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Full Day in Lexington and Concord

Lexington visitors center.

1875 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, MA 02420

781-862-1450

The newly built Visitors Center was opened in June 2020, and is located right across the historic site, the Battle Green, where the first battle of the American Revolutionary War took place. The center offers several different costume guided tour options including the Battle Green tours, Liberty Ride Trolley tours, Step-On Charter Tours, and more. Inside, it has dedicated informational rooms for the Battle of Lexington diorama and the U.S.S. Lexington Memorial. The Center has bus parking, bathrooms, and a gift shop. It is in downtown Lexington right next to museums, restaurants, and gift shops, and there are many hotel options within 5 miles. The Town will be celebrating its 250th Anniversary of the Battle of Lexington in 2025.

Daily Hours: 9am – 4pm

On the one-hour tour, you will explore this National Historic Landmark with our costumed guide. You will learn about the notable sites and historic houses around Lexington Battle Green, where “the first blood was spilt in the dispute with Great Britain,” as George Washington wrote in his diary.

It is considered consecrated ground, both for the blood that was shed on it and for the militiamen who are interred here.

Buckman Tavern (1709)

1 Bedford St, Lexington, MA 02420, USA

781-862-5598

Built in 1709 by Benjamin Muzzey, the Buckman Tavern was a gathering place for both locals and travelers and the site of many important town meetings. Captain Parker and his militia gathered in this tavern in the early morning hours of April 19, 1775, to await the oncoming British Redcoat troops. Today, the building has been restored as a museum, with an upstairs which features galleries on a rotating and permanent basis.

Hop aboard the Liberty Ride and travel back in time!  The Liberty Ride is a 90-minute guided trolley tour. An entertaining and knowledgeable guide in authentic period dress will provide you with historically accurate information about the Battle of Lexington and Concord as well as life in Colonial America. During the trolley ride you will see historic sites and attractions in both Lexington and Concord.

Minute Man National Historical Park

210 North Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773

781-674-1920

Minute Man Visitor Center, the parking lot for which is at 210 North Great Road (Route 2A), Lincoln, MA, functions as the gateway to Minute Man National Historical Park. From May to the end of October, you can see the award-winning multimedia show, "Road to Revolution" every half-hour there.  

Concord Museum

53 Cambridge Turnpike, Concord, MA 01742

978-369-9763

The Concord Museum is the gateway to Concord’s remarkable revolutionary and literary history. Sixteen new galleries dramatically present the events of April 19, 1775 and Concord’s key role in the development of political, intellectual and religious freedom. Visit the Concord Museum and see where Concord’s history begins!

North Bridge Visitor Center

174 Liberty St., Concord, MA 01742

978-318-7810

North Bridge Visitor Center is located in a brick mansion built in 1911 by descendants of the Buttrick family. (Major John Buttrick was the colonial officer who first ordered his militia to fire upon British soldiers.) The North Bridge Visitor Center features a short video about the North Bridge battle, a bookstore and exhibits.

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Battles of Lexington and Concord

By: History.com Editors

Updated: March 28, 2023 | Original: December 2, 2009

The Battles of Lexington and Concord, fought on April 19, 1775, kicked off the American Revolutionary War (1775-83). Tensions had been building for many years between residents of the 13 American colonies and the British authorities, particularly in Massachusetts. On the night of April 18, 1775, hundreds of British troops marched from Boston to nearby Concord in order to seize an arms cache. Paul Revere and other riders sounded the alarm, and colonial militiamen began mobilizing to intercept the Redcoat column. A confrontation on the Lexington town green started off the fighting, and soon the British were hastily retreating under intense fire. Many more battles followed, and in 1783 the colonists formally won their independence.

Lead-Up to the Battles of Lexington and Concord

Starting in 1764, Great Britain enacted a series of measures aimed at raising revenue from its 13 American colonies. Many of those measures, including the Sugar Act, Stamp Act and Townshend Acts , generated fierce resentment among the colonists, who protested against “taxation without representation.” Boston, the site of the 1770 Boston Massacre and the 1773 Boston Tea Party , was one of the main points of resistance. King George III of Britain ramped up the military presence there, and in June 1774 he shut down the city’s harbor until colonists paid for tea dumped overboard the previous year. Soon after, the British Parliament declared that Massachusetts was in open rebellion.

Did you know? Paul Revere never shouted the legendary phrase later attributed to him (“The British are coming!”) as he passed from town to town during his midnight ride on April 18, 1775. The operation was meant to be conducted as discreetly as possible since scores of British troops were hiding out in the Massachusetts countryside. Furthermore, colonial Americans at that time still considered themselves British.

On April 18, 1775, Joseph Warren, a physician and member of the Sons of Liberty, learned from a source inside the British high command that Redcoat troops would march that night on Concord. Warren dispatched two couriers, silversmith Paul Revere and tanner William Dawes, to alert residents of the news. 

They went by separate routes in case one of them was captured. Revere crossed the Charles River by boat to get to Charlestown, where fellow patriots were waiting for a signal about the movement of British troops. The patriots had been instructed to look at the steeple of Boston’s Old North Church, which was visible to them because it was the highest point in the city. 

If there was one lantern hanging in the steeple, the British were arriving by land. If there were two, the British were coming by sea. Two lanterns were set out, and the covert signal was memorialized in American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride,” in which he wrote:

As Revere carried out his mission in Charlestown, Dawes left Boston and traveled along the Boston Neck peninsula. The two met up in Lexington, a few miles east of Concord, where revolutionary leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock had temporarily holed up. Having persuaded those two to flee, a weary Revere and Dawes  then set out again. On the road, they met a third rider, Samuel Prescott, who alone made it all the way to Concord. Revere was captured by a British patrol, while Dawes was thrown from his horse and forced to proceed back to Lexington on foot.

Fighting Breaks Out in Lexington and Concord

At dawn on April 19, some 700 British troops arrived in Lexington and came upon 77 militiamen gathered on the town green. A British major yelled, “Throw down your arms! Ye villains, ye rebels.” 

The heavily outnumbered militiamen had just been ordered by their commander to disperse when a shot rang out. To this day, no one knows which side fired first. Several British volleys were subsequently unleashed before order could be restored. When the smoke cleared, eight militiamen lay dead and nine were wounded, while only one Redcoat was injured.

