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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 22h

On Old North's balcony, there is a cryptic bit of carved graffiti that reads "No Popery Here." "Popery" is a derogatory term, largely fallen out of use, referring to Roman Catholic beliefs or practices.

Carved graffiti in Old North Church's balcony that reads "No Popery Here."

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

After-Hours Crypt Tours are back at Old North Church! Visit us in October for a 45-minute guided adventure in the historic crypt, where 1,100 people were laid to rest. oldnorth.com/visit/#ticke...

Coffins in the open tomb of Old North Church's crypt.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

What is the purpose of the six-sided dome above Old North’s pulpit? This structure is known as a sounding board. It’s hollow inside and helps to amplify sound, which was a huge help before the advent of the microphone!

The sounding board above Old North Church's pulpit.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Happy 304th Birthday to Samuel Adams! When you visit Old North Church, be sure to stop by Faneuil Hall Plaza to see this striking statue of the Founding Father.

A statue of Samuel Adams in front of Faneuil Hall in Boston.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Some historians draw distinctions between "slave societies" and "societies with slaves." As Jaimie argues in this video, when it comes to New England's ties to slavery, the truth is more complicated.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

#TBT to a beautiful afternoon in 1920 on Hull Street. (📷 via Boston Public Library archives - Photo by Leon Abdalian)

A black-and-white photo of the Old North Church taken from Hull Street in 1920. Children play outside. The Old North Church’s steeple has a clock on it.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Join us on Zoom on October 7 to hear the incredible true story of one of Old North's parishioners, Mary Ann Patten — the first woman to captain a merchant ship!

Image: Mary Ann Patten in front of an image of a ship sailing near an iceberg.
Text: The Sea Captain's Wife

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

On this day in 1940, Boston’s iconic Paul Revere statue was unveiled! Around 8,000 people gathered to watch the big reveal, including the statue’s sculptor, 79-year-old Cyrus Dallin. He had waited 55 years since a committee had first selected his design to see the statue displayed.

The North End's statue of Paul Revere with the Old North Church in the background.

Cyrus Dallin working on a model of the Paul Revere statue.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

The Old North team had a wonderful time at the @aaslh.org and @ncph.bsky.social Joint Conference last week! We loved connecting with other public historians and reflecting on how we can work together to continue the important work of revolution. #workofrevolution

Members of the Old North team at the AASLH-NCPH conference. They are wearing shirts that say "Resistance" and "No Kings in America, Est 1776."

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day! Did you know that Old North Church is home to stolen treasure plundered on the high seas? Our wonderful Educator, Meg, tells the tale in this video!

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Good night from our bell chamber!

Nighttime view of the Boston skyline from a window in the bell chamber of the Old North Church.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

In 1768, Paul Revere cast a special silver bowl commissioned by members of the Sons of Liberty. What is the story behind this famous artifact? Meg explains it all in this clip! See the items from the video here: oldnorthgiftshop.online/collections/...

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

At the onset of the American Revolution, the Old North Church was the tallest building in Boston. This made our steeple an ideal spot to shine two lanterns on April 18, 1775. In 1810, Park Street Church surpassed Old North as Boston's tallest building.

Old North Church's steeple peeking out from behind buildings in the North End of Boston.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

On October 9, we're hosting a musical reading of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at Old North Church! The brilliant Johnny Kinsman will bring Washington Irving’s classic tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman to life.

Text: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, October 9, 2026, Old North Church, 193 Salem St, Boston
Image: The Headless Horseman riding a horse through a graveyard. He is illuminated by light shining from the Old North Church.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

On this day in 1757, an Englishman named John Childs flew from the steeple of Old North Church – sort of. A traveling entertainer, Childs built a makeshift zipline for his stunt. He tied a rope from the steeple to a tree about 700 feet away.

Photo of the Old North Church in Boston, MA.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Today, we remember those killed in the tragic events of September 11, 2001. We recognize the courage and compassion shown by Americans in service of one another during the September 11 attacks, and in the weeks and years that followed.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Resisting authoritarianism is an American tradition. In April of 1775, Paul Revere and his allies risked everything to warn Patriots that British troops were heading to Concord. Where did Revere and his friends get the courage to defy authority? What would it take for you to do so?

