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Offered languages
- English
Boston’s leading role in the American fight for women’s suffrage is found on the tree-lined streets of its elegant Back Bay neighborhood. This masterpiece of Victorian-era architecture is best experienced on foot, in a small group, with a local guide! Your 2.5-hour tour travels from Boston Common into historic Back Bay, visiting must-see landmarks such as the Public Garden, Newbury Street, and iconic Copley Square.
Our walking tour delves deeply into the years 1870 to 1920, tumultuous decades culminating in women earning the right to vote in the United States. Walk in the footsteps of prolific activists and financiers, visiting the political battleground for pro- and anti-suffrage groups.
With a captivating storytelling approach, Hub Town Tours provides the perfect introduction to Boston's role in the advancement of women’s rights. As we travel past key landmarks and historic homes, your guide shares captivating stories of the Bostonians who assembled the Women’s Suffrage Movement.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
The tour gathers inside the Boston Public Garden—opposite 67 Beacon Street (02108)—beside the Make Way for Ducklings statues, which are located in the northeast corner of the park.
The tour ends on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall beside the Boston Women's Memorial, approximately 0.8 miles from the tour start. The statues are in the center of Boston's Back Bay, a short walk from the Fenway neighborhood (west) and Downtown Boston (east).
Itinerary
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1Make Way for Ducklings Statues
Meet your guide inside the Boston Public Garden, in the northwest corner of the park opposite 67 Beacon Street (02108). Bronze sculptures by Nancy Schön, based on Robert McCloskey's classic children's book (1941), depict a mama duck proudly leading her band of ducklings.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
George Washington Statue (Pass by)
Iconic equestrian statue of George Washington (1859).
Admission ticket free -
2Boston Public Garden
First public botanical garden in the United States (1837).
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Site of school founded in 1887 by Pauline A. Shaw, financier of the women's suffrage movement in Boston and founder of Boston Equal Suffrage Association for Good Government.
Admission ticket free -
3
Originally established in 1630, this church later became a center of the Transcendentalist movement.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Home of Elizabeth Putnam, anti-suffragist and first woman to preside over a state electoral college.
Admission ticket free -
4
Home of Julia Ward Howe, who authored "Battle Hymn of the Republic" (1861) and co-founded the American Woman Suffrage Association (1869).
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Home of Blanche Ames, pro-suffrage cartoonist and early advocate for birth control.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Ames-Webster Mansion (1872) was centerpiece of the Ames family fortune and political involvement, including anti-suffragist Mary Shreve Ames and suffragist Blanche Ames.
Admission ticket free -
5Commonwealth Avenue Mall
Wide central boulevard with greenspace and statuary at the heart of Back Bay development plan.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Home of Mary Shreve Ames, president of the Massachusetts Anti-Suffrage Association.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
First women's college club in the United States (1890).
Admission ticket free -
6
Former site of Museum of Natural History (1864-1951).
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Former MIT chemistry lab, where Katherine McCormick protested against popular fashion as part of the suffrage movement.
Admission ticket free -
7Copley Square
Central public square designed to be the new cultural center of Boston (1883).
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
Trinity Church In The City Of Boston (Pass by)
Iconic church (1877) recognized by American Association of Architects as one of the top 10 buildings in the United States.
Admission ticket free -
8Boston Public Library
Third-largest public library in the United States (1848).
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Formerly Chauncy Hall, office site of multiple pro-suffrage organizations including Massachusetts Woman Suffrage Association and The Women's Journal.
Admission ticket free -
9Boston Marathon Finish Line
Finish line of the iconic Boston Marathon.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Hotel Kensington (1884-1967) housed offices of the Massachusetts Association Opposed to Further Extension of Suffrage to Women.
Admission ticket free -
10Newbury Street
Popular Boston outdoor attraction lined with shopping, dining, and numerous luxury brands.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Former Spiritualist Temple (1885), where women were allowed to lead public meetings.
Admission ticket free -
11
Memorial honoring three famous Bostonians: Abigail Adams, Phillis Wheatley, and Lucy Stone.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Additional info
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Not recommended for travelers that have trouble standing for extended periods of time.
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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