will have the seas to herself, while we shall be equally predominant at land, and shall strip her of all her possessions on this continent.” Fragmented pots showing naval battle scenes Rock stars of the early Republic: Culture of heroism on the high seas American naval victories in the War of 1812 are most commonly associated with the six super frigates such as the USS Constitution and USS United States that represented the highest level of naval technology available at the time. But American triumphs occurred with smaller ships as well. Portraits of naval heroes surrounded by ropes, flags and battle scenes The Petitions of Dr. Harriot K. Hunt Read a selection of Dr. Harriot K. Hunt's petitions to the Boston's Tax Assessors' office. In these letters, Hunt commented on the injustice women faced for being taxed without having political representation and petitioned the government to address this injustice. First page of Harriot K. Hunt's 1853 petition Helen Lee Franklin Follow Helen Lee Franklin's journey from passionate learner and teacher to community organizer and activist. Signatures of women on a letter with Helen B. Franklin's signature highlighted. Theodore L. Bailey Explore Theodore Bailey's Great Migration journey from Virginia to Boston, MA. Noank Shipyard, CT, Places of Lucy Stone Lucy Stone is perhaps best known for her talents as a public speaker. Her speech at the 1852 Syracuse convention is credited as the final push that motivated Susan B. Anthony to join the women’s rights movement. Stone discovered her gift for public speaking while at Oberlin College. Lucy Stone, portrait. From the Library of Congress. Tiberius E. Julius Learn about Tiberius E. Julius's Great Migration story, the known and the unknown. Photo Credit: The Mariners' Museum Park. Liberty Launching Day at Newport News Shipbuilding, Virginia. Samuel Ashbow - A Forgotten Casualty of Bunker Hill Samuel Ashbow enlisted in the American cause on May 10, 1775 in response to the fighting at Lexington and Concord. But Samuel was not a prototypical colonist. Rather, he was a Mohegan from Connecticut who joined the war to assist his neighbors in a crisis and gave his life to that cause. Fields of Deception - The Bunker Hill Battlefield When British regulars attacked Provincial soldiers on June 17, 1775 during the Battle of Bunker Hill, they did not execute their attacks as planned. Poor intelligence regarding the Charlestown Peninsula was one reason why the British attacks almost failed. Make Your Own Monument Make your own Monument! The Bunker Hill Monument is 221 feet tall. Get out your scissors, glue, and favorite coloring medium and make your own 221 millimeter obelisk! Photograph looking up at an obelisk against blue sky. Bronze statue with sword drawn in foreground. Intrusted to a Letter Harry Dana procured a unique assortment of letters from the American Revolution, largely related to George Washington’s time in his Cambridge headquarters. Now collections of Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site. these letters provide insight into what people chose to “intrust to a Letter." signature block of letter Prescott Townsend Early gay activist Prescott Townsend began his life in the 19th century and lived long enough to march in the first-ever Pride parade. Explore his life story and learn how he challenged and changed Boston society by being unapologetically himself. Prescott Townsend sitting in a chair. Archeology ABCs Coloring Book Archeology paints a colorful picture of the past! Download and print this full coloring book packed with archeological objects from A to Z! Title page for coloring book entitled Archeology ABCs Coloring Book Boston Women Register to Vote In the months leading up to the 1920 election, Boston women answered the call to register to vote. No matter their age, identity, or station in life, many Boston women saw the importance of fulfilling their civic duty to ensure their political voice would be heard. Open page of a volume of the Boston Register of Women Voters "Women Take the Ballot Seriously": Boston Women in the 1920 Election After the ratification of the 19th Amendment, Boston women showed they would join the voting population as conscientious and informed participants. These women responded to their new status as full voting citizens by educating themselves, registering to vote, and voting in their first federal election on November 2, 1920. Women looking at voting instructions hung on a wall outside a polling location. "A Home Away from Home": The Women's Service Club of Boston The humanitarian efforts of the Women’s Service Club have uplifted Boston for over a century. Piloted by generations of Black women, the Club’s activism paralleled broader efforts to eliminate second-class citizenship in American society. Women's Service Club of Boston building Italian Americans at Faneuil Hall As the Italian population of Boston grew in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, this immigrant group integrated itself into the established Boston community by meeting at Boston’s traditional meeting place: Faneuil Hall. Boston Mayor Menino speaking to a packed crowd in Faneuil Hall in 2010 Charles Sumner and Romantic Friendships Learn about Charles Sumner and his romantic friendships with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Samuel Gridley Howe. Portrait of a young Charles Sumner Britain Begins Taxing the Colonies: The Sugar & Stamp Acts In May 1763, colonial Britons celebrated their country’s victory over France in the Seven Year War. One year later, they attacked British plans to tax them to pay for their own defense. Was this a reasonable and legitimate exercise of British authority, or was it tyranny? Red ink proof of the Stamp Act of 1865 Anger and Opposition to the Stamp Act When news of the Stamp Act reached Bostonians in spring of 1765, they opposed the new tax on paper documents. Reacting through the written word and physical violence, Bostonians played a significant role in the repeal of the Stamp Act before it came in effect. Bostonians reading the stamp act in the street National Park Service Commemoration of the 19th Amendment In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment the National Park Service has developed a number of special programs. This includes online content, exhibits, and special events. The National Park Service’s Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems (CRGIS) announces the release of a story map that highlights some of these programs and provides information for the public to locate and participate. Opening slide of the 19th Amendment NPS Commemoration Story Map William Molineux: Boston’s Forgotten Firebrand In