Paul Revere House, Boston (must see)

A small triangular enclave adorned with cobblestones and gaslights, North Square stands out as one of Boston's most historically significant and aesthetically appealing corners. The neighborhood's restaurants may do their best to tempt you, but the main attraction here is undoubtedly the Paul Revere House, standing at No. 19 and proudly holding the title of downtown Boston’s oldest surviving residential address.

Paul Revere was a North End man through and through, and this was his home from 1770 to 1800, except for much of 1775, when he was hiding from the British in Watertown.

The house itself – a small Tudor-style, post-and-beam structure – was built around 1680, long before Revere moved in. Over the centuries, at different times, it served as a grocery store, a tenement, and even a cigar factory. By 1908, however, people had decided it deserved better than a cloud of tobacco smoke, and so they carefully restored it to its 17th-century appearance. Remarkably, about 90 percent of the original framework has survived.

The house also stands on the site of an earlier, grander residence that belonged to Puritan leader Increase Mather, father of Cotton Mather, before that building was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1676. So, yes, this little plot of land has seen its share of historical drama.

Although the Paul Revere House is more important for its age rather than architectural elegance, its third-floor Elizabethan-style overhang and leaded windowpanes give it real character, especially beside the red-brick buildings around it. Inside, the museum gives visitors a glimpse of domestic life in colonial Boston, along with examples of Revere’s silverwork, which is well worth a look for its craftsmanship and historical value.

The museum also hosts small but thoughtful rotating exhibitions, including displays shedding light on subjects such as the mythologizing of Revere's famous horseback ride.

Throughout the year, special events add additional flavor to the place. Among them are period-costumed characters engaging in role-play, serving visitors colonial-era treats like apple-cider cake, silversmith demonstrations, entertaining crowds with dulcimer music, or staging military reenactments in authentic period attire.

In other words, this place gives you history with cobblestones underfoot, silverware upstairs, and just enough theatrical flair to keep the 18th century from feeling dusty...