<P> The church is a mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts . It is the oldest standing church building in Boston and is a National Historic Landmark . Inside the church is a bust of George Washington, which Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, reportedly remarked was the best likeness of the first president he had ever seen . </P> <P> The Old North Church was built in December, 1723, and was inspired by the works of Christopher Wren, the British architect who was responsible for rebuilding London after the Great Fire . Timothy Cutler was the founding rector after serving as third rector of Yale College from 1719 to 1722 . </P> <P> In April 1775, Paul Revere told three Boston patriots to hang two lanterns in the steeple . These men were the church sexton Robert Newman and Captain John Pulling--the two of whom historian David Hackett Fischer suggests each carried one lantern up to the steeple--as well as Thomas Bernard, who stood watch for British troops outside the church . The lanterns were displayed to send a warning to Charlestown patriots across the Charles River about the movements of the British Army . Revere and William Dawes would later deliver the same message to Lexington themselves, but this lantern method was a fast way to inform the back - up riders in Charlestown about the movements of the British; these back - up riders planned to deliver the warning message to Lexington and Concord in case Revere and Dawes were arrested on the way . </P> <P> The lanterns were hung for just under a minute to avoid catching the eyes of the British troops occupying Boston, but this was long enough for the message to be received in Charlestown . The militia waiting across the river had been told to look for the signal lanterns, and were prepared to act as soon as they saw them . </P>

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