The British Changing of the Guard at Faneuil Hall always catches the tourists off-guard. The series takes place near the original British barracks on State Street. Boston was occupied by British soldiers in the nine years before the American independence.
This historical program, jointly offered by Faneuil Hall Marketplace and the Freedom Trail Foundation, uses the troop of Freedom Trail Players, experienced 18th century costumed guides, who re-enact what might have been daytime and nightly guard duty in a hostile environment. The Boston Massacre began near this site with a confrontation between Boston citizens and a Redcoat guardsman.
In the Changing of the Guard, a military drummer accompanies soldiers to their posts, completes inspections and marches to their next post. In today’s real life Faneuil Hall, the soldiers are more than happy to talk about their postings in Boston.