Granary Burying Ground along Boston’s Freedom Trail, visitors can spot the grave of William Molineux. Molineux, who passed away in 1774, was a crowd action leader and member of the Sons of Liberty. He commanded and controlled Boston mobs against Parliamentary taxation and representatives of the Crown in the decade leading up to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. gray stone square gravestone with a bolt in each corner. Fifty Years Later: Remembering John Brown at Faneuil Hall Fifty Years after Brown's execution, people came to Faneuil Hall to remember the actions of the controversial abolitionist. As time passed - people still found themselves inspired by Brown to make changes in the world they lived in. Text reads Anti-Suffrage in Massachusetts A significant number of women (and men) vehemently believed women’s suffrage would be detrimental to women, their families, and society as a whole. Massachusetts in particular served as the home to one of the largest and longest-running anti-suffrage movements in the country. Learn about the decades-long counter-movement to the women's suffrage movement. Anti-suffrage pin Faneuil Hall, the Underground Railroad, and the Boston Vigilance Committees Long cherished as the “Cradle of Liberty,” Faneuil Hall played an integral role in Boston’s Underground Railroad network. Boston abolitionists used the Hall as a gathering place for meetings, during which they protested against Fugitive Slave Laws and formed Vigilance Committees to assist freedom seekers. Engraving of Faneuil Hall from the 1830s Yeomen (F) Register to Vote Yeomen (F) (F for female) were the first women to enlist in the United States military. Though women were barred from joining the regular Navy, the Naval Reserve force provided an avenue for their participation as “yeomen”—the naval term for clerks. Black and white news clipping of a smiling older white woman donning a military cap. Gay and Lesbian Town Meeting Boston's LGBTQ+ community took inspiration from the American Revolution when they held their own town meetings in Faneuil Hall. Their revolutionary spirit and tenacity changed the cultural landscape of the 20th century and beyond. Speaker addressing a crowd at Faneuil Hall. The American Anti-Imperialist League at Faneuil Hall At the turn of the 20th Century, the American Anti-Imperialist League mobilized to protest against what they believed to be the beginnings of an American Empire. Despite originating in Boston and spreading across the country, the League ultimately failed in its objectives. Political cartoon of anti-imperialists in quick-sand outside the capitol. Discrimination and African American Women at Charlestown Navy Yard After the passage of the 19th Amendment, the fight for women’s rights continued in the workplace. Although women in general began making strides in the workplace during World War II, African American women faced various barriers due to their race and gender. At the Charlestown Navy Yard, two African American women, Mabel Kahn and Helen Franklin, sought to bring attention to discrimination at the Navy Yard and called for action. List of signatures from a letter that includes Helen B. Franklin. The Bunker Hill Monument Fair of September 1840 In the early 19th century, the Bunker Hill Monument Association struggled to obtain the funds needed to construct a monument worthy of the battle it was meant to commemorate. New England women, including Sarah Josepha Hale, utilized their social networks to organize a Bunker Hill Monument Fair in September 1840, raising the funds needed to make the monument a reality. Bunker Hill Whig Convention, 1840 The Day of Jubilee: Celebrating the 15th Amendment in Boston On April 14, 1870 thousands gathered in Boston to celebrate the ratification of the 15th Amendment, which granted African American men the right to vote. Commemorative print celebrating the ratification of the 15th Amendment Frederick Douglass: A “Radical Woman Suffrage Man” This article looks at Frederick Douglass' "I am a Radical Woman Suffrage Man" Address given at the 20th annual New England Woman Suffrage Society Meeting held at Tremont Temple in Boston in 1888. A white-haired aging Frederick Douglass. New England Woman's Tea Party In 1873, Lucy Stone spoke in front of a crow of 3,000 individuals at Faneuil Hall. Her words would energize the women's rights movement not only in Boston, but throughout the United States. An admission ticket for the Woman's Tea Party, December 15, 1873. "Shall We Have a Convention...?" On July 29, 1895, the First National Conference for Colored Women of America drew delegates from African American women’s clubs across the country to Boston. Presided over by Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin, the conference provided Black clubwomen the opportunity to discuss issues relating to race and gender, resulting in the creation of a new national organization. Print of the program of the 1895 First National Conference of Colored Women of America On the March to Fort Wagner A sergeant in the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, Robert John Simmons wrote a letter while marching towards Fort Wagner. Learn about his service with the 54th as well as the family he left behind. Robert John Simmons Pension Request form Fire from the Sky: USS Cassin Young and the Okinawa Campaign After hopping from island to island in the Pacific, slowly nearing the main islands of Japan, Allied forces began their attack on the island of Okinawa in the April of 1945. Instead of protecting the larger ships from attack, however, destroyers like Cassin Young became the primary targets while floating off the island as picket ships. Fending off kamikaze after kamikaze, Cassin Young would be hit two times, and 23 men gave their lives aboard her. Black and white photograph of a warship in the ocean. View is of the port broadside of the ship. "Make the World Better": The Woman's Era Club of Boston Members of the Woman's Era Club, a Boston-based African American women's club, lived the club's motto to "make the world better" by devoting their lives to numerous causes. Members advocated for women's suffrage and education for African American women, aided the less fortunate and oppressed, and fought racism and discrimination against African Americans. Front page of the Woman's Era Journal with picture of Lucy Stone. Safe Harbor: The Maritime Underground Railroad in Boston During the years preceding the American Civil War, Boston served as one of the most important stops on the Underground Railroad. Many of the freedom seekers escaping slavery came to Boston by stowing away on ships from southern ports. Painting of ships in Boston