Old North Church

Old North Church is where the American Revolution received its most famous signal. On the night of April 18, 1775, two lanterns were hung briefly in the steeple of this brick church — 'one if by land, two if by sea' — warning that British troops were moving on Lexington and Concord by water and launching Paul Revere's midnight ride. Built in 1723, it is the oldest surviving church building in Boston and remains an active Episcopal congregation and a landmark of the city's Freedom Trail.

Christ Church in the City of Boston — long known as Old North Church — was built in 1723 in the city's North End, its design inspired by the London churches of Sir Christopher Wren. Its brick tower and steeple rose to become the tallest structure in colonial Boston, a landmark visible for miles across the harbor. A set of eight bells cast in England in 1744 hangs in the tower; a young Paul Revere was among the boys who rang them.

On the night of April 18, 1775, the church's steeple played its part in history. With British troops preparing to march on Lexington and Concord, Paul Revere arranged for a signal: sexton Robert Newman and vestryman Captain John Pulling Jr. climbed the tower and briefly held up two lanterns, warning patriots across the river that the Regulars were crossing by water. The signal, later immortalized as 'one if by land, two if by sea,' set Revere's midnight ride in motion.

The steeple that sent the signal was toppled by a storm in 1804 and again by Hurricane Carol in 1954, and each time it was rebuilt to the original design. Through it all the congregation has worshipped continuously since 1723, making Old North the oldest church building still standing in Boston. Today it is both an active Episcopal parish and a stop on the Freedom Trail, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors a year.