what is the freedom trail

The Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile-long path through Boston that passes by 17 locations significant to the history of the United States, marked largely with brick. It winds from Boston Common in downtown Boston, to the Old North Church in the North End and the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown. Stops along the trail include simple explanatory ground markers, graveyards, notable churches and buildings, and a historic naval frigate. Most of the sites are free or suggest donations, although the Old South Meeting House, the Old State House, and the Paul Revere House charge admission. The Freedom Trail was conceived by journalist William Schofield in 1951, who suggested building a pedestrian trail to link important landmarks. Boston mayor John Hynes decided to put Schofields idea into action. By 1953, 40,000 people were walking the trail annually. The Freedom Trail is overseen by the City of Bostons Freedom Trail Commission and is supported in part by grants from various non-profit organizations and foundations, private philanthropy, and Boston National Historical Park. The trail is a unique collection of museums, churches, meeting houses, burying grounds, parks, a ship, and historic markers that tell the story of the American Revolution and beyond. Visitors can walk in the footsteps of America’s founding fathers on the famous brick path, which runs from Boston Common to the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown. The Freedom Trail is Bostons most popular tourist attraction, attracting more than 4 million visitors annually.