Harbor with the sun rising. From the Great Migration to Boston's Charlestown Navy Yard Learn about the Great Migration's connections to Boston and the Charlestown Navy Yard. The USS Hambleton in Dry Dock 1 at the Charlestown Navy Yard. Boston's First Woman's Rights Convention As men and women gathered for the first Woman's Rights Convention in Boston in 1854, they also witnessed one of the largest anti-slavery protests in United States's history...the rendition of Anthony Burns. The Rendition of Anthony Burns Women's Suffrage at Faneuil Hall Perhaps no other building in Boston served a more symbolic role in the Boston suffrage movement than Faneuil Hall--'The Cradle of Liberty.' In arguing for women's suffrage, men and women suffragists echoed similar calls for liberty and equality as their forefathers had during the American Revolution. sketch of a three story building lined with windows. A tower rises from the center of the roof. Series: “The Luxuriant Shoots of Our Tree of Liberty:” American Maritime Experience in the War of 1812 Thomas Jefferson was never more wrong. In late June 1812 he wrote to his friend Thaddeus Kosciuszko that no war had been "entered into under more favorable auspices" and that "[o]ur present enemy will have the seas to herself, while we shall be equally predominant at land, and shall strip her of all her possessions on this continent." The American army quickly experienced a series of horrendous reverses, while the navy gained triumph after triumph. Portraits honoring naval heroes of the War of 1812 Series: Remembering John Brown John Brown's raid at Harpers Ferry was perceived by everyone in different ways. Some people looked at John Brown as a hero or Christ-like martyr willing to risk and sacrifice everything in order to end slavery. Others looked at Brown as a lunatic, a violent terrorist, or someone who took the fight for abolition too far. In this series, National Park Service staff from across the country examine ways Americans processed and remembered Brown's actions throughout history. John Brown stands by a table pointing to a piece of paper titled "Liberty and Freedom for All." Series: Creative Teaching with Historic Places: Selections from CRM Vol 23 no 8 (2000) These articles are a selection from a special issue of CRM Journal, "Creative Teaching with Historic Places" published in 2000. They provide examples of teaching using historic places both in and out of the classroom, helping students connect with history using the power of place, as well as how to prepare lessons making those connections. Teaching with Historic Places is a program of the National Park Service. Cover of CRM Journal "Creative Teaching with Historic Places" Signal Flags Activity Before radio, signal flags helped mariners communicate between ships and to the shore. To this day there is still an international code of signal flags and pennants. Test your maritime skills in deciphering and sending signal flag codes! Four rows of different colored signal flags and pennants Building the Bunker Hill Monument In the decades following the Battle of Bunker Hill, Americans created a shared story of this significant moment in the founding of the United States. When the land of the original battlefield came up for sale in the 1820s, Bostonians decided to build a permanent addition to the Boston landscape that commemorated this event. The building of the Bunker Hill Monument took decades of work and cost thousands of dollars. White obelisk with patch of grass in the foreground. Partly cloud sky. The Atlantic Empire of Peter Faneuil Peter Faneuil connected Boston to every corner of the Atlantic by trading with any business that could draw a profit. Explore this map that shows Faneuil’s immense trading empire of sugar, salt cod, manufactured goods, grain, and enslaved people. Atlantic ocean map with regions and locations on the coast marked The Complicated Legacy of Peter Faneuil Learn about Peter Faneuil's complicated legacy and how he grew his family’s financial empire by trading anything that could net him a profit. Handwritten letter on parchment from the 1730s. Women's Suffrage at the Massachusetts State House As one of the most esteemed suffrage battlegrounds in the Commonwealth, the Massachusetts State House served as the home to numerous speeches and hearings on women's suffrage. Suffragists and anti-suffragists petitioned, argued, and voted on suffrage throughout the decades-long fight for the vote. view of the front of the massachusetts state house. Evacuation Day 2021 For Evacuation Day, March 17, 2021, we were very fortunate this year to be able to create and present a video for the people of South Boston and their love for Dorchester Heights. Watch the video and the statements of public officials who helped commemorate Evacuation Day at Dorchester Heights this year. A Tale of Two Cannons Two bronze cannons named “The Adams” and “The Hancock” once stood in the chamber at the top of the Bunker Hill Monument. Learn about their journeys from active cannons during the Revolutionary War to artifacts visited by thousands today. Two cannons hanging parallel to windows inside the top of the Bunker Hill Monument Slavery and Law in 17th Century Massachusetts Slavery in Massachusetts began shortly after the Pequot War of 1637. Boston in particular benefited from the Atlantic trading empire. Learn more about Boston's and Massachusetts's 17th century connections to slavery. text of a 1773 petition Piecing together the Atlantic Empire of Peter Faneuil During the 1720s and 1730s, Peter Faneuil, a prominent Boston merchant of French Huguenot descent, helped grow transatlantic trade in Boston. His surviving business records, such as a day book and invoice book, illustrate his standing in this mercantile class by recording the wide range of items he dealt and the comprehensive control he possessed within specific trade networks. Yellowed paper of an invoice showing items traded in a cursive script. Roster of New Hampshire Soldiers in the Battle of Bunker’s Hill Compiled roster of men who served in New Hampshire units during the Battle of Bunker Hill. Historic map showing the Charlestown peninsula and the areas related to the Battle of Bunker Hill Ships Built by the Charlestown Navy Yard Tables of all warships, auxiliaries, and service craft built by the Charlestown Navy Yard, including several vessels built elsewhere but completed by the Navy Yard, as well as a table of foreign names of vessels after transfer. Hull of a ship launching into a harbor as crowds watch on piers and boats An Early History of Boston's Chinatown Chinese immigrants began to settle in Boston in the late-19th century, experiencing many