The Paul Revere House in Boston‘s historic North End offers visitors a unique glimpse into American colonial life and the man behind the nation‘s most famous "midnight ride." Built in 1680, this humble wooden home is one of the oldest buildings still standing in downtown Boston. It served as the home of famed silversmith and patriot Paul Revere from 1770 to 1800, who purchased it for the hefty sum of £53 6s 8d (over $15,000 today).
Revere shared the cozy, Tudor-style home with his family, including his second wife Rachel and their eight children. The house originally contained just four rooms – a kitchen, hall and two upstairs bedrooms. A 17th century addition added a lean-to and chimney that are still visible today. The home‘s overhanging second story, diamond-paned casement windows and projecting bay window are all typical of English architecture from this era.
While living here, Revere plied his trade as a silversmith, even using part of the house as a shop. He produced and sold silver spoons, bowls, tea sets, buckles and buttons, as well as surgical instruments, swords and dental wires.
But Revere‘s business and growing family were soon overshadowed by the stirrings of revolution in the colonies. An ardent patriot, Revere served as a messenger for the Committees of Correspondence and Safety, discreetly carrying letters between revolutionaries like John Hancock and Samuel Adams.
Revere‘s most famous mission came on the night of April 18, 1775, when he embarked on his daring "midnight ride" to warn Adams and Hancock that British troops were marching from Boston to arrest them in Lexington. According to popular legend, Revere cried out "The British are coming!" though the phrase was likely fabricated. He managed to warn the colonists in time, allowing them to prepare for the Battles of Lexington and Concord that launched the American Revolution.
Revere‘s modest wooden home bore witness to these formative events, as he plotted and strategized there with fellow patriots. It also weathered the Siege of Boston from 1775-1776. By the time he sold the house in 1800, Revere had become a successful businessman, operating a foundry producing cannons, church bells and copper bolts for the U.S.S. Constitution.
After Revere moved out, the house went through several incarnations as a sailor‘s boarding house, cigar factory, bank and tenement apartments. It was even slated for demolition in 1902 until Revere‘s great-grandson purchased the property and decided to preserve it as a museum dedicated to his ancestor‘s legacy. In April 1908, the Paul Revere House opened to the public – one of the first historic house museums in the U.S.
The museum has expanded over the decades to include exhibits on Revere‘s ride, his silversmith trade, and period rooms that show how the family lived. About 90% of the structure, including the flooring, foundation, rafters and fireplaces, are original to Revere‘s time. Visitors can tour the house for a suggested admission of $6 for adults and $1 for children ages 5-17.
Today, the Revere House attracts over 250,000 visitors annually as one of the most popular stops on Boston‘s Freedom Trail. It is owned and operated by the Paul Revere Memorial Association, which has worked to restore the home to its original 1700s appearance.
"The Revere House is unique in that it‘s the only home on the Freedom Trail that was owned by one of the individuals connected to so many of the sites on the Trail," said Nina Zannieri, Executive Director of the Paul Revere House. "It also gives us a glimpse into how people actually lived during that period."
Revere‘s larger-than-life legacy and famed ride were later memorialized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow‘s 1860 poem "Paul Revere‘s Ride," which mythologized him as a great American hero. His former home serves to humanize the man behind the legend – a hard-working artisan, devoted family man, and brave patriot willing to risk his life for a revolutionary cause.
"The Revere House is a fascinating doorway into the American past," said historian Patrick Leehey, research director at the Paul Revere House. "By understanding how Revere and his contemporaries lived, and connecting that to the extraordinary events they shaped, we gain a richer appreciation for this pivotal period in the nation‘s history."
For anyone interested in early American history, colonial craftsmanship or just soaking in the ambiance of 18th century Boston, a visit to the enduring and enlightening Paul Revere House is an absolute must.
Paul Revere House By the Numbers
- Built 1680
- Purchased by Revere in 1770 for £53 6s 8d (over $15,000 today)
- Original house contained 4 rooms; 17th century addition added 5th room
- Revere lived in the house for 30 years from 1770-1800
- Restored and opened in 1908 as one of the first U.S. historic house museums
- Approximately 90% of the structure is original to Revere‘s era
- Attracts over 250,000 visitors per year
- Adult admission suggested $6; children ages 5-11 $1
- Located in Boston‘s historic North End neighborhood at 19 North Square
