The Old North Church, officially Christ Church in the City of Boston, is the city’s oldest surviving church building, completed in 1723. Rising on Salem Street in the North End, this Episcopal church is forever linked to the night of April 18, 1775, when, on the orders of Paul Revere, sexton Robert Newman and Captain John Pulling hung two lanterns in the steeple to signal that British troops were crossing the Charles River by water, the famous “one if by land, two if by sea.”
A cornerstone of the Freedom Trail and part of Boston National Historical Park, the church still holds an active Episcopal congregation. Visitors can see its high box pews, historic organ, and the tall steeple that has been rebuilt after storm damage over the centuries. Behind the church, gardens and a historic site help tell the fuller story of the surrounding 18th-century community.
Good to know
- Boston’s oldest surviving church building, completed in 1723, and an active Episcopal congregation
- Site of the April 1775 lantern signal associated with Paul Revere’s ride
- A Freedom Trail stop and part of Boston National Historical Park
- Behind-the-scenes and steeple-related programs are sometimes offered; check the official site for tour options
Getting there
- Address: 193 Salem Street, North End, Boston, MA 02113
- Neighborhood: North End
- Nearest T: Haymarket (Green and Orange Lines); North Station (Green and Orange Lines) is also within walking distance