Testimonials

Dear Ben,

Without a doubt, the highlight of our trip to New England was our walking tour with you in Boston. The pictures of our 3 granddaughters wearing the colonial mob caps you provided will be cherished memories for Jody and I. Thank you so much for making the history of Boston come to life. We feel maybe you should start doing tours in Lexington and Concord too, as they need a guide like you, with your unique style. We took a tour there as well, with another guide, but were disappointed.

We listened to your CD's on the way home to Oklahoma. It is a wonderful story and the girls related to it as we drove down the highway.

To those who may read this in the future, you not only gave us a tour, but also for the time we had together, you became part of our family. That also we will cherish forever.

Your family and friends in Claremore, OK
Fred, Jody, Brittany, Tory and Emily

July 20, 2008

Ben,

We had an AMAZING time. Your tour was entertaining, informative and a lot of fun. I knew I made the right choice going with you within about 5 minutes. We appreciated your patience and understanding with our being so late. You also really went above and beyond the call by taking us up to the Constitution, which Mara and I appreciated. Anyway, thanks for a great tour and you will be hearing from us again when Mara's family comes up later this fall. Thanks again!

Jeff & Mara Quagliata
Oxford, CT

P.S. - We listened to the audio book on the way home and loved it. Maggie is downloading it for her grandkids and my father gave the password to my brother for my nephew. Great work.

August 2, 2008

Ben,

Hello again! We arrived home a few hours ago. Your tour was definitely one of the highlights of our trip to Boston! We were looking forward to your tour and you did not disappoint. The way that you're able to tie in your family history with the history of Boston was perfect. You really know your stuff. Our boys loved you, as well. It's not easy keeping the attention of our youngest, but you captured his interest from the get-go. We will be recommending your tour to other friends looking for a great adventure.

Thanks again for an uplifting and educational experience!

Sincerely,

Darrin and Kelly Tippens
Fredonia, NY

P.S. Feel free to add this to your testimonials! We loved the tour! Being a history-buff, I was blown away by your expertise.

Dear Ben,

Just wanted to thank you again for the brilliant tour you took us all on on Tuesday. For next year I will know to build in more time. It is so hard to have to travel up from the Cape with two classes of fifth grade students; but so worthwhile. We could not have had better weather as well and then the Boston cream pie for dessert! We have some great pictures of you with the kids. I will be sending them along with personal notes from the class. Now the kids are reading your book and loving it. What an inclusive, personable, educational experience! Thanks again for being so nice and so knowledgeable and informed. I'm impressed with your thorough research!

Dear Ben,

Last August (2005), when the temperatures and humidity were impossible to tolerate for my four students and me, you adjusted your schedule and itinerary to meet our needs and provided us with the best tour of our ten day excursion to the East Coast. You were thoughtful, kind, considerate of the students and their interests. You never spoke over their heads, but found a way to connect with each student. Today, I asked each of the students what they remembered about our trip to the East Coast, and each recalled Ben as the best guide. I cannot offer higher praise.

Charles Tripp and Joe, Edward, Annie, and Jane
Los Angeles, CA

Dear Ben,

After taking your private family tour during our recent trip east, we can't conceive of a better way of seeing historical Boston! Your passion for the people and places that shaped our history gave us a unique perspective. We felt transported back to the 18th century, and left with a better understanding of the struggles, needs and hopes of the patriots who sought to establish a democracy at that time. You made the tour fun for our children (ages 9 and 12) and added some interesting stories about your ancestors that helped bring Boston's history to life. We recommend your tour to everyone we know. Thanks Ben and keep up the good work!

The Segall Family
Laura, Jeff, Katie and Robert
Carlsbad, CA

Dear Ben,

Thanks for a very successful tour for our entire 5th grade class of over 140 students. Many of the teachers and chaperones who went have told me this was the best field trip they have ever been on - and that's going a long way considering they were moms who've been going on field trips with their kids for years and teachers who've been on a number of successful field trips during their careers! I would like to know, when can I reserve you for next year?

Dear Ben,

A final and very sincere thank you for the wonderful Freedom Trail tour for the 36 people in our children's choir group. It was one of the highlights of our trip to Boston. We so much appreciated you leading us around on Saturday as well, it was a big help. Please get in touch if you come to Chicago.

Alison Nelson
Dr. Nennis Northway
The Schola Choir
Grace Episcopal Church
Oak Park, IL

Dear Ben,

The children are still talking about the Freedom Trail tour we took with you. Your ability to convey history to a seven-year-old and 2 nine-year-old children was fantastic. It was even more impressive that you were able to keep up with all of the kids' questions. When we got to the Old North Church, after over two hours of touring, we knew that you had made them history buffs for life!

The Ricard and Knox Families
Natick, MA

Dear Ben,

My 17-year-old son and I recently completed a vacation, touring from Jamestown to Boston, visiting many historic sites. I must say that our day spent with you was not only an experience in living history, but very entertaining. You took us to sites not seen on a normal walking tour and personalized each one along the way. We have traveled extensively in the US and Europe, and my son felt that your family history and connection with Boston's past made your particular tour/talk relevant and enjoyable. I remember more from your tour than from many of the others I have had. I encourage anyone, families, groups, young and old alike - if you want Boston's history to come alive, take a walk with Ben Edwards.

If people need more encouragement, you may have them contact me at my personal email address.

Thank you again for an excellent day!

Shairrie & Peter Van Duzer
Alpine, CA

Dear Ben,

Those of us at the Utah Jazz who participated in your walking tour thoroughly enjoyed the experience. What was especially appealing was how you incorporated your own family history in the story line woven throughout the afternoon. Having a personal connection to the places we visited created an added value to the tour.

Thank you again and best of luck to you in your endeavors.

