Colonial · Massachusetts
Paul Revere House
The Paul Revere House, built around 1680. — Beyond My Ken
Why Paul Revere House Matters
The Paul Revere House is the colonial home from which the silversmith and patriot Paul Revere set out on his famous midnight ride in April 1775. Built around 1680, it is the oldest surviving building in downtown Boston and a rare example of 17th-century urban architecture in America. Preserved as one of the nation's earliest historic house museums, it offers an intimate look at the home life of a Revolutionary-era craftsman and the family he raised in Boston's North End.
By the Numbers
The House
- Built
- c. 1680
- Distinction
- Oldest surviving building in downtown Boston
- Style
- 17th-century timber frame (First Period)
Paul Revere
- Owned
- 1770–1800
- Family
- Father of 16 children by two wives
Today
- Operator
- Paul Revere Memorial Association
Timeline
- 1676A fire clears the North Square site of an earlier house.
- 1680The present house is built, in 17th-century timber-frame style.
- 1770Paul Revere buys the house and moves his family in.
- 1775Revere departs from here on his midnight ride, April 18.
- 1800Revere sells the house.
- 1908Restored and opened as one of America's first house museums.
Complete History
The house on North Square was built around 1680, on land where an earlier dwelling had burned in a great fire of 1676. A timber-framed structure in the medieval-derived style of the 17th century, it stood for nearly a century before Paul Revere — a Boston silversmith, engraver, and son of a French Huguenot immigrant — bought it in 1770.
Revere lived here through the most dramatic years of the Revolution. It was from this house that he departed on the night of April 18, 1775, for the midnight ride that warned the countryside British troops were marching on Lexington and Concord. Revere owned the home until 1800, raising a large family within its small rooms; he fathered sixteen children over the course of two marriages.
After the Revere family left, the North End filled with immigrants and the old house was crowded with shops and tenants. Threatened with demolition around the turn of the 20th century, it was rescued by Revere's great-grandson and a group of preservationists, restored, and opened to the public in 1908 as one of the first historic house museums in the United States. It remains a centerpiece of Boston's Freedom Trail.
Historic Images
Interesting Facts
- Built around 1680, the Paul Revere House is the oldest surviving building in downtown Boston.
- Paul Revere owned the home from 1770 to 1800 and set out from here on his midnight ride on April 18, 1775.
- Revere fathered sixteen children over two marriages, and many of them lived in the small house at various times.
- The house is a rare surviving example of 17th-century urban colonial architecture in an American city.
- Saved from demolition, it opened in 1908 as one of the earliest historic house museums in the United States.
Visiting Today
- Hours
- The house is open to visitors daily for much of the year, with reduced hours in winter and some holiday closures. Check the Paul Revere Memorial Association for current times.
- Admission
- A modest admission fee is charged, with discounts for children, students, and seniors.
- Best time to visit
- Mornings and weekdays are least crowded; the surrounding North End is liveliest on summer evenings and weekends.
- Nearby
- Old North Church, Copp's Hill Burying Ground, Faneuil Hall, and the North End's Italian restaurants.
The house is compact and can fill quickly, so arrive early. It sits directly on the Freedom Trail, a short walk from Old North Church, and pairs well with a meal in the North End.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who lived in the Paul Revere House?
The silversmith and Revolutionary patriot Paul Revere owned and lived in the house from 1770 to 1800, together with his large family. He set out from here on his famous midnight ride in 1775.
How old is the Paul Revere House?
It was built around 1680, making it the oldest surviving building in downtown Boston and one of the oldest houses in the United States.
Can you visit the Paul Revere House?
Yes. It operates as a historic house museum in Boston's North End, along the Freedom Trail, with rooms furnished to reflect Revere's era.
Did Paul Revere start his midnight ride here?
Yes. On the night of April 18, 1775, Revere left this house to be rowed across the Charles River and begin the ride that warned of the British advance on Lexington and Concord.