challenges relating to hostility and exclusion. Through perseverance, Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans established a community in Boston that provided services and a sense of home. two young chinese american girl drum majors marching Series: Curiosity Kit: Lucy Stone Curiosity Kits inspire exploration and learning of history through place. These multi-piece resources include articles that explore historic places and provide educational activities for life-long learners. This kit focuses on the life and work of Lucy Stone, a noted suffragist. You’ll also find activities and discussion questions for learners of all ages. Lucy Stone World War I Yeomen (F) at the Charlestown Navy Yard Explore the names of the women who enlisted as Yeomen (F) at the Charlestown Navy Yard. Group of Women in Naval uniforms in the early 1900s The Battle of Bunker Hill On June 17, 1775, New England soldiers clashed with the British army for the first time in a pitched battle. Through this video series and article, learn about this "Decisive Day" and the bloody fighting that took place throughout the hilly landscape of Charlestown, across the Charles River from Boston. Painting of British soldiers in red coats marching up a steep hill in battle. “Down but Not Out: USS RALPH TALBOT at Savo Island” On a humid Pacific night off Guadalcanal, a Boston-built destroyer and its crew struggled through one of the U.S Navy's worst defeats, during World War II. Learn about the construction of the USS RALPH TALBOT and this fateful battle. Black and white photograph of the USS Ralph Talbot, a World War II destroyer. Charlestown Navy Yard - A Brief History Explore the long history of the Charlestown Navy Yard. Black and white sketch of the Charlestown Navy Yard in 1851. Samuel Adams: Boston's Radical Revolutionary Radical? Virtuous Puritan? Demagogue? Perhaps all of these. Whatever one may think of Samuel Adams, it must be conceded that he stood as, above all else, an ardent patriot. white man wearing gray wig and red coat pointing to a book before him 5 Things You Should Know About the Battle of Bunker Hill Through this video series, explore 5 things you should know about the 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill and the people who fought in this battle. Ranger standing by a granite marker with a picture to the right of the Ranger. Cuming Sisters: "She-Merchants" of Boston Businesswomen and sisters Ame and Elizabeth Cuming imported fashionable wares from London during the late 1760s, a time when women made up less than ten percent of shopkeepers in Boston. They soon found themselves caught in the volatile politics of consumption as tension between the colonies and British Parliament increased. Newspaper article featuring the names of Ame and Elizabeth Cummings in bolded font Francis Lord Rawdon: Bunker Hill Profile As a young officer, British Lieutenant Francis Lord Rawdon survived his first military engagement at the Battle of Bunker Hill. While he originally detested the colonists and considered them unworthy opponents, primary sources suggest that the Battle of Bunker Hill transformed Rawdon’s dismissal into begrudging admiration. Portrait of Francis Lord Rawdon in a red military coat. Smallpox, Inoculation, and the Revolutionary War Smallpox epidemics ran rampant throughout the colonies during the 1700s. To prevent the spread of the disease, doctors in Boston advocated in favor of inoculation. While they faced opposition, fear of smallpox soon resulted in acceptance of inoculations. George Washington eventually mandated inoculations within the Continental Army in order to prevent further deaths of soldiers. This decision may have helped the colonists win the American Revolutionary War. An engraving of Rev. Cotton Mather inoculating Bostonians during the 1721 smallpox epidemic. Directing Tories in Their Road: Ensign DeBerniere's Missions to Worcester and Concord In the late winter of 1775, General Thomas Gage sent two British officers, Captain William Brown and Ensign Henry DeBerniere, and Brown's servant named John, an a secret reconnaissance mission to sketch the countryside and map the roads in preparation for a possible expedition in the spring to seize Colonial arms and supplies. The narrative, written by Henry DeBerniere, published in Boston in 1779, provides an interesting view of the mood of the people on the brink of war. An old yellowed map showing a rough sketch of roads and towns in eastern Massachusetts in 1775 Bunker Hill Monument Grounds Repair and Restoration, 2021 & 2023 The National Park Service is making improvements to the Bunker Hill Monument grounds, repairing the granite stairs, historic fence, and restoring the electrical system in the Bunker Hill Lodge. Funded through the agency's Cyclic Maintenance program, this $1.2 Million investment will ensure that the historic landscape will be restored and safe for visitors and residents to enjoy. Photograph looking up at a stairway leading to the Bunker Hill Monument Grounds Charlestown Navy Yard: Commandant's House Set upon the highest point in the Charlestown Navy Yard, the Commandant's House stands apart from the cranes, shipways, railways, and industrial buildings that define much of the Navy Yard's landscape. It sits at the center of a small neighborhood of sorts, a small community of US Navy and Marine personnel that not only worked, but also lived, in the Navy Yard. black and white photograph of a 3 story brick building with a white 2-level porch. Charlestown Navy Yard: Gate 1 Gate 1, originally a simple wooden sentry box and a picket fence, was one of the earliest guarded entries to the yard and it served as the main entry for visitors. As such, Gate 1 held a symbolic as well as a practical purpose. Facing the public, Gate 1 was often the first place that someone coming into the yard experienced. Black and white photograph of guard booths in a roadway, a car exits past the booths. Charlestown Navy Yard: Railroad Tracks By the 1850s, the Navy began looking at constructing rail lines in some of its navy yards. When it first laid tracks down at the Charlestown Navy Yard in the 1860s, it relied on animal-drawn railcars. These trains proved useful in moving bulk materials like coal around the yard, which was increasingly in demand to fuel metal forges and steam engines in workshops. Black and white photograph of flat cars with timber piled on them. Charlestown Navy Yard: Portal Crane Portal cranes played a pivotal role in the building and repairing of ships at the Charlestown Navy Yard starting from their introduction in the 1940s until the Yard’s closure in 1974. The combination of its open portal, revolving top, and ability to move