The Freedom Trail Walking Tour

From Eric Wilbur, former About.com Guide

To begin the Freedom Trail, make your way to Boston Common, easily accessible by the T at Park Street station. The Boston Common, founded in 1634, is America’s oldest public park and served as home base for the British prior to the Revolution. Today, it is a centrally-located gathering spot for Bostonians and boasts a number of attractions including ice skating, softball fields, and the public gardens.

At the entrance to the Common stands the "New State House," as it is known in order to differentiate it with the “Old State House,” one of the oldest buildings on Beacon Hill, built in 1798. Designed by Charles Bulfinch, the building is situated on 6.7 acres of land and houses the Massachusetts General Court and the offices of the Governor of Massachusetts.