Historic Boston Common
A Birds Eye View | On The Freedom Trail
Established in 1634, Boston Common is America’s oldest public park. Puritan colonists purchased the land rights to the Common’s 44 acres from the first European settler of the area, Anglican minister William Blackstone.
From the suites at The Monty, our visitors are literally staying on the Historic Freedom Trail, staring down at the Boston Common, and across from historic Park Street Church, and within walking distance to 80% of the well-traveled Trail Sites.
Also referred to as a "trayning field," over 1000 Redcoats made camp on the Common during the British occupation of Boston in 1775. It was from here that three brigades of Redcoats embarked to make the fateful trip to Lexington and Concord.
John Hancock's mansion overlooked Boston Common, and as the Governor’s wife, Dorothy Quincy Hancock was obliged to entertain 300 naval officers during a visit from Admiral D’Estaing’s French fleet in 1778. Facing a shortage of milk, she improvised and sent servants to the Common to milk the community cows. Hancock provided a large cask of Madeira wine and a fireworks display for the celebration held on the Common in 1765 for the repeal of the Stamp Act, and built a bandstand on the Common in 1771.
