The only 17th Century building still standing in Boston is Paul Revere's house in North Square. Revere's father was a French immigrant named Appolos Rivoire who came to Boston in 1723. He was a goldsmith and changed his name to Paul Revere. His son Paul Jr. was born in 1735. In 1757, Paul Jr. married Sarah Orne. The family lived in the house from 1770 to 1800 and it is here that Paul became a revolutionary patriot.

In the early 1770s, he joined a group of 30 mechanics called the "Knights of the Green Dragon." They watched the British soldiers and Tories to learn of their movements. He later undertook his famous ride to warn the patriot militia of Lexington and Concord that the British army was coming.

In 1775, Paul and other patriots, moved out of Boston proper and into Watertown. He worked at engraving coinage for the new Continental Congress. In 1776, after the British forces left Boston, Paul moved to Philadelphia and learned how to make gunpowder. He built a powder mill in Canton and commanded the garrison on Castle Island to defend against the return of the British army.

After the Revolutionary war, Paul returned to his career as a silversmith. He later learned the art of bellcasting. Many of the older churches in New England proudly ring bells cast by Paul Revere.

When he was 65, Paul began a new business, copper rolling. His copper covered the keels of many of the United States Navy's first warships, including the USS Constitution.