made the portal crane remarkably flexible and well-suited to its work at the Navy Yard. Black and white photograph of two portal cranes. Charlestown Navy Yard: Dry Dock 1 Dry Dock 1 has remained one of the few operational assets in the Charlestown Navy Yard. Opened in 1833, the US Navy has used Dry Dock 1 to restore and repair ships from its fleet. More recently, Dry Dock 1 has played a critical role in maintaining both USS CONSTITUTION and USS CASSIN YOUNG (DD-793). dry dock that is partially filled with water. Holds USS CONSTITUTION. Charlestown Navy Yard: Building 10 Some of the structures at the Charlestown Navy Yard were carefully designed for highly specialized purposes. Buildings such as the ropewalk, for example, even outwardly reflected their purpose through their shape. Building 10, on the other hand, represents a different type of structure at the Navy Yard: one built to fill multiple, evolving roles as the needs of the US Navy constantly changed. Black and white photograph of a brick building with signs "10" and "Navy Yard Welfare Laundry" Charlestown Navy Yard: Ropewalk Opened in 1838, the Navy Yard Ropewalk allowed workers to produce rope up to a quarter mile in length. This Ropewalk became the Navy’s biggest ropemaking facility. Although the Navy relied on private companies for the majority of its rope needs, the government factory could and would ramp up production quickly using government stores of rope-making fiber. Black and white photograph of the two-story section in the middle of a one-story building. Charlestown Navy Yard: Chain Forge Completed in 1904, the Chain Forge (Building 105) was designed to keep pace with the radically increasing size and number of Navy ships during the 1900s. This building helped Charlestown Navy Yard keep its title as the primary manufacturer of anchors and anchor chain for the US Navy. massive chains being made through a pulley system Unfinished: America at 250 Unfinished: America at 250 is a partnership of historical and cultural institutions, National Park Service sites, historians, and changemakers. This partnership harnesses the stories of the past and activates historic spaces to provoke community conversations about the ongoing American Revolution. Unfinished: America at 250 graphic with people along the bottom Ropemaking at the Charlestown Navy Yard Learn the process of ropemaking at the Charlestown Navy Yard. Five workers are spinning yarn from a machine. The Robert Gould Shaw Memorial The individuality of the figures in the Shaw Memorial is one of the monument's most striking and affecting characteristics. This version is on display at the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site near Cornish, New Hampshire. Photo of Memorial, with Shaw on horseback accompanying his 54th Massachusetts Infantry Diane Harris Dayson Diane Harris was initially reluctant to pursue a Park Service career. However, she soon found that national parks were "in her blood". Her 26-year career saw her rise from clerk to superintendent at one of our most iconic national monuments. Diane Dayson wearing the NPS uniform with badge and ranger flat hat. Picturing a Revolution: Printmaking in the American Colonies As British Parliament tightened it's grip on the colonies, colonists wanted to share ideas, express their discontent, and encourage solidarity against British policies. They did so through the creation and distribution of images. Print of British soldiers marching along a dirt road in the middle of pastures with 3 fires blazing. Charlestown Navy Yard: Marine Barracks The Marine Barracks in the Charlestown Navy Yard—Building I—is the second oldest building in the Yard and the oldest US Marine Corps structure in the United States. For 163 years, the Marine Barracks served as the home of the "Leathernecks" who guarded this Navy Yard, served on ships entering and departing the Yard, and responded to deployment orders to locations near and far as America's premier "Force in Readiness." Marines in dress uniform marching on a parade ground and holding bayonets. Dorothea L. Powell Dorothea L. Powell joined the National Park Service (NPS) in 1974 as the first Black woman in the North Atlantic Regional Office. By 1981 she was the first site manager for Boston African American National Historic Site, a park with a personal family connection. Dorothea Powell in a light-colored dress, looking down and to the side. Luther Jotham: A Journey for Country and Community Born a free man of color, Luther Jotham trained as a Minute Man in Bridgewater, Massachusetts before serving in the Revolutionary War in Roxbury, Dorchester Heights, New York, and Rhode Island. Scan of historical pension record. Siege of Boston Map Explore this map highlighting the sites of the Siege of Boston. Revolutionary War era map cropped to show Charlestown, Boston, and Dorchester Heights. Evacuation Day 2022 Join the National Parks of Boston and South Boston Citizens’ Association for the annual commemoration of Evacuation Day and an announcement of a substantial multimillion-dollar federal investment to restore Dorchester Heights Monument as a local and national landmark. Dorchester Heights Monument in Boston National Historical Park to be Restored through GAOA Funding Boston National Historical Park is planning a multimillion-dollar restoration of the Dorchester Heights Monument atop Telegraph Hill in South Boston with funding from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). This project will restore the 115-foot-tall marble commemorative tower constructed in 1901-1902. It will also replace all hardscapes within the surrounding 5.43-acre grounds around the tower, known as Thomas Park. Aerial view of Dorchester Heights and Thomas Park. Dorchester Heights Monument Restoration Project Since the actions of the Continental Army here in March 1776, Dorchester Heights has remained a landmark in our nation’s revolutionary landscape. Today, National Parks of Boston stewards Dorchester Heights Monument and looks forward to the next chapter of the Monument’s role in its local community and in helping us reflect on our nation’s founding. This next chapter includes a multimillion-dollar restoration project with funding from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). Dorchester Heights Monument with sidewalk leading up to it with grass on either side. USS CUMBERLAND The USS CUMBERLAND was the first steel ship built in the Charlestown Navy Yard for the US Navy. It served as a training ship so that new sailors learned how to sail a ship without steam. USS CUMBERLAND, a three-mast steel ship, sitting in port. Bunker Hill Lodge Restoration 2021 - 2022 Learn about the ongoing restoration work