Suffolk County

One of America’s most historically rich cities, the story of our nation is evident on nearly every corner in Boston. Officially founded in 1630 by English Puritans who fled to the new land to pursue religious freedom, Boston is considered by many to be the birthplace of the American Revolution. It was here that the Sons of Liberty led by Samuel Adams, inspired colonists to fight for their freedom against the domination of British Rule.

On September 16, 1620, a group of Puritan Separatists (better known as “Pilgrims”) set sail from Plymouth, England aboard the Mayflower. These settlers spotted land off of Cape Cod on November 9 and began to make way for their destination. Shallow shoals near Nantucket made it virtually impossible for the Mayflower to advance. She was forced to turn around and finally dropped anchor off of present-day Provincetown, Massachusetts on November 21, 1620. The Pilgrims created a new home for themselves, suffering through the cold New England winters, but eventually thriving and creating a strong community.

A mere decade later another group of Puritan colonists, led by John Winthrop, arrived in North America. They first landed in Salem in June of 1630, but continued down the coast in search of clean, fresh water. The Shawmut Peninsula became their eventual home, as the town of Boston was officially founded in September of 1630. The Puritans came upon the lone resident of the Shawmut Peninsula, Reverend William Blackstone – an Anglican Priest who had left England in 1623 on a quest to find peace and quiet. He welcomed the Puritans onto “his land,” sharing the location of the fresh water spring. For his generosity, the Puritans granted him 50 acres of his own land, which he sold back to them 4 years later. Blackstone decided to leave Boston for present-day Cumberland, Rhode Island , saying, “I left England on account of the bishops, and I leave Boston on account of the brethren.”