Paul Revere House

The Paul Revere House (1680) is the colonial home of American patriot Paul Revere during the time of the American Revolution. It is located at 19 North Square, Boston, Massachusetts, and now operated as a nonprofit museum by the Paul Revere Memorial Association; an admission fee is charged.

Related Topics:
Colonial - Paul Revere - American Revolution - Boston - Massachusetts

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The original two-story house was built circa 1680. It occupied the former site of the Second Church of Boston's parsonage, home to Increase Mather and Cotton Mather, which was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1676. Its first owner was Robert Howard, a wealthy merchant. His L-shaped townhouse contained spacious rooms and was enhanced by exterior features such as a second-floor overhang and casement windows.

Related Topics:
Increase Mather - Cotton Mather

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As is typical of early Massachusetts Bay timber construction, the main block of the two-story dwelling consisted of four structural bays demarcated by heavy framing posts and overhead beams. The single ground-floor room in this main block was dominated by its chimney bay and adjoining lobby entrance. Although some contempory Boston houses had separate kitchen buildings, the two-story extension behind the Revere House was typical. As the Revere House was set quite close to neighbors, its double casement windows were installed in the rear elevation rather than the more common placement in a gable.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

By the mid-eighteenth century, a partial third story was added. Paul Revere owned this enlarged house from 1770 to 1800, although he and his family may lived elsewhere for periods in the 1780s and 1790s. After Revere sold the house, it became a tenement with its ground floor remodeled for use as shops, including at various times a candy store, cigar factory, bank and vegetable and fruit business. In 1902, Revere's great-grandson, John P. Reynolds Jr. purchased the building to prevent demolition, and in April 1908, the Paul Revere House opened its doors to the public as one of the earliest historic house museums in the United States.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Today's building has been heavily restored to match its hypothesized appearance around 1700. Its third story has been removed; thus it does not resemble the updated structure in which the Reveres themselves lived. However, ninety percent of the structure, two doors, three window frames, and portions of the flooring, foundation, inner wall material and raftering, are original. (None of the window glass is original.) Its heavy beams, large fireplaces, and absence of interior hallways are typical of colonial living arrangements. The two chambers upstairs contain furnishings belonging to the Revere family.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Immediately adjacent is the brick Pierce-Hichborn House, built about 1711 as an early Georgian house, and also operated as a nonprofit museum by the Paul Revere Memorial Association.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~