The Paul Revere House, 19 North Square, in Boston’s North End was one of ten winners for the 2017 Preservation Achievement Awards by the Boston Preservation Alliance. Selected projects had to demonstrate significant contributions to the character of Boston’s built environment.
The Paul Revere Memorial Association opened its new Education and Visitor Center at Lathrop Place in late 2016, marking the culmination of a transformational project and multi-year construction effort. Restoring as much original fabric as possible, including hearths, stairs and rails, and trim, the project team converted the former tenements into classroom and exhibit spaces, offices, and restroom facilities. The project also included extensive renovation of the courtyard between the Paul Revere House and the Visitor Center. The revitalized outdoor space now provides accessible routes through the site, open gathering space, and even exposes part of a cobble path uncovered by archaeologists. As stewards of not only the Paul Revere House but now the rowhouses as well, the Association has made a significant commitment to preserving Boston’s priceless history.
“Working in the confines of a historic house always leads to inherent tensions and compromises—school groups taught outside and people with limited mobility challenged if not excluded from seeing historic interiors,” said Greg Galer, Executive Director of the Boston Preservation Alliance. “With this innovative project all have access without negatively impacting the Paul Revere House itself, and visiting teachers are finding a whole new level of student engagement, just due to the focus a dedicated interior space provides.”
The new Center is perfectly located in an abutting 1835 row house that sits on land that once belonged to Paul Revere. Key features of Lathrop Place, an important but formerly forlorn historic building (windows, stairways, fireplaces, and clapboards) have been lovingly restored.
The 2017 Preservation Achievement Awards cut across a spectrum of work—from restorations to new construction, from industrial buildings to, new this year, a book—our winning projects hail from Brighton, South End, North End, Fenway, Back Bay, Copley Square, and Charlestown. Visit the Boston Preservation Alliance website to learn more about each of this year’s award-winning projects.
The Preservation Achievement Awards Ceremony and Reception will be held on Tuesday, September 19, 2017 at the historic Fenway Park at State Street Pavilion, 20 Yawkey Way. Tickets and more information.
The Paul Revere House has a new website highlighting the entire new landmark campus. It is also a great time to catch one of the highlighted Summer 2017 events at the Paul Revere House.
View more photos of the new Paul Revere House Education and Visitor Center.