The British then continued into Concord to search for arms, not realizing that the vast majority had already been relocated. They decided to burn what little they found, and the fire got slightly out of control. Hundreds of militiamen occupying the high ground outside of Concord incorrectly thought the whole town would be torched. The militiamen hustled to Concord’s North Bridge, which was being defended by a contingent of British soldiers. The British fired first but fell back when the colonists returned the volley. 

This was the “shot heard ‘round the world” later immortalized by poet Ralph Waldo Emerson . (Emerson was not the only artist moved to depict the battle; painter Amos Doolittle, known as “The Revere of Connecticut,” created four celebrated engravings of the Battles of Lexington and Concord.)

After searching Concord for about four hours, the British prepared to return to Boston, located 18 miles away. By that time, almost 2,000 militiamen—known as minutemen for their ability to be ready on a moment’s notice—had descended to the area, and more were constantly arriving. 

At first, the militiamen simply followed the British column. Fighting started again soon after, however, with the militiamen firing at the British from behind trees, stone walls, houses and sheds. Before long, British troops were abandoning weapons, clothing and equipment in order to retreat faster.

When the British column reached Lexington, it ran into an entire brigade of fresh Redcoats that had answered a call for reinforcements. But that did not stop the colonists from resuming their attack all the way through Menotomy (now Arlington) and Cambridge. 

The British, for their part, tried to keep the colonists at bay with flanking parties and canon fire. In the evening a contingent of newly arrived minutemen from Salem and Marblehead, Massachusetts, purportedly had a chance to cut off the Redcoats and perhaps finish them off. Instead, their commander ordered them not to attack, and the British were able to reach the safety of Charlestown Neck, where they had naval support.

Effects of Lexington and Concord

The colonists did not show great marksmanship that day. As many as 3,500 militiamen firing constantly for 18 miles only killed or wounded roughly 250 Redcoats, compared to about 90 killed and wounded on their side. 

The relatively low casualties of the Battles of Lexington and Concord proved they could stand up to one of the most powerful armies in the world. News of the battle quickly spread, reaching London on May 28. A few months later, the British narrowly defeated the Americans in Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, the low number of casualties once again showing the strength of patriot forces. By the following summer, a full-scale war of independence had broken out, paving the way for the creation of the United States of America.

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Historic sites

Visitor centers.

The Lexington Visitor Center , operated by the Lexington Chamber of Commerce , is located near the Lexington Battle Green and the Buckman Tavern. At the Center, you can view a diorama of the Battle of Lexington and pick up brochures and directions to area attractions. Public restrooms are available.

The Minute Man National Historical Park Visitor Center on route 2A in Lincoln offers orientation programs, exhibits, information, ranger programs, and a bookstore. This is a good place to begin your visit to the Park. One feature of the exhibit design is a specially-commissioned mural by artist John Rush that depicts Colonists and British Redcoats fighting along the Battle Road. Public restrooms are available.

The North Bridge Visitor Center at Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord is in the former mansion of Major Buttrick of the Concord Minute Men. The Center offers an exhibit of clothing, uniforms, and accoutrements of Colonial militia and British Regulars as well as information, ranger programs, and a bookstore. Public restrooms are available.

The Concord Visitor Center , operated by the Concord Chamber of Commerce , is located on Main Street in the center of Concord behind the Middlesex Savings Bank. At the beautiful new Center, brochures and information for Concord area attractions are available. Public restrooms are located at the Visitor Center.

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Battles of Lexington and Concord

The Battles of Lexington and Concord on 19 April 1775, the famous ‘shot heard ‘round the world’, marked the start of the American War of Independence (1775-83). Politically disastrous for the British, it persuaded many Americans to take up arms and support the cause of independence.

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The Battle of Lexington, 19 April 1775

The context

Britain’s 13 American colonies were founded in the 17th and early 18th centuries. They ran along the eastern coastline from Massachusetts in the north to Georgia in the south. Most of the colonists were doing well as the American economy was thriving. They had the highest standard of living and lowest taxes in the western world.

Each colony was administered by a royal governor, his council and an elective colonial assembly. The governors also controlled the troops in their colonies. These policed the towns and ports and defended the settlers from border attacks by Native Americans and the French.

British victory in the Seven Years War (1756-63) sowed the seeds of the American revolt. It freed the colonists from the need for protection against the French threat on their frontier. It also gave free rein to the forces working for independence.

The British wanted to increase taxes and make the colonies pay for their defence. The colonists argued that only their own assemblies, and not the British parliament, had a right to levy taxes.

British redcoats, c1771

Boston Tea Party

In December 1773 the colonists dumped a cargo of British tea into Boston harbour in protest at the Crown's attempt to tax imports. In response to the ‘Boston Tea Party’, the government introduced a series of measures known as 'Intolerable Acts'.

They closed the port of Boston, dissolved the colonial assembly and placed Massachusetts under military rule and the command of Major-General Thomas Gage.

John Malcolm, a British customs officer captured by the Boston mob, January 1774

Prosperity and liberty

Until this time, the colonies had been allowed to develop with little interference. But now London was attempting to tighten its political control. Many colonists were convinced that their economic prosperity and liberty were at stake. As the dispute continued, they gradually took over the local militias and started arming and drilling.

Acting on intelligence that the militia were stockpiling weapons, Gage ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Smith to march to Concord and seize the arms.

On 19 April 1775 Smith encountered militiamen at Lexington Green. The latter had been forewarned about British plans and had quickly mobilised.

This cartoon, entitled ‘The Bostonians in Distress‘, symbolises the closing of the port by placing its inhabitants in a cage suspended from the Liberty Tree, c1774

Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith, 10th Regiment of Foot, 1764

In 1775 there were about 7,000 British redcoats in America, with around 4,000 in Massachusetts itself.

Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Smith (1723-91) commanded the 800-strong force, drawn from several regiments, that was sent to seize the arms. An officer with 12 years’ colonial experience, Smith had served in America since 1767.

Most of the militiamen were farmers or tradesmen, including the commander of the Lexington militia, John Parker (1729-75). He had fought for the British during the Seven Years War at Louisburg (1758) and Quebec (1759).

Non-uniformed, they were armed with a variety of firearms including muskets and fowling pieces.