in the Bunker Hill Lodge. Ranger giving a talk to visitors outside the Bunker Hill Lodge. Seeking Fortune: The Revolutionary Path(s) of Fortune Freeman and Fortune Conant Fortune Freeman, a Revolutionary War veteran, filed for a pension and said he served for six years. His name does not appear in muster rolls for the company he claims to have served in, but the name "Fortune Conant" does. Here we share two stories presented as part of a possible whole: one for a man named Fortune Conant and another for Fortune Freeman. a scan of a discharge paper Victory at Last? Parades and Pink Slips To recognize the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, three New England parks hosted the symposium “Victory at Last? Parades and Pink Slips.” Primus Hall: A Revolutionary Life of Service Born to enslaved parents in Boston, Primus Hall grew up as a shoemaker's apprentice in Danvers, Massachusetts before enlisting in the Continental Army. After the war, he settled in Boston, started a soapboiling business, and became a well respected leader on Black Beacon Hill. Scan of historical document Ship Ceremonies in the Charlestown Navy Yard Learn about ship launchings and ship commissionings at the Charlestown Navy Yard. The Commandant of the Yard presided over these ceremonies, often accompanied by other Navy personnel, special guests, shipyard workers and the public. A ceremony with the audience in rows of chairs and flanked by sailors and marines at attention. Charlestown Navy Yard Reactivation The National Park Service, in partnership with the U.S. Navy and the USS Constitution Museum, has developed a master development strategy for the Charlestown Navy Yard intended to improve the visitor experience and address deferred maintenance of buildings and facilities within the yard. Sketch of vision for the new entrance to the Navy Yard through Gate 1. USS INDEPENDENCE The first ship built in the Charlestown Navy Yard, USS INDEPENDENCE was also the United States Navy’s first ship-of-the-line, the largest class of ships during this period. It served for nearly 100 years, first as a ship-of-the-line and later as a frigate. Plan of USS INDEPENDENCE, with three masts. USS NARRAGANSETT Constructed at the Charlestown Navy Yard, USS NARRAGANSETT served during the Civil War defending the Pacific against Confederate raiders. In the aftermath of the war, this ship gained the reputation of being a ship of exploration. Black and white image of a three-masted ship, the USS NARRAGANSETT. Charlestown Navy Yard: Then & Now Explore the evolution of the Charlestown Navy Yard through these then and now photo comparisons. Historical photograph of the Commandant's House in the early 1900s. American Elm Learn about phenology, or the changing of seasons, through monitoring American Elms at the Charlestown Navy Yard. bright green serrated leaves Black Walnut Trees Learn about the Black Walnut. long green ridged leaves coming out of branches Pin Oak Learn about phenology, or the changing of seasons, through monitoring Pin Oaks at the Charlestown Navy Yard. green pointed, lobed leaves Eastern Red Cedar Learn about phenology, or the changing of seasons, through monitoring Eastern Red Cedar at the Charlestown Navy Yard. scaly evergreen leaves of the Eastern Red Cedar American Basswood Learn about phenology, or the changing of seasons, through monitoring American Basswoods at the Charlestown Navy Yard. heart shaped dark green leaves with bunches of light green fruits. Horse Chestnut Learn about phenology, or the changing of seasons, through monitoring Horse Chestnut Trees at the Charlestown Navy Yard. green paddle-shaped leaves meeting at a central point. Tuliptree or Tulip Poplar Learn about phenology, or the changing of seasons, through monitoring Tuliptrees at the Charlestown Navy Yard. large broad leaves with pointed lobes and a v-shaped notch at the top Red Maple Learn about the Red Maple. tri-pointed green leaves with slightly serated edges Tree Phenology at the Charlestown Navy Yard Learn about phenology, or the changing of seasons, through monitoring Horse Chestnut trees at the Charlestown Navy Yard. green paddle-shaped leaves growing from a central point. The Fugitive Slave Laws and Boston The Fugitive Slave law of 1850 provided far more tools to enslavers to recapture freedom seekers with the full backing and support of the federal government. In Boston, the enforcement of the 1850 law galvanized the local community, spurred an increase in Underground Railroad activity, and led to open confrontations between anti-slavery activists and enslavers, their agents, the federal government, and other authorities. An engraving of a Black man being captured and bound by White men. Allan Rohan Crite: The Artist in the Shipyard Allan Rohan Crite was an extraordinary employee at the Charlestown Navy Yard during World War II and the post-war years. Crite worked as an Engineering Draftsman and Technical Illustrator in ship design for over thirty years, and at the same time he pursued his passions for art and for religion. Illustrator and Arist Allan Crite sitting at his Navy Yard Desk with pen to paper. Operation POW Over Memorial Day weekend in 1971, more than two hundred Vietnam veterans took part of a three day anti-war protest. Organized by the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, this protest began in Concord and Lexington, home to many Revolutionary War era historic sites, and ended on the Boston Common on Memorial Day, following the overnight at Bunker Hill. group of protestors sitting in front of the Bunker Hill Monument. Credit: AP "The Liberator" First published on January 1, 1831, 'The Liberator' quickly became the preeminent abolitionist newspaper in the United States. Edited by the fiery activist William Lloyd Garrison, this weekly Boston-based periodical served as a major platform to attack slavery and its supporters, inspire action, and promote equal rights for all. The Masthead of the Liberator, depicting a slave auction. The Bunker Hill Monument Association: Expressing Gratitude and Patriotism The Bunker Hill Monument Association formed to preserve the battlefield where soldiers fought during the Battle of Bunker Hill, as well as build a monument commemorating this battle, one of the first battles of the American Revolution. Membership Certificate for the Bunker Hill Monument Association. "The Woman's Journal" First published in 1870, The Woman’s Journal served as the voice of the US women’s suffrage movement for almost 50 years. It covered suffrage work as well as highlighted other news and achievements by women. This "Suffrage Bible" spread its message across the United States and the world, reaching a readership