The Freedom Trail now has a Pop Up book, created by Denise D. Price and revealed at an Old North Church celebration. The idea for the book started with Ms. Price’s own walking of Boston’s Freedom Trail in 2010.
“I was stunned that Boston didn’t have a pop up book like New York or Washington, D.C.,” said Price. “With this city’s rich history and significant buildings, it seemed like a natural fit.” Price – an entrepreneur who doesn’t shy away from a challenge – decided to fill that void by creating one.
Credit: Sam Jones, Freedom Trail Foundation
The project began with Price dismantling and reassembling pop up books until she understood the process and techniques of paper engineering. Through countless hours of research and a lot of trial and error, she taught herself how to use various design programs and technology to illustrate the pages and ensure accuracy.
“It was extremely important to me that the details were perfect,” said Price. “The stewards of these buildings are so dedicated to preserving Boston’s heritage, I felt that I owed it to them to get it right.”
When large publishers turned down the project citing costs, Price remained determined. She launched a successful Kickstarter campaign with the goal of manufacturing and distributing the book on her own. This past December, Price traveled to Vietnam to see 5,000 books being assembled. There, she was finally able to hold the finished product in her hands, coming full circle from that spark of an idea she had five years ago. From the mast of the USS Constitution to the spire of the Old North Church, Freedom Trail Pop Up Book of Boston brings the city’s beloved icons to life. Depictions of the unique weathervanes, ornate gold domes, elegant brick patterns, and the rare vantage points may surprise even frequent visitors of the Trail.
Credit: Suzanne Taylor, Freedom Trail Foundation
The Freedom Trail® Pop Up Book of Boston will be available for purchase in select Freedom Trail historic sites’ gift shops, hotel gift shops, and bookstores around Greater Boston. The book will also be available online, and via thepopupbook.com and TheFreedomTrail.org. For more information about theFreedom Trail Pop Up Book of Boston by Denise Price, visit thepopupbook.com.