Most militiamen served for only a few months at a time and were unavailable for lengthy operations. Their best soldiers were the 'minute men’, militia who had undertaken to turn out at a minute's notice. Quick-moving, they were better suited to irregular warfare and skirmishing than European-style military manoeuvring in formation.

Around 80 militiamen were present on Lexington Green and around 500, commanded by Colonel James Barrett (1710-79), were at Concord. At least 3,500 were present by the time the British returned to Boston.

After being warned of opposition on the road ahead, Smith ordered his light infantry, under Major John Pitcairn, to move forward while he stayed with the main body of troops.

Pitcairn's men encountered about 80 militiamen under John Parker in parade-ground formation. Parker knew he was outnumbered, but probably thought violence could be avoided. He was putting on a show of political strength rather than placing his men in fighting position.

Pitcairn called on the militia to disperse. But just as this was about to happen, shooting broke out. It is unclear who fired the first shot - both sides had given orders not to fire - but eventually the British discharged a volley and charged with fixed bayonets. Eight militiamen were killed and ten wounded. One redcoat was injured.

Captain Thomas Hewitt, 10th Regiment of Foot, who commanded a light company at Lexington, 1781

North Bridge

Smith arrived soon after to find Pitcairn’s troops scattered and pursuing the retreating militiamen. After restoring order and reforming his light infantry, he pushed on to Concord.

Rather than fight in Concord itself, the rebels withdrew to North Bridge. While the British fruitlessly searched the town for arms, the rebels awaited reinforcements there.

Some hours later there was a second skirmish between 90 light infantrymen sent to secure the bridge and around 500 militiamen led by Barrett. Finding themselves outnumbered and outmanoeuvred, the light infantry retreated back to the town having suffered several casualties.

On hearing gunfire, Smith marched his men towards the bridge where there was a tense stand-off before the British withdrew towards Boston. However, they were caught by the arrival of more American reinforcements and pressured into a fighting retreat.

The militia’s early warning system was crucial in assembling these men. They now had sufficient numbers to inflict heavy damage on the British.

Smith’s force was repeatedly ambushed and sniped at as it withdrew along the roads to Boston. Several officers were killed or wounded as Smith struggled to maintain control. His men lost discipline and hurried onwards in a general retreat.

This French print shows British troops fleeing from the American militia, 1775

Reinforcements

By the time it reached Lexington, the column was near collapse. A brigade of British reinforcements, under Brigadier-General Hugh Percy, was waiting there.

After dispersing the pursuing militia with artillery, Percy covered the retreat back to Boston. During the journey the militia repeatedly fired upon the 1,700-strong force, but Percy’s well-planned defensive formations fought them off.

Many of the British had not slept for two days and had marched 40 miles (64km) in 21 hours, much of it under fire. The casualties sustained during the retreat, from an often-unseen enemy, along with the alleged scalping of a redcoat, led them to commit atrocities against the locals.

During the retreat the British lost 73 killed, 173 wounded and 26 missing. American losses were 50 killed, 39 wounded and five missing. Within two days 15,000 men from across New England had assembled and surrounded the British in Boston.

Brigadier Hugh Percy, c1768

The consequences

Lexington was not a serious military defeat, but it was politically disastrous for the British. Smith’s expedition managed to seize few weapons and caused the very fighting it was intended to prevent. The violence turned a colonial revolt against British policy into a fight for political independence .

Lexington and Concord led many Americans to support the 'revolution'. For John Adams, these battles were the moment ‘the Die was cast, the Rubicon crossed’. They also showed that American citizen soldiers could stand up to redcoats; something previously doubted by many on both sides. 

Newly emboldened, the Americans laid siege to Boston. The British position there was fairly secure once reinforcements arrived at the end of May 1775. They were, however, continually menaced by fire from the surrounding hilltops.

To counter this, on 17 June British troops were ferried across to Breed’s Hill on the Charlestown Peninsula. Here, at a cost of more than 1,000 casualties, they defeated the revolutionaries at Bunker Hill, the first major battle of the American War of Independence .

The Battle of Bunker Hill, June 1775

Lexington and Concord started a war that resulted in Britain losing her American colonies. Unsurprisingly, these battles were conveniently forgotten in Britain. However, they soon became vital parts of the foundation story of the United States.

For years afterwards they were portrayed as British attacks on innocent freedom-loving Americans. Many of the truths about the battles, such as who fired first and the importance of the militia preparations, were ignored.

Their status was elevated in Ralph Waldo Emerson’s ‘Concord Hymn’ (1837). First read at Concord on 4 July 1837, his poem, which includes the famous line ‘the shot heard ‘round the world’, became central to the mythology of the American Revolution.

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Lexington and Concord

When 8 men were shot by British soldiers on Lexington Green just three years after the Boston Massacre, the countryside of Massachusetts fired back the blast we now call “the shot heard ‘round the world.” Hear the tale of the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere while traveling on the path he rode. Be stunned to stand on the site of the morning’s first shootings in Lexington. Walk over the Old North Bridge, and imagine you were there at the exact moment that the American War for Independence began on April 19th, 1775. This incredible tour allows guests to be at same locations where the soldiers of the British Empire and the farmers of the Continental countryside squared off to start the push for a new nation that would lead to the United States of America. Many of the farmhouses and sites from the night are still standing, and the area has remained undeveloped, making this tour a journey back into time, better than any film set or book. In addition, discover the literary world of the Transcendentalists Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Bronson Alcott, Bronson’s daughter Louisa May Alcott (Little Women), and their neighbor Nathaniel Hawthorne. The tiny town of Concord has produced an outsized contribution to the founding of the nation and its rich literary history.

Lexington Battle Green

Hancock-Clarke House

Paul Revere Capture Site

Hartwell Tavern

Wayside (Hawthorne’s House)

Orchard House (Alcott Residence)

Sleep Hollow Cemetery (author’s ridge)

Old North Bridge

Walden Pond/Thoreau Cabin replica

This tour is minimum 3 hours, but can be extended up to 6 hours.

A vehicle is required for this tour.

One of our guides can accompany you in your vehicle for $150.00 per hour.

Unfortunately, we cannot arrange vehicles at this time.

May through October, this tour can be done by bicycle.

Please  call or email  for details.

