Historic Site Events

Wednesday, September 17, 2025
7:00 – 8:30pm
With Dr. Patrick O’Brien
Live on Zoom
RSVP on Eventbrite 

Join the historian Patrick O’Brien on Zoom for a special discussion about the classic historical fiction novel Johnny Tremain.

Written in 1943 by Esther Forbes, Johnny Tremain is among the best-selling children’s books of the 20th century. Intended for middle schoolers, the novel’s protagonist is 14-year-old Johnny Tremain, an apprentice silversmith working in Boston in the 1770s. When Johnny’s dreams of becoming a silversmith are dashed by a tragic accident, he takes a new job as a horse-boy, riding for the patriotic newspaper the Boston Observer and as a messenger for the Sons of Liberty. Soon, Johnny is involved in the pivotal events of the American Revolution, from the Boston Tea Party to the first shots fired at Lexington, while he encounters historical figures like John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Dr. Joseph Warren. The book won the 1944 Newbery Medal and was adapted as a Disney film in 1957.

Patrick O’Brien, a history professor at the University of Tampa, will deliver a short presentation on the historical context surrounding the novel and then lead a discussion exploring themes from the book and what it means today as we approach America’s 250th anniversary. The discussion will be kind of like a virtual book club! This event is perfect for anyone who remembers reading Johnny Tremain as a child and for teachers and educators who would like to teach this novel with their students. While we encourage attendees to read (or re-read) Johnny Tremain before the talk, no prior knowledge or reading is required to enjoy and participate.

P.S. If you live in the Boston area, the Paul Revere House and the Friends of Christopher Columbus Park are hosting a free outdoor screening of Disney’s Johnny Tremain on September 12! Learn more here.

Saturday, October 4, 2025
7:00 – 10:00pm
The Old North Church
193 Salem St, Boston, MA
RSVP on Eventbrite

On Saturday, October 4, soccer lovers and history lovers will unite at the Old North Church for a very special New England Revolution Watch Party! Come to Old North’s beautiful Washington Garden to watch the Revolution take on Inter Miami at 7:30pm. Doors will open at 7:00pm. The first 20 fans to arrive will receive a complimentary Revolution scarf!

Please enter through the gate on Salem Street. We’ll have the game projected on a large outdoor screen and a cooler with water bottles. We encourage guests to bring their own seating, snacks, and beverages (alcohol is not permitted). Old North Church will be open so visitors can explore the history exhibit in our sanctuary and see the newly revealed angel paintings.

Established in 1723, Old North is the oldest surviving church building in Boston. Old North is famous for the events of April 18, 1775, when Patriots hung two lanterns in the church’s steeple as a warning from Paul Revere that British troops were headed to Lexington and Concord “by sea” across the Charles River. What better place to support the New England Revolution than this icon of the American Revolution? The event is free and RSVPs are strongly encouraged so that we can prepare to host you. Please claim “tickets” for you and your guests on Eventbrite to let us know you’re coming!

On April 16, 2025, we were honored to present the celebrated filmmaker Ken Burns with the Third Lantern Award at Lanterns & Luminaries, our annual celebration of “two if by sea.” The award recognizes those who embody the values of leadership, courage, hope, tenacity, and active citizenship.

This video includes the full program, including remarks by Mr. Burns, Senator Ed Markey, and Governor Maura Healey. Guests at Lanterns & Luminaries enjoyed a sneak peek of Mr. Burns’s new documentary, The American Revolution, which is scheduled to premiere on PBS on November 16, 2025. An abbreviated clip from the documentary is shown in this recording of Lanterns & Luminaries.