Old North Church and the 'one if by land, two if by sea' lantern story

Christ Church in the North End, known as the Old North Church, is the site traditionally linked to the lantern signal referenced in Longfellow's poem ('one if by land, two if by sea'). The church maintains that lanterns were hung in its steeple on the night of April 18, 1775 as a prearranged signal, a tradition commemorated at the site. Some historians debate how central the lanterns were to the larger warning system and note that Longfellow's poem simplifies and dramatizes the events of that night.