The Orchard House , the Old Manse , and The Wayside all offer tours inside for a small additional fee. Please let us know if you’d like to build in a visit to one of these beautiful historic homes. ​

If it’s summertime, we’d love to take you swimming! Bring swim clothes, and we can usually get into Walden Pond , a wonderful place for the public to swim. Be warned! On the weekends, it can get crowded, and only 1000 people are allowed down to the pond at a time for reasons of conservation and preservation. But the water, as a result, is pristine, and super nice on a hot day.

We can walk with you to the original site of Thoreau’s Cabin . It adds roughly 15 minutes there, and 15 minutes walking back from the Walden Pond parking lot.​

We recommend having lunch in Concord, or else coming back to the Boston area, where Harvard Square is a great spot for it. Let us know if you need recommendations, or if you’d like to build lunch into the tour at an historic (or else just tasty) restaurant.

We Can't...

Please note! A vehicle IS required to make this tour path. Our guides can accompany you in your own vehicle, or we can arrange vehicles and drivers for smaller groups (1-14). If you need a mini bus or a full size motor coach, we can suggest places to book, but we cannot arrange the larger vehicles for you.

Full sized motor coaches may not enter the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.​​

Large groups wishing to make a visit to Walden Pond must make a reservation. Small fees for parking may apply.

Concord Visitor Center open 7 days, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Visit us today at 58 Main St.

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Home » CONCORD250

Celebrating 250 years of American spirit

The 250th anniversary of the historic battles of Concord and Lexington is approaching on April 19, 2025. Concord250 commemorates the semiquincentennial, or 250th anniversary of  the American Revolution, which began here in New England. Two hundred fifty years ago, the men and women of what is now Massachusetts secured their independence from Britain and created a new nation dedicated to the ideals of liberty, equality, natural and civil rights and responsible citizenship. Concord250 honors our first 250 years and inspires Americans to imagine our next 250. To mark this significant anniversary, residents, friends, and neighbors of Concord are invited to commemorate and celebrate this anniversary throughout the entire year.

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Concord250 Event: The Life of Benjamin Ralph Kimlau

Benjamin Ralph Kimlau (金勞少尉) (April 11, 1918 – March 5, 1944) was a Chinese American aviator and United States Air Force bomber pilot and native son of Concord.

Concord250 Event: Half American: A Memorial Day Forum at Concord Museum

Join Dartmouth College Historian Matthew F. Delmont for a forum on his award-winning new book Half American: The Heroic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad.

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High School students living or attending school in Concord were asked to submit Essays for the Concord 250 Essay Contest

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In celebration of the 250th, Concord is planting 250 Trees! This living monument celebrates Concord's revolutionary past , as well as aspirations for the future.

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Ellen Garrison: Scenes from an Activist’s Life

The Umbrella Arts Center is proud to present the world premiere screening of the Half the History film, Ellen Garrison: Scenes from an Activist’s Life, filmed in Concord by Five Sisters Productions.

Our Past Becomes Our Future

Part of commemorating Concord 250 is connecting to the past to inspire our future. Concord 250 is exploring the compelling, complex, and rich histories that make us who we are.

Concord Revolutionary War Sites

Wright Tavern

The Wright Tavern looks today as it did on the eve of the American Revolutionary War. This structure, built in 1747, is the location that the Committees of the Provincial Congress, and the Headquarters of the Minutemen the day before the “Shot heard around the world”!

On April 19, 1775, the day of the beginning of the war, this tavern changed hands and fell under British command. Located on Lexington Road in Concord, this is a must see location for American Revolutionary War enthusiasts.

Old North Bridge

Concord’s North Bridge is the site of “the shot heard ‘round the world.” Here in this beautifully restored 19th century landscape, you will find the famous Minute Man statue by Daniel Chester French The North Bridge is part of the Minuteman National Historical Park

Meriam’s Corner

The Meriam family lived at this corner, located within Minute Man National Historical Park, between 1663 and 1870. The Meriam House, a grey house at Meriam’s Corner, was built in 1705 and in 1775 was occupied by Nathan and Abigail Meriam and their eleven children. Josiah Meriam was a sergeant in a minute man company and his son, Josiah, Jr., was a private in the company.

After the fight at North Bridge on April 19, 1775, Meriam’s Corner was the next major engagement along Battle Road. At this location, thousands of militiamen from neighboring towns converged to bully the British back to Boston, thus beginning the Siege of Boston.

Revolution 250

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National Park Service

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The Orchard House

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Concord Anniversary Celebrations

Peace of paris.

The signing of the Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, formally ended the French and Indian War and marked the beginning of an era of British dominance outside Europe. Britain gained control of France’s claims in mainland North America east of the Mississippi. Although Britain doubled its colonies, its economy was nearly bankrupted by the cost of the war.

Proclamation of 1763

The Proclamation of 1763 “preserved to the said Indians” the lands west of the Appalachian Mountains, forbade white settlement, and restricted commerce with the American Indians. Power over westward expansion was now in the hands of British officials.

The Sugar Act

To maintain the army and repay war debts, Parliament imposed new duties on colonial trade. The Sugar Act taxed imported wines, coffee, textiles, and indigo and expanded the customs service. The Royal Navy patrolled the coast to search for smugglers, who were tried in special courts without a jury.

“No taxation without representation”

James Otis, in The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved , carried his objection to a specific tax on sugar to a generalized argument in favor of natural rights and the consent of the governed. Otis, whose sister Mercy Otis Warren was also an American propagandist, is credited with coining the phrase “No taxation without representation.”

The Currency Act

The Currency Act prohibited colonial governments from issuing paper money and required that all taxes and debts to British merchants be paid in British currency.

The Stamp Act

Parliament passed the Stamp Act to help pay for British troops stationed in the colonies during the French and Indian War. The act required the colonists to pay a tax, represented by a stamp, on various forms of papers, documents, and playing cards.

Fall, 1765 – Stamp Act Response

• Stamp Act required printed materials use embossed stamped paper on which a tax had been paid considered way to recoup costs of defending colonies in late War. Fiercely resisted as an unlawful tax – no taxation w/o rep – no reps in parliament.
• Response  – “Braintree Instructions,” authored by John Adams as Braintree’s instructions to its representative in the General Court (Sept. 1765), and circulated around the countryside, which articulated the colony’s grievances. 
• Other towns eventually adopted similar “resolves.” (Note time lag) usually as an instruction to the town’s representative to protest/resist the act in the General Court. Look for “resolves”
• Stamp Act repealed March 1766 – may see references to great rejoicing, victory.