no other suffrage nor women’s rights publication could match at the time. two women in fur coats and hats selling copies of "The Woman's Journal" "Our Bunker Hill of Tomorrow..." On May 27, 1941, people across the United States tuned in to one of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s "Fireside Chats.” In this address, President Roosevelt warned that the war abroad posed a threat to the country’s ideals, the same ideals colonists fought for during the United States’ War for Independence. His reference to the Battle of Bunker Hill, sparked a young African American boy to travel to Boston to visit the monument built to commemorate the battle. Newspaper clipping of a Black teenager in front of the Bunker Hill Monument with 2 police officers. King Solomon's Lodge The ninth oldest Masonic Lodge in Massachusetts, King Solomon's Lodge (KSL) helped establish the practice of Freemasonry in New England. Founded after the American Revolution, KSL has ties to some of this country's founding fathers and celebrated patriots. A monument with a large square base, a column, and an urn on top. Irish Claims to the Revolution The mid and late 1800s saw major increases in Irish immigration to Boston. As the Boston Irish community fought for a place in the United States, many staked a claim to the city’s, and country’s, founding history. This conflict over memory and ownership of history coincided with the centennial of the American Revolution in the 1870s. As a result, commemorations around the centennial, including that of the Battle of Bunker Hill, became significant to these groups. My Park Story: Memories Beyond Measure As part of the NPS "Your Park Story / My Park Story" initiative in 2023, Director Sams shares his own park story. a young US Navy sailor stands at the rail of a ship overlooking a row of naval aircraft Bunker Hill Lodge The Bunker Hill Lodge, the Greek Temple inspired building next to the Bunker Hill Monument, provides a gateway to the Monument. While it took many years to raise funds to build this structure, the Lodge serves as a place to remember the Battle of Bunker Hill as well as a welcoming space to those seeking to climb the Monument. View up the facade of the Bunker Hill Lodge with the blue sky and Monument in the background. Mystery of the Lost "Battle of Bunker Hill Cyclorama" "The Battle of Bunker Hill Cyclorama" remains the most ambitious and monumental work of art dedicated to the events of June 17, 1775. It went on display in Boston in early 1888, yet today it is now mysteriously lost. Print of the building for the Cyclorama of the Battle of Bunker Hill by L Kowalsky. Bunker Hill Monument Pyramidion Restoration, 2023 Restoration work of the Bunker Hill Monument's pyramidion will replace the mortar on the pyramidion roof and on the upper levels of the Monument. This work will help protect the Monument from the elements and further damage. The top third of the Bunker Hill Monument peaking out from behind trees. USS BRAZOS Workers at the Charlestown Navy Yard constructed fuel ships, like USS BRAZOS, in the years between the World Wars. Long Fuel Ship from the World War IIs. The bow is taller than the rest of the ship. BLACK in the cradle of liberty BLACK in the cradle of liberty is a declaration featuring: DJ WhySham, Nnenna Loveth, Ryan-Rei Fielder, Crystal Valentine, Tim Hall, Ifé Franklin, Danny Rivera, Porsha Olayiwola, Anastasia Wade, Cakeswagg, Javonna Corbin, and Kenard Williams. The performance explores agency, voice, and the power of place. Group of people in a dancing processional in Faneuil Hall My Park Story: Henry Curletti Meet Law Enforcement Park Ranger, Henry Curletti. A Law Enforcement Park Ranger with a cannon behind him. Boston Tea Party Timeline The destruction of East India Company tea on December 16, 1773 by a Boston mob was a catalyst that brought about dramatic escalation in the political crisis between Great Britain and the North American colonies, particularly Massachusetts Bay. Follow the Boston Tea Party in this timeline of events. A crowd of people gather on a wharf to cheer men dumping chest of tea from a ship in Boston Harbor. Bunker Hill: Ongoing Legacies Bunker Hill Ongoing Legacies Bunker Hill: Construction of the Monument Construction of the Monument Bunker Hill: Living Memories Bunker Hill Living Memories Bunker Hill: Changing Memories Changing Memories Boston Tea Party at 250 On December 17, 2023, join the National Parks of Boston at the Great Hall in Faneuil Hall for compelling reenactments of two historic meetings to commemorate the landmark 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. child signing a document with a quill pen. The National Parks of Boston hosts its first Climate Conservation Corps The National Parks of Boston (NPB), partnered with Conservation Legacy and AmeriCorps, welcome the Climate Conservation Corps (CCC), a group of young adults working to address climate change through science, adaptation, mitigation, and communication. The team is gaining real-world experience relevant to conservation, while furthering the park's mission and commitment to climate resiliency. Group of five corps members standing and smiling with the Boston skyline in the distance. Climate Haikus In October 2023, the Climate Conservation Corps (CCC) joined the National Day of Writing Pop-Up event hosted by the National Parks of Boston. The CCC invited participants to express despairing feelings related to the impacts of climate change or optimism for future resiliency. A brown poster with a sun and paper cut outs of apples and leaves with writing on it. USS O'BRIEN Constructed at the Boston Navy Yard, USS O'BRIEN served in the Pacific Theater during World War II. USS O'BRIEN, a destroyer, after it's construction. Faneuil Hall, "The Cradle of Liberty" Gifted to the town by the merchant Peter Faneuil in 1742, Faneuil Hall originally served a dual purpose as a marketplace as well as the center of town government. In the decades and centuries that followed, Bostonians continued to gather here to assert their rights and to work for a better future. person at podium in a large 2-story meeting hall. He speaks to a full crowd of people Food Truck Leasing Charlestown Navy Yard Learn more about leasing space to operate your Food Truck at the Charlestown Navy Yard. Gate 1 entrance to the Charlestown Navy Yard with people walking through it. Boston Massacre On March 5, 1770, seven British soldiers fired into a crowd of volatile Bostonians killing five, wounding another six, and angering an entire colony. The event, known as the Boston Massacre, did not happen in an isolated vacuum, but it occurred as a result of growing tensions between Boston