Fall Events at the Paul Revere House

Our Fall Paul Revere’s Boston events try to bring life in 18th century Boston into focus through living history demonstrations of all kinds. Our September Lecture series, sponsored by the Lowell Institute, approaches the same goal from a different angle, that of the modern archaeologist. The free lectures will be held at the Old South Meeting House on Tuesday nights in September. Our onsite Paul Revere’s Boston events on Saturdays are included with admission to the museum: adults $3.50 seniors and college students $3.00, children ages 5-17 $1. Members and North End residents are admitted free at all times. Through October 31 the Revere House is open daily 9:30-5:15. Beginning on November 1, the museum is open daily 9:30-4:15.

Paul Revere’s Boston

September

3 Colonial Herbalist, 1:00-3:00 Learn about the healing benefits of common and uncommon plants from a true expert. Judy Grillo portrays a colonial herbalist demonstrating techniques and wisdom passed on by generations of women who cared for their families with plants grown primarily in their kitchen gardens.

10 Colonial Weaving Demonstration, 1:00-3:00 Talented craftsman Fred Lawson demonstrates the art of creating cloth by hand and simple machines. Practice weaving on the small looms provided.

17 Printing Demonstration, 1:00-3:00 Did you know Paul Revere worked as an engraver? Using similar technology R. P. Hale produces copies of his own wood block image of the Revere House on a hand-cranked press. Prints (available for sale) are only made at the Revere House.

24 Rachel Revere: A Revolutionary Woman, 1:00, 1:45, 2:30 Who held the Revere family together after Paul set off on his Midnight Ride? Joan Gatturna takes on the role of Paul Revere’s second wife. Enjoy her dramatic account of a woman’s struggle to hold home and family together in a time of war, blockades, and shortages.

October

1 Gilding Demonstration, 1:00–3:00 Watch professional gilder Nancy Dick Atkinson apply gossamer thin sheets of gold leaf to wooden ornaments just as craftsmen did in Revere’s era.

8 Colonial Dance Tunes and Love Songs, 1:00-3:00 In the guise of itinerant musicians, Al Petty & Deirdre Sweeney perform popular 18th-century tunes such as “Mr. Isaac’s Maggot” and “Jack’s Health” on the penny whistle, flute, fife, & other instruments.

15 Paper Marbling, 1:00-3:00 See how colonial craftsmen created eye-catching marbled papers. Watch as R. P. Hale floats pigments in water, swirls the colors, then transfers the designs to paper. It may look like magic but Hale will explain the very real science behind this fascinating phenomenon.

Please note: No program on October 22 & 29.

Lowell Lecture Series presented by the Paul Revere Memorial Association at Old South Meeting House

Unearthing Boston: A Bordello, “Home Rule” Pipes, A Shipwreck, and Native

Decades of archaeological work in and around Boston have revealed a complex history and occasionally surprising and unexpected finds. On Tuesday evenings in September 2016, the Paul Revere Memorial Association, in cooperation with Old South Meeting House, will present a series of lectures exploring recent archaeological work in the North End, Downtown Boston, the inner neighborhoods, and on the Boston Harbor Islands. Funded by the Lowell Institute. Admission Free.

September 6 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm

Boston Inside Out: What Archaeological Excavations at a Brothel and Boarding House Reveal About Life in the 19th-century North End

Archaeological excavations into the North End’s 19th-century past show that the neighborhood was no teeming Irish “slum,” but a thriving neighborhood whose diverse residents struggled to overcome the challenges of urban life in America. Archaeologist for the Maryland State Highway Administration Alexander D. Keim will focus on two mid-19th century sites in Boston’s North End: 27-29 Endicott Street, which served as a brothel at that time, and the Paul Revere House, which served as a boarding-house for sailors during the same era.

September 13 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm

Dig Boston: How, When, and Why Archaeology Happens in the Hub Old South Meeting House

American Shell Middens

While Boston’s history began many thousands of years ago, archeological investigations are a relatively recent development. City Archaeologist Joseph M. Bagley discusses the ins and outs of conducting an archaeological dig in Boston through the lens of recent excavations at Old North Church, the Seaport Shipwreck, and Malcolm X’s house.

September 20 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm

Knee Deep in Paul Revere’s Privy: Archaeology at the Paul Revere House Lot

Archaeological investigations conducted by The Public Archaeology Laboratory, Inc. at the Paul Revere House site from 2011-2013 resulted in the recovery of nearly 10,000 artifacts and a range of landscape and infrastructural features, including drains, cisterns, privies, and sewer pipes. PAL Senior Archaeologist Kristen Heitert will show how many of the artifacts speak of the former residents themselves, such as “Home Rule” tobacco pipes possibly smoked by newly arrived Irish immigrants; and the skull of a small terrier, perhaps a pet or a practical ratter.

September 27 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm

From Hills to Islands: Ancient Adaptations to the Inundation of Boston.

Some 6,000 years ago, Boston was well inland from the ocean, but as rising sea levels poured in tidal waters around the hills east of Boston, ancient Native Americans lost no time adapting to and enjoying the change. While Martin Dudek, Senior Project Manager of Commonwealth Heritage Group, will focus on the Native American sites on Spectacle Island, he will also include a brief overview of other exciting archaeological sites worked on for the Big Dig.

Funded by the Lowell Institute. Admission free.

All Lectures Take Place at Old South Meeting House: 310 Washington Street at the corner of Milk Street in downtown Boston.

Sign Language interpretation is available upon request (with advance notice.)

Wheelchair accessible. Assistive listening devices are available.

Accessible by MBTA. Use State or Downtown Crossing Stops.