Patrick Henry accused of treason

Patrick Henry was accused of treason for denouncing the Stamp Act in the Virginia House of Burgesses. Legend has it that Henry declared, “If this be treason, make the most of it!”

Colonists react to the Stamp Act

Reaction to the Stamp Act ranged from boycotts of British goods to riots and attacks on tax collectors. In this letter, Archibald Hinshelwood, merchant and rising politician from Nova Scotia, describes his impressions of the Stamp Act and of the resulting colonial unrest.

Townshend Acts

Chancellor of the Exchequer Charles Townshend imposed new duties on imports of glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea in the colonies. Revenue paid the salaries of governors and judges, preventing colonial legislatures from exercising the power of the purse over those officials.

1767-8 Townsend Acts and Responses – Things Heat Up

• Parliament passed a series of acts placing duties on imported paper, paint, lead, glass, and tea. 
• Samuel Adams authored a “Circular Letter” from Boston to Mass. towns and to the other colonies. It laid out grievances and sought input from other assemblies.
• Look for responses supporting the “Boston Letter” or resolves to encourage local manufacturing (to replace dutied items)

June-July 1768 British Response to Massachusetts Circular Letter – ultimatum to Mass. General Court: rescind letter or be dissolved. Ninety-two representatives (later to be honored as “the 92”) refused to rescind, and the assembly was forcibly dissolved. Huge backlash against bridging colonial right of assembly .

Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania

In his series entitled Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania , John Dickinson called on colonists to resist the Townshend Duties. The letters, which were published in many colonial newspapers, helped turn opinion against the Townshend Acts.

British troops arrive in Boston

After Britain imposed the Townshend Duties in July of 1767, the colonists became even more restive. In 1768 two regiments of British troops arrived in Boston to quell the nascent rebellion.

1768 – Arrival of British Troops. Boston responded to the dissolution of the provincial assembly and Boston’s occupation by British troops by calling for “ a convention of towns” to meet in order to devise a “ speedy redress” of their grievances. Look for articles discussion whether to attend convention and voting on whom to send as representative.

1768 & 1769 – Non-Consumption Agreement s – Samuel Adams called for a complete economic boycott of all British goods. Some towns ignored this, some mildly called to “Increase frugality and home manufactures,” others wholeheartedly embraced the boycott. Boston voted to promote local industry and home products and to curtail imports of the enumerated goods.

Receipt for land purchase from the Six Nations

The British authorities hoped to prevent further conflicts between white settlers and American Indians by forbidding the continued migration of settlers and by paying the Indians for lands they had already occupied. After giving up their land, the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy dispersed, with some staying in western New York and others traveling north to Canada and west to Wisconsin.

The Boston Massacre

By the beginning of 1770, there were 4,000 British soldiers in Boston, a city with 15,000 inhabitants, and tensions were running high. On the evening of March 5, crowds of day laborers, apprentices, and merchant sailors pelted British soldiers with snowballs and rocks. A shot rang out, and then several soldiers fired their weapons. When it was over, five civilians lay dead, including Crispus Attucks, an African American merchant sailor who had escaped from slavery more than twenty years earlier.

Phillis Wheatley on tyranny and slavery

Entitled “To the Right Honourable William, Earl of Dartmouth,” Wheatley’s famous poem reflects the colonists’ hopes that Dartmouth, the new secretary of state for the colonies, would be less tyrannical than his predecessor. Wheatley declares that her love of freedom comes from being a slave, comparing the colonies’ relationship with England to a slave’s relationship with a slave holder.

And can I then but pray Others may never feel tyrannic sway

Late 1772/early 1773 – Boston Pamphlet – Sam Adams again attempted to rouse public resistance by publishing an account of a Boston Town Meeting in which the citizens

•  laid out their rights,
• chronicled the ways in which those rights had been violated
• and called on other towns to form Committees of Communication to network

The Tea Act

To save the East India Company from bankruptcy, Parliament authorized the company to sell a tea surplus directly to the public without payment of duty. This effectively gave a monopoly to the East India Company. The move sparked protests ranging from boycotts by women to the famed Boston Tea Party of December 16, 1773.

Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts)

Parliament enacted the Port Act as a reprisal for the Boston Tea Party. The first of the “Intolerable Acts,” the Port Act closed Boston harbor to all shipping until payment for the destroyed tea was made. In May, two additional Intolerable Acts forbade public meetings in Massachusetts unless sanctioned by the royal governor and transferred any trial of a British official accused of a capital offense to England or another colony.

Massachusetts Government Act

Passed by the Parliament of Great Britain effectively abrogating the 1691 charter of the Province of Massachusetts Bay giving its royally-appointed governor wide-ranging powers. The colonists said that it altered, by parliamentary fiat, the basic structure of colonial government, vehemently opposed it, and would not let it operate. The act was a major step on the way to the start of the American Revolution in 1775 .

Middlesex Convention

Took place in Concord. The delegates resolved to say that the recent acts of the British Parliament are tyrannical and go against any notion of jurisprudence. The delegates reiterated their loyalty to the Crown, however they maintained their duty to protect their rights that had been granted through the Massachusetts Charter.

Massachusetts Provincial Congress

Meets in Concord after Royal Governor Thomas Gage dissolves the provincial assembly.  With John Hancock as its president, this extralegal body became the de facto government of Massachusetts outside of Boston.  It assumed all powers to rule the province, collect taxes, buy supplies, and raise a militia. Hancock sent Paul Revere to the First Continental Congress with the news that Massachusetts had established the first autonomous government of the Thirteen Colonies .

First Continental Congress

The First Continental Congress, called in response to the Intolerable Acts, met in Philadelphia. All thirteen colonies except Georgia were represented. They composed a “Declaration of Rights and Grievances,” which detailed “grievous acts and measures” imposed by the Crown to which “Americans cannot submit.”

