W3R Heritage Tour in Massachusetts 

Latest changes: 04Sep20 - add map and GPS coords / 04Nov20 - minor edits / 05May10 - update tour directions /

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Historical Overview

After dropping off the French Expeditionary Force (FEF) in Newport RI in 1780 July a number of French transports and ships-of-the-line were re-provisioned and repaired in the port of Boston. In 1781 June about 600 re-inforcements for the FEF were brought to Boston rather than to Newport. They marched south to join up with the main FEF in Providence RI, from which place they all went west to New York to join the U.S Continentals and go south to Yorktown.

When the French came north in 1782 they retraced the route to Providence and then went on to Boston rather than to Newport. About 5,000 of the FEF marched into Boston in December 1782 and boarded troop transports bound for the Caribbean Islands.

See the Main History Page for a more detailed history of the march of the re-inforcements for the FEF south from Boston and the march of most of the FEF north to Boston and embarkation from there.

Consider the economic benefit to Boston from the French squadron, then follow the footsteps of the reinforcements south to Providence.
You may print this as a ONE-PAGE MAP AND DIRECTIONS FILE.

A Note about "Official" W3R Routes

AUTO ROUTE THROUGH MASSACHUSETTS
[ver 2005 Aug 23] Note: Route needs field-checking.
Goal GPS in WGS84
Start in Boston at the Boston Massacre Monument, at the corner of State and Congress Streets (very hard to park nearby) N42-21.538; W071-03.419
Go 0.2 mile W on Court St and turn left onto Tremont St. Go 1.2 m S and turn left onto Dwight St. Go 0.2 m E and turn right onto Washington St. N42-20.598; W071-03.992
Go 9.7 m S through Roslindale to Dedham. N42-14.061; W071-10.997
Washington St becomes Rt 1A Go 9.9 m S through Norwood to South Walpole. Turn left on Water St and then right onto Rt 1. Go 8.7 m S through Wrentham to North Attleboro. N41-59.596; W071-19.745
Bear right on North Washington St. Go 0.8 m S and bear right onto Old Post Road. At 2.0 m this becomes Newport Ave. Go 3.1 m S to South Attleboro. N41-54.883; W071-21.535
At Irving (or Lockwood) Ave turn right and then left onto Rt 1. Go 2.7 m S, turn right on Exchange St Go 0.2 m E crossing the river and turn left on Roosevelt Ave Go 0.2 m S to to end at Slater Mill Site in Pawtucket RI. N41-52.628; W071-23.003


Base map is © 2005 DeLorme (www.delorme.com) Street Atlas USAź

Other Revolutionary-Era Sites

1 -- In Boston visit Bunker (or Breeds) Hill Monument, Fanueil Hall, Freedom Trail, Old North Church, Old South Meeting House, Old State House, Paul Revere's Home, and the U.S.S. Constitution (War of 1812).

2 -- There are many additional sites in the towns of Charlestown, Concord, Lexington, Lincoln, and Quincy (home of John Adams).

We hope to provide Web links to these in the future.


Food and Lodging near the W3R

We hope to provide Web links to these in the future.

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