Statue of Paul Revere with the text "On Courage" below it.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

When one of our Educators went to play a round of mini golf at Miniature Golf on the Village Green, they came across this excellent replica of the Old North Church! We're impressed with the likeness. ⛳ 🏌️🏌️‍♀️

An Old North Church Educator and their friend posing with a replica of the Old North Church at Miniature Golf on the Village Green.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

If you have visited Boston, you may have seen this famous image: a row of five coffins with the initials S.G., S.M., J.C., C.A., and P.C. This colonial-era engraving dates back to the Boston Massacre of 1770.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

On this day in 1630, the city of Boston received its name! Previously, the Puritans had called the settlement “Trimountain” after a large hill with three summits. On September 7, the settlement was renamed “Boston” after the port town in Lincolnshire, where several prominent colonists were from.

Aerial view of the city of Boston, with Fenway Park in the foreground.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Whenever we go through our photo archive, we always end up finding something unusual! Apparently, in 1987, the church hired a pest-sniffing beagle from Terminex Pest Control. The beagle must have done good work, because the sanctuary remains pest-free!

A Terminex employee posing with a beagle in one of Old North Church's box pews in 1987.

A beagle and his handler sniffing for pests around Old North Church's altar.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

How much did it cost to be buried in Old North’s crypt? In the early 1800s, adults could be interred in the crypt for $10. In today’s money, that would be roughly $240. Burials and funeral services were an important source of revenue for the church.

A photo of coffins in the open tomb in Old North Church's crypt.

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Reposted by Old North

Ami Fields-Meyer @fieldsmeyer.com · 02/09/2026

Can’t wait!

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

On September 16, authors @juliaangwin.com and @fieldsmeyer.com will join us on Zoom for a fascinating conversation about their new book "On Courage: How to Be a Dissident in an Age of Fear."

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Today is Moving Day in the North End! 70% of leases begin on September 1 in Boston, which creates a massively chaotic day where thousands of young people move at the same time. To celebrate this insane day, our team played Moving Day Bingo. Congratulations to Rada for winning!

Rada holding up the winning Bingo sheet in front of a moving truck.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

On this day in 1954, Hurricane Carol ripped off the steeple of the Old North Church! This was the second time our steeple had been toppled. The original was lost during “The Great Gale of Boston” in 1804. Miraculously, our original weathervane survived both storms.

The Old North Church without its steeple after Hurricane Carol in 1954.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Rada, one of our wonderful Educators, captured this beautiful photo in our sanctuary!

A late afternoon photo in Old North Church's sanctuary.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

John and Elizabeth Humphries were a free Black couple who worshiped at Old North Church in the 1740s. The Humphries seem to have been kind and charitable people. We know that they took in Jerusha Will, a terminally ill Indigenous woman who was also a member of this church.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Happy 110th Birthday to the National Park Service! 🎂 Old North Church & Historic Site is a proud partner of the National Park Service and Boston National Historical Park. Here is a photo of our favorite Park Ranger, NPS K9 Jersey!

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Why is there a statue of St. Francis behind Old North's gift shop? Built in 1918, our gift shop was once the St. Francis of Assisi Chapel, which served Italian Protestants living in the North End. Today, the St. Francis Garden behind the shop reminds us of this unique history.

The statue of St. Francis of Assisi behind Two Lanterns: Gifts at Old North Church.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

When Paul Revere recounted his ride, he mentioned a gruesome landmark: “where Mark was hung in chains.” Mark, an enslaved Black man, was hanged for conspiring to kill his enslaver. Then, Mark’s body was left on display in a metal cage — a grisly practice known as gibbetting.

A statue of Paul Revere in Somerville stands where Mark was executed 20 years prior to Revere's famed midnight ride.
Dan Murphy / GBH News

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Today is Dr. Samuel Prescott’s birthday! He played an important role in Paul Revere’s ride. This photo shows where Prescott, Revere, and Dawes were intercepted by British troops. Revere was captured, and Dawes fell from his horse, but Prescott escaped — making him the only rider to reach Concord.

