Boston: Underground Railroad History Tour of Beacon Hill

Boston's role in the fight to end legalized slavery is linked by the Black Heritage Trail in historic Beacon Hill. This pedestrian path is best experienced on foot, in a small group, with a knowledgeable local guide! Your 2.5-hour loop tour travels from Boston Common to visit Underground Railroad sites, elite homes of "Boston Brahmins," and abolitionist landmarks such as the African Meeting House. Our small-group walking tour delves deeply into the years 1833 to 1863, the tumultuous years leading toward Civil War. We walk in the footsteps of 19th-century Bostonians, all of whom grappled with the "peculiar institution" of racial enslavement in the U.S. With a captivating storytelling approach, Hub Town Tours provides the perfect introduction to Boston's role in America's "Second Revolution." As we travel past landmarks from Civil War Boston, your guide shares the gripping story of local Bostonians finding their voices and demanding an end to injustice across their young nation.

1. 1

   Stop 1

   10 min

   Meet your guide at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the center of Boston Common, steps from the Boston Common Visitors Center at 139 Tremont Street (02108). Look for a white granite column topped by a female figure holding a flag; four bronze statues surround the base of the central column.

2. 2

   Boston Common

   Pass by

   Oldest public land in the Americas and Boston's communal grazing pasture (1634)

3. 3

   Acorn Street

   10 min

   Narrow cobblestone alleyways wind throughout historic Beacon Hill

4. 4

   Louisburg Square

   Pass by

   Elegant neighborhood square from elite world of 19th-century "Boston Brahmins"

5. 5

   Stop 5

   10 min

   Built as a whites-only school in 1824, but among the first schools to integrate in Boston by 1855

6. 6

   Stop 6

   10 min

   Home of leading abolitionist, state legislator, and former barber

7. 7

   Charles Street

   Pass by

   Primary thoroughfare of Beacon Hill, lined with local shops and restaurants

8. 8

   Stop 8

   15 min

   Historic meeting house (1807) and site of contentious debate over racial integration

9. 9

   Stop 9

   Pass by

   Home of African-American community activist and abolitionist

10. 10

    Stop 10

    15 min

    Underground Railroad safe house owned by the Haydens, staunch abolitionists who were formerly enslaved

11. 11

    Otis House

    10 min

    1796 residence of Harrison Gray Otis, Boston mayor and nephew of revolutionary James Otis, Jr.

12. 12

    Old West Church

    Pass by

    Historic 1806 church designed by noted architect Asher Benjamin

13. 13

    Stop 13

    Pass by

    Home of outspoken abolitionist and U.S. Senator beaten unconscious in the Capitol over the issue of slavery in 1856.

14. 14

    Stop 14

    Pass by

    Homes of several African-American abolitionists, including historian William Cooper Nell

15. 15

    Stop 15

    Pass by

    Founded in 1835 as segregated school for Boston's African-American children

16. 16

    Stop 16

    25 min

    Cultural center of Boston's African-American community and oldest extant black church building in the U.S. (1806)

17. 17

    Stop 17

    10 min

    Oldest extant house in Beacon Hill (1787) was home to African-American Revolutionary War veteran

18. 18

    Massachusetts State House

    Pass by

    Massachusetts state capitol and "Hub of the Solar System" (1798)

19. 19

    Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Regiment Memorial

    15 min

    Our tour concludes beside the Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Regiment Memorial opposite 24 Beacon Street.

• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.