Historic Site Events

Did you know that over 1,100 bodies lie beneath the sanctuary of Old North Church? Explore Old North’s crypt on an after-hours tour. These 45-minute guided adventures are jam-packed with fascinating stories about the people buried in the crypt, colonial death practices, and the latest archeological discoveries.

After-Hours Crypt Tours run Friday and Saturday nights at 5:30 and 6:15pm starting September 13, 2024. From October 18 – November 2, tours will run every night. Tickets are $20 per person. These tours usually sell out quickly and only have a capacity of 20 people, so grab tickets before they’re gone!

Please note that participants should be comfortable in a basement setting and navigating tight spaces. The crypt has low lighting, and uneven surfaces, and is not wheelchair or stroller accessible. Historical topics discussed include death, burials, and human remains.

This September, we will literally start uncovering history in Old North Church’s sanctuary! Beginning in 1727, congregation member John Gibbs painted angels in the corners (or spandrels) of each arch and festoons of ribbon and flowers on the flat columns (or pilasters) between the arches. A paint study several years ago proved that these elements still exist under the contemporary paint. Over the next several months, expert craftspeople are going to painstakingly remove the layers of paint to reveal more of Gibbs’s work. Later they will create replicas of the angels and garlands to apply to the rest of the church so it will look more like it did in years past.

In 2024 and 2025, visitors to Old North will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch long-hidden history being revealed. We’re so excited for everyone to enjoy a glimpse of the church as Paul Revere saw it! The scaffolding for the project goes up on September 23. Check back for more details soon!

Our Dearly Departed: A History of Mourning Jewelry
Live on Zoom
October 29, 2024
7:00 – 8:30pm 

Mourning jewelry in Western European (and later, American) culture dates back to the 16th century but gained huge popularity in the mid-19th century when Queen Victoria mourned the death of her beloved Prince Albert. A few years later, America was embroiled in a civil war with massive loss of life, also creating a big demand for items of mourning.

In this talk, Sarah Nehama, a metalsmith and antique jewelry collector, will give an overview history of mourning jewelry, beginning with the source of its early iconography in memento mori jewelry and objects. She will cover style, iconography, and materials from the mid-17th century up to the early 20th century, showing mourning jewelry’s place in connection to political and public figures, as well as intimate friends and family. Its relation to sentimental jewelry through this time period, particularly sentimental pieces incorporating hair, portraits, or photos, will also be covered. Sarah will have many visual examples to share, and she will highlight jewelry with specific New England connections.

The Cooking Revolution: How the Industrial Revolution Changed Our Kitchens
Live on Zoom
November 14, 2024
7:00 – 8:30pm 

For thousands of years, women cooked over open fires or hearths — using simple tools, a limited list of local seasonal ingredients, and without printed recipes for guidance. In the 1800s, the Industrial Revolution dramatically transformed almost every aspect of what we eat and how we prepare it.

In this online talk, author and historian Dr. Cynthia W. Resor will explore the changes in the kitchen, pantry, and on the table, as well as the changing roles of women over the 19th century and into the early 20th century using historical American cookbooks. Warning: this presentation might make you hungry!