colonists and English Parliament. Engraving of the Boston Massacre with a group of British soldiers firing into a crowd. "Webster Replying to Hayne" On January 26, 1830, hundreds gathered in the Old Senate Chamber in Washington DC. They waited for Daniel Webster, Senator from Massachusetts, to take the floor for a much-anticipated rebuttal to Senator Robert Hayne of South Carolina. In what became known simply as his “Second Reply to Hayne,” Webster delivered a stirring address. Painting of Daneil Webster giving a speech in the Old Senate Chamber Energy Efficiency Assessments at the Charlestown Navy Yard Learn about the National Parks of Boston Climate Conservation Corps' work to improve energy efficiency at the Charlestown Navy Yard. Three Corps members taking notes and data within an old historic building full of windows. Adapting to Changing Climate: A Resilient Plant Palette for the Charlestown Navy Yard The National Parks of Boston Climate Conservation Corps (NPB CCC) is developing the Climate Resilient Plant Palette for the Charlestown Navy Yard to guide the park as it considers new plants for spring 2024 and beyond. A Virginia Rose, a light pink flower with a yellow center. Unraveling the Mystery of Marsh Migration on the Boston Harbor Islands Uniquely positioned where the ocean meets the shore, salt marshes at the Boston Harbor Islands stir together a beautiful stew of chemical, physical, and biological traits that foster the well-being of both humans and animals alike. However, climate change looms large over these delicate habitats. Learn how the National Parks of Boston Climate Conservation Corps is working to defend this bountiful ecosystem through science. Two young adults wade in waters beside clumps of marsh grass, mapping the marsh. Repairing the Bunker Hill Monument: Preserving Our Nation's Heritage Over time, the Monument has had three successive organizations that took on the responsibility of making repairs to the Monument. Many devoted Americans had built the Monument. Many more would be needed to regularly repair it. A worker scaling the top of the Bunker Hill Monument Pyramidion. School Desegregation Protests and Rallies Downtown During the struggle to desegregate Boston Public schools in the 1970s, activists rallied and protested throughout the city, including at many historic sites that now compromise the National Parks of Boston. Activists on both sides of the desegregation issue seized upon the power of place and the upcoming bicentennial of the country in 1976 to assert their voices and claim America's revolutionary legacy as their own. Black and white photograph of demonstrators with a statue of a man above them The Fight for Equal Education Continues: Morgan v. Hennigan After years of activism, advocacy, and legislative action, in 1974, Morgan v. Hennigan, a court case brought by the NAACP against Boston Public Schools, determined that unconstitutional segregation occurred in Boston. A culmination of over a decade of work by Boston’s Black community. Newspaper clipping with a black and white portrait image of a man in glasses Event Recap - Empowering Our Future Conservation and Climate Stewards The National Park Service Youth and Young Adult Programs Division co-hosted the virtual event “Then/Now/Tomorrow: Empowering Our Future Conservation and Climate Stewards” on April 24, 2024, for National Park Week, alongside The Corps Network, the National Park Foundation, and AmeriCorps. A panel of six current and former corps members shared their experiences working and serving on public lands. A screenshot of eight individuals in boxes on the Zoom Platform. Bunker Hill Memory Bunker Hill Memory Series Urban Renewal and New Schools Arrive in Charlestown In the mid-1900s, Boston officials embarked upon a series of Urban Renewal projects attempting to revive and transform what they considered “unsatisfactory” parts of the city. Both nationwide and locally, these efforts often included demolishing older neighborhoods to make way for newer housing complexes, commercial and public buildings, and public spaces. These projects dramatically affected long-term residents, displaced communities, and altered the physical landscape. Black and white ariel photo of Charlestown with the Monument sticking out of a crowded neighborhood Transforming Telegraph Hill and Remembering Dorchester Heights In the late 1800s as Boston grew both in population and industrialization, Boston annexed the Dorchester Peninsula, which would rapidly develop into a neighborhood known as South Boston. It would primarily be made up of Irish Catholic immigrants who quickly found the need for new resources from the city, including a new high school. Black and White photo from above looking down on South Boston High School and the Monument Equal Education Activism at the Robert Gould Shaw/54th Regiment Memorial At this memorial, activists rallied and protested during the 20th century Black Education Movement. A Bronze statue is sunlit between two leafy trees Desegregation Protests at the Bunker Hill Monument During the struggle to desegregate Boston public schools in the 1970s, activists rallied and protested throughout the city, including at many historic sites that now comprise the National Parks of Boston. In 1975, busing arrived in Charlestown, and with its arrival Bunker Hill Monument became center stage to the fight against forced busing. Louise Day Hicks rides by the Bunker Hill Monument during the Bunker Hill Day Parade Anti-Busing Protest at Dorchester Heights During the struggle to desegregate Boston public schools in the 1970s, activists rallied and protested throughout the city, including at many historic sites that now comprise the National Parks of Boston. Historic Dorchester Heights, known for its role during the 1775-1776 Siege of Boston, has long served as a space for commemorations and community gatherings. This tradition carried on during the fight against busing due to its location next to South Boston High School. People gather on the steps of the Dorchester Heights Monument in prayer Black Education Movement in the 20th Century In the 1800s, the Black community of Boston succeeding in integrating the Boston Public Schools. Decades of petitions, protests, speeches, a court case, and other demonstrations culminated with the Massachusetts legislature outlawing public school segregation in 1855. Despite this law and initial success, however, by the mid-1900s, the schools had once again become segregated by race. Picketers march on the street holding signs in front of the Boston School Committee Meeting The Black Struggle for Equal Education in Boston, 1787 to 1976 The Black Struggle for Equal Education 1787-1976