By 1774 – 1775, you should be seeing notes in your town meeting records about

• Establishing, equipping, training local militia and minute companies
• Gathering/storing arms, ammunition, and medical supplies
• Voting to send representatives to the extra-legal Provincial assemblies
• Participating in actions to close courts
• Establishing Committees of Correspondence & of Safety (local, extra-legal govt.)
• Sending tax revenues to provincial collector Henry Gardner of Stow vs. royal agent
• Sending goods to relieve Boston’s distress
• Voting to erect a Liberty Pole

Harassing those suspected of Tory sympathies, requiring them to sign loyalty pledges

Slave trade halted

In late 1774 Congress halted the slave trade as part of anti-British protests. Historian James O. Horton notes that “the Revolution puts in sharp relief the difference between America’s ideals and rhetoric and America’s practice.”

  View the pay warrant for Sharp Liberty, an African American soldier who served in the Connecticut Line of the Continental Army.

The American Revolution began with the “shot heard ’round the world.” At the battles of Lexington and Concord, seventy-three British troops were killed and two hundred were wounded or missing in action. The patriot losses were forty-nine dead and forty-six wounded or missing.

Colonies declared in “open rebellion”

On July 5, 1775, one year before they would declare independence, the Second Continental Congress sent the Olive Branch Petition to England. The king refused to even look at it, and instead issued the Proclamation for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition, declaring the colonies to be in “open and avowed rebellion.”

King George III’s address to Parliament

King George III addressed Parliament to declare that Great Britain would not give independence to the colonies: “The object is too important . . . to give up so many colonies which she has planted with great industry, nursed with great tenderness, encouraged with many commerical advantages, and protected and defended at much expence of blood and treasure.”

John Adams’s plan

In a letter to a fellow Continental Congress delegate, Adams described the basic structure of what would become the American government, including the separation of powers: “A Legislative, an Executive and a judicial Power, comprehend the whole of what is meant and understood by Government.” The ideas presented in this letter had a profound influence on the state constitutions of Virginia, New York, Massachusetts, and ultimately, the federal Constitution.

The Declaration of Independence

On July 2, 1776, Congress declared independence from Great Britain and two days later adopted the Declaration of Independence. Copies of the Declaration were then sent out to the new “Free and Independent States” to print and distribute.

  Watch David Armitage on “The International Influence of the Declaration of Independence.”

Articles of Confederation

The Second Continental Congress named a committee to draft the Articles of Confederation to define the relationship between the thirteen new states. The members worked from June 1776 until November 1777, when they sent a draft to the states for ratification. On December 16, 1777, Virginia became the first state to ratify the Articles of Confederation. Maryland was the last, holding out until March 1, 1781.

Women and the Revolution

Women played many roles in the Revolution on both sides of the conflict. They boycotted tea, saved money and goods for the troops, and harbored fugitives. In a letter to her husband in 1777, Lucy Knox describes local unrest, including the arrest of Bostonians suspected of being Tories and the involvement of the local mob in Revolutionary politics. She also reports on the high cost of goods, noting that “the price of every thing is so exorbitant indeed it is difficult to get the necessarys of life here.”

Valley Forge

The American army claimed a major victory at Saratoga, New York, when Continental forces trapped British general John Burgoyne’s army in October 1777. But just months later, Washington made camp for the winter at Valley Forge where his army suffered incredible hardship through the winter, facing disease, cold, hunger, and lack of supplies. In this circular letter Washington pleads for aid from the states: “We had in Camp, on the 23rd Inst by a Field Return then taken, not less than 2898 men unfit for duty, by reason of their being barefoot and otherwise naked.

The Surrender at Yorktown

The last major battle of the American Revolution pitted American and French forces against Cornwallis at Yorktown , Virginia. The war was essentially won, but it would take two years before peace negotiations were completed and the peace treaty was signed.

The Articles of Confederation Ratified

Newburgh conspiracy.

Continental officers who had long been waiting to receive pensions and back pay from Congress threatened to revolt against a “country that tramples on your rights.” Washington convinced military leaders to remain loyal.

  Learn more about Washington and the Newburgh Conspiracy

Peace of 1783

The Treaty of Paris was signed by representatives of Great Britain and the United States. “For the British this was a profoundly traumatic event . . . they will never again achieve this kind of hegemony. . . . The Americans are now going to have to make their own way.” —Andrew Robertson

Washington lays down his sword

At the end of the war, George Washington returned his sword to Congress and said he wanted nothing more than to return to his farm. Upon hearing about this unprecedented refusal of power and profit by a victorious general, King George III remarked, “If that’s true, he will be the greatest man in the world.”

Treaty of Paris Ratified

The official end of the Revolutionary War takes place when Congress ratifies the Treaty of Paris.

Constitution Convention Opens in Philadelphia

Constitution ratified, the first presidential election, the first congress under the constitution convenes in new york city, george washington elected first president, historic videos of patriot days, patriots day 1925, patriots day 1950, 1976 200th celebration, 200 years & one day, part 1 – town of concord archives digital repository, 200 years & one day, part 2 – town of concord archives digital repository, concord 250 stories.

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution, Concord is planting 250 trees. This living monument, coordinated by the Concord250 Permanent Memorials Subcommittee, celebrates Concord’s…

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40 Reasons to Visit Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts

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History Resources

The Battles of Lexington and Concord, 1775

A spotlight on a primary source by ezekiel russell.

Warned of the British troops’ movements, the Lexington patriots had assembled in an effort to halt British progress toward Concord. Both sides stood their ground, and in a tense moment, a shot was fired. Though it’s unclear which side, British soldier or American patriot, fired that first “shot heard ’round the world,” history remembers it as the start of the American Revolutionary War.

Sending these orders to Captain John Currier on the day of the battles, patriot Colonel Isaac Merrill wrote that after the engagement at Lexington (which left eight Americans dead) the British troops “thence proceed to Concord Killing and Destroying our men and interest.” He ordered Currier to “Mobilize and muster as many of your under officers and Soldiers as you can possible to meet immedially to Some Suitable place: and then to march of forthwith to Concord or Else where as in your Descretion you Shall think best to the reliefe of our Friend[s] and Country.” By the end of April 19, the British had suffered 273 casualties; the Americans, 93.

