WALKING TOUR 1630: From Shawmut to Boston

Walk across history with our updated walking tour, 1630: From Shawmut to Boston! Meet the people, places and ideas of 1630s Boston - built on the Native land but created in a Puritan English image. Places are limited, so register now!

Join us on PHB’s revised walking tour for a story of foundations: the founding on Native land of the English colony centered in Boston; the Puritan women and men who founded the Massachusetts colony; and the foundations laid for American government, religion and society.

We start in 1630 on the slopes of the Shawmut peninsula. The English Puritan founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony looked to create an ideal society as seen through their own – and no one else’s – eyes. Boston, as they renamed the place, became its center. Meet the people, places and ideas that turned Shawmut into Boston.

Among them are John Winthrop, first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; his rival, John Endicott; Anne Hutchinson, who followed her mentor, the Rev. John Cotton, over the Atlantic; and William Blackstone, owner of an enormous library, Cambridge University alumni along with John Winthrop, and the first white colonizer of the Shawmut peninsula. Why did Blackstone flee the Puritans of Massachusetts Bay? Find the answers in the society, religion and politics of the 1630s.

You'll be led by PHB board member and educator, Roxanne Reddington-Wilde, and a new PHB volunteer who is an early American history aficionado.

The tour lasts approximate 1½ hours. Registration is limited to 20 people. (We will have a waitlist – sign up below if you'd like to be on it, including your mobile number.)

Due to ongoing construction by the city, the tour route is sadly not wheelchair-friendly.

Meet at Park St. Station Plaza, at the corner of Park and Tremont streets, downtown Boston. Nearest T stop: Park Street Station

Don't forget to bring water and wear comfy shoes!

The Partnership of Historic Bostons is an all-volunteer organization. As always, our tours are free because we want to tell you about early Boston, and make that little known history available to all. But we welcome donations to defray our expenses – whether it’s $10, $25, $50 or more.

Places are limited to 20, so do register now! If you need to cancel, please let us know ASAP at cGhib3N0b25zIHwgZ21haWwgISBjb20= so that we can let someone on the waitlist take your place.

Meeting place: Park Street Plaza, next to Park Street T station, corner of Tremont and Park Streets, downtown Boston

FAQs

Does it cost to take this walking tour? 1630: From Shawmut to Boston is free. We are an all-volunteer organization whose mission is providing the public with accurate history of 17th-century Massachusetts, particularly Boston. We suggest a donation of $10.

What are my transport/parking options? Parking in Boston is difficult, so we recommend public transportation to Park Street, either by T or bus. If you need to drive, there is a parking lot under the Boston Common.

What should I bring? We advise that you wear comfortable clothing and sturdy shoes for Boston’s uneven pavements. And bring some water to make sure you stay hydrated!

How can I contact the organizer with any questions? Email Roxanne or Andy at cGhib3N0b25zIHwgZ21haWwgISBjb20=

Image: Boston as it was likely to have been in 1630, compiled by George Lamb from Massachusetts Bay Colony records, Boston town records, Suffolk County deeds and other documents. Noman B. Leventhal Map Center

Also check out other Nonprofit events in Boston, Meetups in Boston.