The heritage trails in Massachusetts paint vivid pictures of days past. Yet they are also a great way to explore parts of the state you may not otherwise think to visit.

Surprising every step of the way, and perhaps the most famous heritage trail in the state, is the Freedom Trail. Beginning on Boston Common, where hordes of red-clad British troops once trained, the red-brick Freedom Trail connects 16 Boston landmarks. The Black Heritage Trail is also quite popular, as it explores the history of Boston’s 19th-century African-American community. The Salem Heritage Trail is a North Shore favorite: it transports you back to the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and the days of sea captains, pirates and noted novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne.

  • Fitchburg Historical Society

    Fitchburg

    Founded by James F.D. Garfield in 1892, the Fitchburg Historical Society is an independent non-profit that was created to collect,... more

  • Rock House Reservation

    West Brookfield

    Built by the glacier and blessed by indigenous tribes who hunted and worshiped here, the cave-like shelter and its surroundings... more

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