Americans immediately understood the momentous significance of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Ezekiel Russell, a Salem, Massachusetts, printer, quickly produced this broadside entitled “Bloody Butchery by the British Troops,” which detailed the battles and the American casualties. Recognizing the historic weight of the day, Russell’s broadside urged “a perpetual memorial of that important event, on which, perhaps, may depend the future Freedom and Greatness of the Commonwealth of America.”

from “Bloody Butchery by the British Troops” (GLC04810)

Being the PARTICULARS of the VICTORIOUS BATTLE fought at and near CONCORD, situated Twenty Miles from Boston, in the Province of the Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England, between Two Thousand Regular Troops, belonging to his Britannic Majesty, and a few Hundred Provincial Troops, belonging to the Province of Massachusetts-Bay, which lasted from sunrise to sunset, on the 19th of April, 1775, when it was decided greatly in favor of the latter. These particulars are now published in this cheap form, at the request of the friends of the deceased WORTHIS, who died gloriously fighting in the cause of liberty and their country, and it is their sincere desire that every Householder in the country, who are sincere well-wishers to America, may be possessed of the same, either to frame and glass, or otherwise to preserve in their houses, not only as a Token of Gratitude to the memory of the Deceased Forty Persons, but as a perpetual memorial of that important even, on which, perhaps, may depend on the future Freedom of Greatness of the Commonwealth of America. To which is annexed, a Funeral Elegy on those who were slain in the Battle.

Isaac Merrill to John Currier, April 19, 1775 (GLC00303)

Questions for Discussion

Read the introduction and examine the documents in order to answer the following questions.

• Of all the battles and major engagements between the Americans and the British, the relatively small skirmishes at Lexington and Concord are among the most frequently mentioned. Why do they assume such notoriety?
• Explain the objective of the broadside’s printer, Ezekiel Russell. As part of your evidence note the wording of the title as well as the images themselves.
• Imagine yourself as a Tory / loyalist printer in the colonies. How would your report of the incidents at Lexington and Concord differ from Russell’s? Create a sample broadsheet to illustrate your point.

A printer-friendly version is available here .

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Spectator's guide to Patriots' Day events in Lexington, Concord, Arlington and Sturbridge

Patriots Day commemorates the first battle of the American Revolution on April 19, 1775 . Patriots' Day occurs annually on the third Monday of April. 

The towns of Lexington, Concord and Arlington will be hosting a myriad of events this weekend, April 15-17, in celebration of Patriots' Day, from museum tours, battle reenactments, parades, music displays and more.

The re­enactment of the “Battle of Lexington” is just one event in which the Lexington Minute Men will participate on Patriots’ Day, April 17, 2023. The Battle at Lexington starts at 5:45 a.m. The Minute Men also participate in the Lexington Sunrise Youth Parade at 7:30 a.m., additional ceremonies near the Green at 8:15 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. and the Lexington Patriots’ Day parade at 2 p.m.

What is Patriots' Day? Here's what to know about the third Monday in April

“This is a great opportunity to witness our common heritage as Americans,” says Jamie Lee, captain commanding of the Lexington Minute Men. “Spectators begin to arrive at Lexington Common as early as 3:00 in the morning in order to get a prime spot for the events that begin with the alarm bell sounding in the Old Belfry at 5:30 am. According to Henry Liu, past captain commanding, “There are usually 8–10,000 spectators lining the Lexington Common to watch the 77 Lexington Minute Men and their families portray the colonists, and more than 150 British portray His Majesty's Regulars (known to many as the "Red Coats") of 1775.

The following is a partial listing of events happening in honor of Patriots' Day. For more comprehensive listings, visit lexingtonma.gov , Minute Man National Historical Park ,   friendsofminuteman.org  or visitconcord.org .

How to watch reenactments in Lexington, MA 

"the alarm" at the old belfry, belfry hill  .

When: Monday, April 17 

Where: Massachusetts Avenue at Clarke Street, across from the Battle Green, Lexington 

Reenactment of the Battle of Lexington  

(Rain date is Saturday, April 22, at 5:30 a.m.) 

Where: Lexington Green (Lexington Center, Massachusetts Avenue at Bedford Street) 

What's Happening: To commemorate the 248th anniversary of the first day of the American Revolutionary War, the Lexington Minute Men and local British Revolutionary War re­enactors, depict the skirmish that took place on Lexington Common, early on the morning of April 19, 1775. Witness the tensions mount, as the local militia company from Lexington confronts the King's Regulars, and the ensuing skirmish that follows; the “shot heard 'round the world.” The re­enactment of the “Battle of Lexington” is on Patriots’ Day – April 17, 2023, starting at 5:45 am on the Lexington Common.

When should you arrive and when do roads close: Tens of thousands of people come to Lexington for Patriots' Day weekend, especially on Monday morning. Spectators are advised to arrive early and plan for road closures and parking restrictions.

Where you see the Lexington Minute Men :   www.lexingtonminutemen.com  

Red Sox play Angels this weekend: Here's why the Red Sox are wearing yellow and blue and #42 on Patriots’ Day weekend

Other events in Lexington 

Patriots' day afternoon parade.

Where: Starting at Massachusetts Avenue and Maple Street in East Lexington, proceeding west along Massachusetts Avenue through Lexington Center, around the Lexington Common and ending on Worthen Road at the town pool parking lot. 

Looking for more to do in Lexington: For a full listing of Lexington events, including Buckman Tavern tours, Hancock-Clarke House tours, Munroe Tavern tours, movies, music, and more visit www.lexingtonma.gov

How to see re-enactments at the Old North Bridge in Concord, MA 

North bridge fight commemoration  .

Where: North Bridge, Monument Street, Concord 

Commemorate Patriots' Day with a dramatic battle demonstration involving Colonial minute men, British regulars, and musket fire, marking the “shot heard round the world.” 

American Revolution: Where was the 'Shot heard round the world'? It's complicated.

When do roads close in Concord, MA, on Patriots' Day: On Monday, April 17, road closures will be from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. surrounding Concord Center. Parking is available at the North Bridge Visitor Center, 174 Liberty St., Concord and the North Bridge Parking Lot, 280 Monument St., Concord.   Alternate parking suggestions are Concord Court House, Concord Carlisle High School, and Thoreau Street. 

Visit the park’s website for more information.

