Granary Burying Ground

The bar across the street from Granary Burying Ground bills itself as the only place you can drink a Samuel Adams beer while looking out the window at the grave of Samuel Adams. Many of the leaders of the Sons of Liberty are buried in this prime piece of real estate amid the office buildings at Tremont and Park Streets.

In addition to Adams, those with a final resting place at Granary Burying Ground include Paul Revere, John Hancock, the victims of the Boston Massacre [1], and Ben Franklin’s parents. (Despite the large Franklin monument, Ben’s remains are in Philadelphia [2].) Also look out for the grave of the original nursery rhymer, Mary “Mother” Goose.

The grave markers of the patriots all date from the 20th century—the originals were either stolen or “lost.” However, many of the gravestones here date from the 17th century. Their weatherbeaten forms are in a classic “tombstone” shape, often with eerie winged death skulls at their tops.