Begins at the Boston
Common Information Kiosk
Tremont St.
To explore the beginnings
of black history in Boston, the Black Heritage Trail was founded
by the National Park Service under agreement with the Museum of
Afro American History. Pick up a guide and map at the
Information Kiosk on Tremont Street and cross the Common towards
the State House. The tour begins with the Robert Gould Shaw and
54th Regiment Memorial just across the way from the
gold dome.
It’s ironic that this
tour leads the visitor through some of the most expensive real
estate in New England: Beacon Hill. However, there was a time
before the beautiful brick houses existed, when immigrant
populations crammed this neighborhood in wooden structures. Some
of the noted sites on the Trail are the original wood houses.
The tour winds for 1.6
miles, up and down the hill, along the tidy streets then through
an alley or two, to end at the African Meeting House in Smith
Court. Most of the buildings are now private homes with plaques
that commemorate former residents. Except for the Meeting House,
this is a street tour only, but don’t let that put you off.
Seeing the places, even from the outside, where people took
brave and notable actions, is worth the effort. It’s also an
easy and fun way to learn the history.
Two places of note are the
Lewis Hayden House and the African Meeting House. The Lewis
Hayden House at 66 Phillips Street was the home of a former
slave, Lewis Hayden, and his wife Harriet, both of whom worked
diligently as abolitionists and made their home into a stop on
the Underground Railroad. There’s an interesting anecdote
about the house – the Haydens kept gunpowder under their front
stoop. They greeted bounty hunters (who were legal under the
Fugitive Slave Act) with a lit candle, threatening to blow the
house up rather than surrender their guests.
Tucked into Smith Court is
the African Meeting House, much as it was in 1805 at its
founding. It is the oldest black church structure still in
existence in the U.S., although it no longer functions as such.
Inside, Park Rangers are available to answer questions about the
church and the neighborhood. The sanctuary is open to the
public. In the corner stands a copy of a broadsheet published in
1851, warning the black population of Boston to be careful who
they spoke to. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 had just changed
all the rules. Smith’s Court itself holds several of the old
wood houses that once belonged to black residents.
The National Park Service
offers guided tours of the Trail for groups by reservation. Call
617-742-5415 for information.
Hours:
Any time good for walking.
African Meeting House:
Daily 9:30 – 5
Closed Thanksgiving,
Christmas, New Year’s Day
Admission:
There is no cost to walk
the Trail.
A voluntary donation of
$5.00 per visitor is requested at the African Meeting House.
BLACK
HERITAGE TRAIL
ATTRACTIONS
