In celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence, the domestic lantern manufacturer handcrafted and…
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Northeast Lantern Recreates Lighting Associated With Paul Revere
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence, the domestic lantern manufacturer handcrafted and donated two replica lanterns on the steeple of Boston’s Old North Church.
To commemorate a pivotal moment at the start of the American Revolution, family-owned lighting manufacturer Northeast Lantern created two replicas of the lanterns that were hung from Boston’s Old North Church on the night of Paul Revere’s ride.
The Boston church was instrumental in alerting the colonists to the British troops’ approach. The lanterns symbolize the famous “One if by land, two if by sea” signal associated with Paul Revere.
The Old North Church’s website explains that on the night of April 18, 1775, the sexton and a vestryman broke military curfew and climbed the steeple to display two lanterns. The lanterns were a coded signal, devised by Paul Revere, that British troops were traveling across the Charles River (“by sea” and not “by land”) to seize military supplies.
It was in the spirit of celebrating this part of history – and especially significant to the New England area – that the idea for recreating these important lanterns took shape.
Several years ago, Northeast Lantern Custom Team Lead John Phelan crafted a brass lantern for the Old North Church’s popular Lanterns & Luminaries event. That project sparked the idea for recreating the iconic signal lanterns in corrosion-resistant solid brass that could hold up to Boston’s coastal environment. The manufacturer’s lifetime craftsmanship guarantee ensures the fixtures’ durability.
“I couldn’t stop thinking about the two lanterns that have historically captured our hearts and how they should be crafted in solid brass to last a lifetime of beauty,” Phelan said. The company decided to custom-manufacture and donate the lanterns to the church as a semiquincentennial gift.
To faithfully reproduce the original lanterns, Phelan and his team developed new tooling to capture the lanterns’ many distinctive details. Then, all of Northeast Lantern’s craftspeople were invited to take part in making the lights.
On July 1, the team traveled to Boston to install the two lanterns, which now grace the steeple windows of the Old North Church at 193 Salem Street. The new lanterns were in place in time for the city’s July 4th festivities.
