The Paul Revere house is the 12th site along the Freedom Trail in Boston. In Fallout 4, the Paul Revere house is the 7th and penultimate stop before the red line of the "Road to Freedom" ends nearby at the Old North Church, the gateway to Railroad HQ.
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| A partially destroyed Paul Revere house in Fallout 4. Note the similarities with the IRL location, including the appearance of the adjacent buildings. Screen capture by Jewelsmith |
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| The actual Paul Revere house in Boston. Photo courtesy of Paul Revere House |
Paul Revere was born in Boston in 1734 (some sources say 1735). When he was 15 years old, he earned five pennies a month ringing the bells of the Old North Church.
He learned the art of gold and silver smithing from his father, and took over the family business at the age of 19, after his father died. He made tea sets, spoons, buttons, buckles and other items. He also provided engraving and repair services, business cards, and even dentistry on the side.
If you follow the route of Paul Revere's historic ride, you will end up at Minute Man National Historic Park, the real-life location of the Minuteman statue and bridge seen outside of Sanctuary Hills in the video game.
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| A portrait of Paul Revere painted by John Singleton Copley. Copley was born in 1738 and grew up on Boston's Long Wharf, not far from the Revere house. The painting is dated to 1768 and remained in the Revere family until gifted to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. |
A plaque beside the door of his house in Fallout 4 tells more of the real-life history of the location:
Built in 1680, this wooden building is the oldest structure in all of Boston. In 1770 this home was bought be famed patriot Paul Revere.
Paul Revere dwelled here with his family (including his 16 children) until 1800.
Paul Revere was living here when he made his famous midnight ride to Lexington and Concord to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that Redcoats were en route to arrest them and seize the militia weaponry.
After the British evacuation of Boston, he served as a lieutenant colonel and commander of artillery at Castle Island - inspiration for the Castle in Fallout 4.
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| The unmarked location of the Paul Revere House near the Old North Church and Railroad HQ, according to the Pipboy map in Fallout 4. Screen capture by Jewelsmith |
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| Google map showing the location of the Paul Revere House in relation to the Old North Church, Copps Hill Burying Ground, Haymarket and Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park in Boston, Massachusetts |
After Revere sold his house in 1800, it became a sailor's boarding house, then an immigrant tenement with shops on the ground floor. Over the years there was a candy store, cigar factory, bank and fruit business at the location.
His great-grandson, John P. Reynolds Jr, bought the building in 1902 to keep it from being demolished. The Paul Revere Memorial Association was formed to preserve and renovate the building, which has operated as a museum since 1908.
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| Another angle of the Paul Revere House in Fallout 4. The Freedom Trail seal and red line can be seen on the sidewalk just below the steps. Screen capture by Jewelsmith |
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| The real Paul Revere House at a similar angle for comparison. Even the red brick buildings, behind to the left, look similar in Fallout 4. Photo courtesy of Roadtrippers.com |
Today, the Paul Revere House stands at 19 North Square and is a national historic landmark, about a five-minute walk from the Old North Church in Boston's North End neighborhood.
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| Paul Revere equestrian statue by Cyrus E. Dallin Photo from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0 |
A statue by sculptor Cyrus E. Dallin, commemorating Paul Revere's role in U.S. history, stands in the Paul Revere Mall near the Old North Church.
I'll be writing more about Fallout 4 locations, and researching their real-world inspirations, in the months to come. Check back for updates or follow me on YouTube, Twitter or Patreon for more information.
~ Jewelsmith (aka JLHilton)
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