Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06
PAUL REvERE'S OLD
HOUSE is DESTROYED
Made His Memorable Ride 1873 Years
Ago-Everything Kept as Near
as Possible to the Way
He Left Place

Paul Revere's grandchildren and
great grandchildren went in numbers
April Is last from the Back bay to old
North square. They gathered at the
opening of their distinguished ances-
tors home, recently restored by the
Paul Revere Memorial association and
other patriotic organizations. 1t was
the 1881 anniversary of Paul Revere's
ride.
In the little, low studded, two-story
wooden building where the patriot livel
and died his descendants transported
themselves back 1873 years. Through
the quaint little windows they could
see the Old North church, from the
steeple of which Paul Revere saw the
signal lights described in Longfellow's
poem. The foreign born population of
the north end congregated at the en-
trance of the house, alone, disturbed
the historical accuracy OF the scene.
Old House the Same
Within the house everything was as
Paul Revere viewed 1t with the excep-
tion OF the necessary remodeling for
the preserving of the building. Over
the huge open fireplaces with their
blazing embers, were Paul Revere's
rifle. candles such as he used. the
quaint old toddy warmer, which his
own hands had put into the punch on
many wintry night. Nearby were the
old spinning wheel and the shingle
horse with which Revere had fash
ioned the shingles of the house.
On the walls hung portions of the Bos-
ton Gazette, in which Paul Revere read
the account of the fifth anniversary of
the Boston massacre May 5. III. and
other news of the time. An old-fash-
ioned canopied bed such as he slept In
and the very water ever which he used
himself were among the other fittings
OF the house the visitors to the opening
examined with interest.
The Paul Revere Memorial associa-
ton has already spent about $4,000 in
remodeling and fitting up the building.
Further improvements are contem-
plated. The small back yard Is to be
graded.
Extra precautions are to be taken
against the destruction of the building
by fire. After the building is closed for
the day many valuable relics will be re-
moved to place of safety. The build
ing will be open to the public, with a
custodian in charge.
John D. Long Speaker
Speeches by former Gov. John D.
Long and John P. Reynolds, jr., con-
stituted the formal part of the opening
Both dwelt on the significance of the
restoration of the old home of Paul
Of a manuscript written by Paul Re-
we're himself describing the memorable
ride. The manuscript has been pre-
served In the Revere family, and was
yesterday publicly exhibited for the
first time. Mr.. Long said in part:
'All honor and gratitude to the pious
and reverent and patriotic hands and
hearts which have rescued this roof.
this pure type of an old colonial home.
1t now stands In the very inundation
and overflow of a population foreign
born and coming to us utterly apart
from all the traditions, history. religion
and tone of the north end of Boston
in 1775. Yet every day 1t Is assimilat-
ing itself by the influence of our
schools and civic and political liIe to
the American spirit.
For that very reason especially flt-
ting 1t Is that this house should stand
here in its original mold and pattern
and tell to the generations now here
and hereafter here to come the story
of Paul Revere, the story of the tea
party the story of Lexington and
Bunker Hill, not as a story of war and
blood and slaughter, but as the story
of the stir and unheaval and struggle
and sacrifice out of which sprang the
fair flower of the independent and free
republic which Is now to them and to
al, the world the land of the free and
the home Of the brave"
Recalls Service In Army
After describing the remodeling of
the house and the care taken to have
everything as historically accurate as
possible, Mr.. Reynolds said
"Out of that door over there strode
Paul Revere 1873 years ago, ready to
ride forth and give the alarm. 1t has
become the fashion to think of him
only in connection with that event, but
his descendants like better to remem-
ber him as commissioned at 21 young
officer in the army, as the companion
of Hancock and Adams, as a public
spirited citizen and patriot
Beautiful as are Longfellow's lines,
no poem ever created hero, though
many hero has created poem, and
so, not for one single act alone, but
for the numerous noble acts of Revere,
1t will be many years yet before his
tory will cease to ring with his silvery
name"
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