Where did President Gerald Ford light a third lantern for the 1975 Bicentennial program?

President Gerald Ford lit a third lantern at Boston’s Old North Church for the 1975 Bicentennial program.

Ford performed the ceremony on April 18, 1975, as part of events marking the approach of the United States Bicentennial. The third lantern symbolized America’s entry into its third century. The location connected the anniversary with the famous lantern signal associated with Paul Revere’s midnight ride.

The Old North Church, formally Christ Church in the City of Boston, is the oldest surviving church building in Boston. On April 18, 1775, two lanterns were displayed in its steeple to signal that British troops were moving by sea. That signal helped launch the chain of events remembered through the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

The 1975 ceremony is distinct from the original 1775 signal and from Ford’s next-day appearance at Old North Bridge in Concord. The lantern event took place in Boston, while the following commemoration took place in Concord, Massachusetts.