Linda Luchetti
Vice President, Communications
Larry H. Miller Sports & Entertainment
Salt Lake City, Utah

Dear Ben,

On behalf of the Board and staff of the Association of Children's Museums, I want to thank you for your excellent work and contribution to the success of InterActivity. Your tour was a valuable and unique addition to our conference, and we appreciate your enthusiasm and dedication during the planning process and event (even in the face of unpleasant weather). It has been a pleasure to work with you over the past few months, and we look forward to the opportunity to work together again in the future.

Thank you again for all of your effort and for helping make InterActivity 2006 a runaway success!

Nichole Anton Rothkopf
Program Coordinator, Education
Association of Children's Museums
Washington, DC

September 4, 2008

Hi Ben,

Personally and on behalf of the National Corn Growers Association, I offer sincere thanks for the stellar job you did in guiding our group around historic Boston last week. Everyone truly enjoyed the event. Your commentaries were excellent and clearly showed you love what you do.

Attached is a letter of recommendation (on NCGA letterhead) for possible use with potential clients.

Ben, it was a pleasure, sir. Keep up the great work.

Regards,

Tim Brackman
Director of Development
National Corn Growers Association
Chesterfield, MO

September 15, 2008

Dear Ben,

I have heard nothing but the best from my students regarding your tours. They are so impressed with the amount of interesting information you provide about the city. Our students come from over 35 countries and for many, this is their first time in the United States. Our students are from Belarus, Switzerland, China, Colombia, Mexico and Egypt (to name a few). The walking tour is a fantastic way to acclimate them to Boston. You take the time to really engage the group and in return, they always return to school with a new enthusiasm for the city they will call home in the year ahead.

Your tour was such a hit that I can definitely say we'll be back in the coming years.

Best,

Noelle Gross
Student Services Manager
Hult International Business School
Cambridge, MA

Ben,

I meant to write you earlier, but time has gotten away from me! Thank you so much for the tour of Boston. My whole family had SUCH a great time! My Dad loved all the facts about your family and even though history isn't my thing :), I really enjoyed all the interesting things you taught us during the day. We will definitely recommend your tour to anyone else that wants to learn more about Boston. Thanks again! My Dad is STILL talking about it, so you must have made a great impression on him especially!

Tracy Nameth
Kraft Foods
Glenview, IL

Dear Ben,

Thank you for another great tour of Boston's Freedom Trail sites. After taking your tour last year with my visiting cousins, I knew that my brother and his family would enjoy, and learn more during their recent visit to Boston by taking your tour. Your tour adds an important historical perspective to the Freedom Trail walk that we would have missed by walking from site to site on our own. The many photographs and original colonial newspapers that you share along the route really helped to make the people and events that we were discussing feel more real - and my niece and nephews loved your spyglass! You have a unique gift for engaging children and adults of all ages in dialogue, and a knowledge of Boston's history that makes it a unique and fun afternoon. I will recommend your tour enthusiastically to any friends visiting Boston, and I hope to take your tour again in the near future. Thanks again.

David Mack
Newton, MA

May 6, 2009

Dear Ben,

Being a homeschooling mom, I am always looking for experiences that will help teach what my girls are learning in their books. Your tour did exactly that and more! I loved learning about your own family history and seeing your collection of newspaper articles. ( I went online as soon as we got home to look at all the ones you have on the website.) I loved all the little-known facts you shared with us. The girls loved all the surprises: singing on the steps of the church, the pennies, the colonial caps, and of course, Mike's Pastry! Because we did the extended tour option, I thought that the younger girls might have a hard time; but you always had some little "carrot" dangling in front of them to keep their attention and it worked!! The best surprise was receiving a copy of your book! We will start reading it today. I believe our trip to Boston will go down in our family history as the best field trip EVER!! Thank you for a wonderful day. I will recommend you to all the homeschooling families I know!

Sincerely,

Danielle Denno
Athens, ME

July 14, 2009

Recently, I had the great pleasure of touring Boston for my third time. This trip, as the group leader for more than 30 high school social studies teachers, I acquired Ben Edwards as our guide. Ben worked with me via email for a few months tweaking what I wanted and what he could suggest for our group. Together we came up with a stellar tour (mostly Ben's ideas, only one was really mine). Ben arranged a reasonable, full day schedule for us and off we went. Ben's ability to tell the Story of History made the tour a treasure trove of tidbits, intrigue and rich content. Ben was a "historian"! Each stop had us anxiously waiting for him to start the next part of the story and show us his next primary source. If you intend to visit Boston, be sure Ben Edwards is with you. For every future trip I plan to Boston, Ben Edwards will be our guide.

Pamela Gothart
Teaching American History Project Director
Madison County Schools
Huntsville, AL

July 17, 2009

Dear Ben,

The tour for our 29 English language learners from Haiti, Brazil and Vietnam was wonderful. The kids in grades 5-11 were talking about it all day today. We are going to keep up the focus on family history and setting goals throughout the rest of our program. For the goalsetting piece, we'll be using "the spyglass" element from your book to help us out. I was able to download the poem "Paul Revere's Ride" from your website and use it (along with the fact oriented PDF) as a teaching tool. Thanks again for a great afternoon.

Jim Burke
Randolph Community Middle School
Randolph, MA

August 17, 2009

Hi Ben,

My husband and I wanted to thank you once again for the wonderful tour that you gave our family last Friday. It was truly a unique experience that the children have been talking about over and over again (they even watched "National Treasure" on Saturday with their copies of the Declaration of Independence close at hand...). You did a terrific job of keeping their interest and of simply making history come alive!! We enjoyed listening to your book on our way home to Montreal and could picture many of the locations that we had visited.

We'll be sure to recommend your tour to all of our friends the next time they visit Boston!

Kindest regards,

Sylvia Pateras
Montreal, CA