Brawlers, Smugglers and Redcoats: Boston Self-Guided Walking Tour

Boston’s revolutionary spirit didn’t emerge overnight. It was forged through years of defiance, from merchants smuggling wine, to ropewalkers brawling with British soldiers.

On this walking tour, you’ll find out how everyday acts of resistance transformed colonial Boston into the birthplace of the American revolution. You’ll also uncover the gritty reality behind the propaganda and myths taught in textbooks.

The tour starts at Long Wharf, once the longest in the Western Hemisphere, where 4,000 British troops landed in 1768 to discipline a rebellious city. You’ll walk through the North End, past John Hancock’s counting house where nervous redcoats fumbled musket balls. Along the way, you’ll hear how Hancock beat smuggling charges, and discover why Puritans refused to name their horses.