Black Heritage Trail
Begins at the Boston Common Information Kiosk
Tremont St.
What's
New?
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.
For more information on the Black
Heritage Trail, Check out the official site of the Museum
of Afro-American History
