George Middleton House on the Black Heritage Trail in Boston
BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL
STOP 2
The second stop on the Black Heritage Trail is at 5 Pinckney Street, the house of George Middleton (1735-1815). Its grey-painted wooden exterior stands out from the brick buildings on the street. Built in 1787, it is one of the oldest houses on Beacon Hill.
Middleton fought in the American Revolution on the Patriot side, reaching the rank of colonel and commanding one of the few black militias during the war, the Bucks. He later became a community leader, founder of the Free African Society, and the 3rd Grand Master of the African Lodge of the Honorable Society of Free and Accepted Masons of Boston, the first black freemason lodge. The organization was founded by Prince Hall, one of Middleton’s contemporaries.
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Last updated on October 28, 2025
