Paul Revere’s House, 1770-1800

About Item:

Paul Revere bought his first home in 1770 when he was 35 years old. He moved in with his first wife Sarah Orne Revere and their six children. Over the course of his thirty years owning the home, lots of life events would take place. Sarah and Paul had eight children in total, although two died as young children. Sarah died in 1773, and Paul remarried a local woman named Rachel Walker. She moved into the house, taking over responsibility for the house and the children. Paul and Rachel had eight children, so he had sixteen kids altogether! Of course, they didn’t all live in this house at the same time, but it was still quite crowded. The Revere house was relatively large for its age (built in 1680), but quite small by our modern standards. 

Paul and his family also witnessed the entire American Revolution while living in this house. Paul left from here in 1775 for his now-famous midnight ride to Lexington, MA.

He sold the house in 1800, at the age of 65. But he stayed in the neighborhood, moving to a house a few blocks away on what is now known as Charter Street in Boston’s North End neighborhood. After 1801 he also had a second property in Canton, MA, where his copper rolling mill was located.

From the collection of Paul Revere Memorial Association