The Paul Revere capture site in Minute Man National Historical Park.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Have you seen the "Death's Head" symbol during your travels in Boston? What is the significance of this winged skull? Kaitlin, our resident death rites expert, explains it all in this video! You can check out the items from the video here: oldnorthgiftshop.online/collections/...

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

On this day in 1740, Shem Drowne was paid for his work constructing Old North Church’s golden weathervane. Drowne was America’s first documented weathervane maker, and his most famous work is the grasshopper weathervane that rests atop Faneuil Hall.

Photos of Old North Church's weathervane and Faneuil Hall's grasshopper weathervane.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

We have been awarded a Historic Markers Community Grant to pursue a special project documenting the North End’s Jewish history! Thousands of Jewish residents once lived and worked in this historic neighborhood in the late 19th century.

A former tenement building in Boston's North End, developed by Nathan Finkelstein in the early 1890s.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Did you know that one of Old North's congregants was charged with polygamy? Mehitable Mash (owner of Pew 39) believed that her first husband, Peter, had died after he disappeared in 1838. Mehitable remarried in 1842...and the very next month, Peter returned home!

A photo of Pew 39 at the Old North Church.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Why does Old North Church have a crypt? Allen, one of our wonderful Educators, explains the origins of this historic space.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Ebenezer Clough was the master brick mason for the building of Old North Church. Before building the church, Clough built his own home on Unity St. Clough died in 1724, only a year after completing the church. But 300+ years later, both his house and the church still stand.

Photo of the Clough House on Unity Street in Boston.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Before the American Revolution, Old North was part of the Church of England. The church's alignment with the British Crown put Black and Indigenous congregants in a uniquely complex position.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

It's hard to beat the views from the pews!

Visitors in Old North Church's box pews listening to audio guides and admiring the sanctuary.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

The TV show "Boston Blue" filmed a scene behind Old North Church this morning. 🎥 We can't wait to see the episode when it comes out!

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

At Old North, we don't play Pin the Tail on the Donkey. We play Pin the Lantern on the Steeple!

A "Pin the Lantern on the Steeple" game.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Do you see the outline of a window on this brick wall? According to legend, Old North’s sexton Robert Newman escaped British patrols through this window after displaying the signal lanterns in the steeple on the night of Paul Revere’s ride.

The back of the Old North Church. The outline of the "Newman Window" is visible.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

In 1815, Old North opened the Christ Church Sunday School, which was reportedly the first of its kind in the United States. Children of all religious backgrounds attended and learned how to read and write in addition to receiving religious instruction.

A historic drawing of the Old North Church and its Sunday School.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Our team is loving the new "Resistance" t-shirts we have in our gift shop! If you can't display two lanterns in a steeple, these shirts are the next best thing. oldnorthgiftshop.online/products/res... oldnorthgiftshop.online/products/old...

An Old North Illuminated team member wearing a Resistance T-shirt in the narthex of the church.

An Old North Illuminated team member wearing a blue Resistance T-shirt.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

What would you risk your freedom for? George Collamore was a congregant at Old North Church and an abolitionist. In 1856, he moved his family to Kansas, and in the years that followed, he risked everything for a cause he believed in.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

POV: You're playing the pipe organ at the Old North Church.

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

During the British colonial period, Old North Church's first rector enthusiastically pursued the conversion of Black and Indigenous people to the Church of England. However, as you will see in this video, his views about People of Color were far from egalitarian. www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiiU...

youtube.com

Old North Church History: Black and Indigenous People During the British Colonial Period

YouTube video by Old North Church & Historic Site

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Old North @oldnorth1723.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

In 1736, Minister Charles Wesley, the co-founder of Methodism, visited Old North Church and preached there for four consecutive Sundays. Old North has the distinction today of being the only church still standing in the United States where Charles Wesley once preached.

Portrait of The Reverend Charles Wesley by John Russell

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