When are 2022 taxes due: IRS deadline for filing taxes is days later this year

Other Concord events 

Concord patriots' day annual parade.

Monday, April 17 

The Patriots’ Day parade covers a route of approximately 2.5 miles. At the North Bridge a wreath-laying ceremony is held to commemorate the engagement between the Minuteman companies and British troops on April 19, 1775. According to Concord Visitor's Center website, the parade continues across the North Bridge and returns to Concord Center, with dignitaries participating from neighboring towns, the state, the nation, and foreign countries with ties to Concord. 

Patriots' Day Minuteman Encampment  

10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.  

Where: Concord Museum, 53 Cambridge Turnpike, Concord 

What's happening at the Concord Museum: Visit the Acton Minutemen company in an encampment outside the Concord Museum and see them drilling with muskets to prepare for battle, cooking over a firepit and demonstrating Colonial spinning and sewing. 

Patriot Vigil  

When: Tuesday, April 18 

Where: North Bridge, Concord inside Minute Man Historic National Park

What's going to happen: As darkness descends upon the North Bridge battlefield the public is invited to come and reflect on the events of April 19, 1775, and the meaning of liberty. The evening ceremony will feature a lantern-light procession, poetry, music, and a recitation of the names of the soldiers who gave their lives on that “ever-memorable” 19th of April.  

*To participate in the lantern-light procession, please provide your own REAL candle lantern. The procession will begin at North Bridge Visitor Center, 174 Liberty Street, Concord MA. From there we will march down the quarter-mile path to the North Bridge where the ceremony will take place. Participants are welcome to wear 18th-century clothing if they choose, but please do not bring muskets. 

Parking is available at North Bridge Visitor Center at 174 Liberty Street, Concord or North Bridge Parking Lot, 280 Monument Street, Concord. 

For more Concord events: visitconcord.org

How to see Paul Revere ride from Boston to Lexington 

That National Lancers riders reenacting Paul Revere and Williams Dawes's famous ride to Lexington to warn Samuel Adams and others that the British troops were on their way will leave Boston's North End around 10:20 a.m. The ride then stops at Charlestown's City Square (10:35 a.m.),  Somerville's Foss Park  (11:20 a.m.), and at  Arlington Town Hall  on horseback at 11:55 a.m.  He arrives at  Gaffy Funeral Home in Medford  at noon, and to his final destination at  Lexington Battle Green  (Mass Ave) at about 12:45 p.m.  (Note: times are approximate)

The City of Somerville will be hosting a Patriots' Day Colonial Fair at Foss Park, 49 Fellsway West, from 10-11:30 a.m. in anticipation of Paul Revere's arrival. Enjoy time-period refreshments, play games and come in Colonial garb. Event will be held at Foss Park on Broadway near Fellsway West.

Arlington is also hosting a celebration on Patriots' Day to greet the riders at Town Hall, 730 Massachusetts Ave. While awaiting the riders, there will be crafts, snacks and a scavenger hunt. Activities begin at 11 a.m. The riders are expected in Arlington at noon.

Lexington Select Board and the Lexington Minute Men will greet the riders at the Lexington Battle Green at 1 p.m.

Boston Marathon: A spectator's guide to the 2023 Boston Marathon: What to know

Arlington's Cyrus Dallin Art Museum

Arlington's Cyrus Dallin Art Museum will host a Patriots' Day celebration on Monday, April 17 at 10 a.m. at Whittemore Park (corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Mystic Street). The rain date is April 22.

Experience Paul Revere's poem, Arlington's revolutionary history and Dallin's 57-year monument battle brought to life by locals.

The program starts with an explanation of the times in 1775-1776, following by a reading of Longfellow's poem, the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, the story of the Battle of Menotomy, Cyrus Dallin's response to Longfellow, and the 57-year journey to get the Paul Revere statue erected in Boston.

Visitors are invited to tour the Dallin Museum after the program.

Minute Man National Historical Park events

Minute Man National Historical Park offers an array of free Patriots' Day events. The following are a few events, but a more comprehensive list can be found at  friendsofminuteman.org/patriots-day/  

“Trepidation, Fever and Rushing to Arms”  

When: Saturday, April 15, 2023, 11:15 am (30 minutes) 

Where: Captain William Smith House, North Great Road, Lincoln 

What: Join living historians at the Captain William Smith house for a program about the civilian experience of April 19, 1775. See alarm riders in action, militia marching to the scene of battle, and civilians preparing to leave home. 

Hartwell Tavern and Captain William Smith Open House  

When: Saturday, April 15, 2023 

Hartwell open 9:30 - 11:00 am 

Smith House open 9:30 - 11:45 am 

Where: North Great Road, Lincoln 

What: If you had to leave your home in a hurry, uncertain of your return, what would you take with you? Learn about the local civilians who struggled to save their families and belongings from the path of war on April 19, 1775. 

Parking:   Hartwell Tavern Parking Area, 112 North Great Road, Lincoln OR Minute Man Visitor Center Parking Lot, 210 North Great Road, Lincoln. 

Battle Road Tactical Demonstration   

12:45 p.m. 

Where: Minute Man Visitor Center, North Great Road, Lexington 

What: Join us on the afternoon of April 15 for our signature, Battle Road Tactical Demonstration. Watch hundreds of British Regulars and Provincial Militia engage in a Tactical Demonstration of the running fight that occurred on April 19, 1775. Viewing areas will be designated near Minute Man Visitor Center. Be advised this demonstration will feature musket fire along with other immersive living history elements. After the demonstration, you will have the opportunity to get up close and talk with these amazing volunteers about the events of April 1775. 

Parking : Minute Man Visitor Center Parking Lot, 210 North Great Road, Lincoln and Hartwell Tavern Parking Area, 112 North Great Road, Lincoln. Note, those who park near Hartwell Tavern should anticipate a one-way walk of 1.5 Miles to reach Minute Man Visitor Center and the tactical demonstration area. 

What is happening at Old Sturbridge Village in Central Massachusetts

Old Sturbridge Village will honor Patriots' Day with a weekend of fifes and drums and the booming of musket fire as soldiers muster on the historic Common. Visitors will participate in programs and activities throughout the day hearing stories of patriots who helped lay the groundwork for the founding of our country during the American Revolution as well as military history from the 19th and 20th centuries. 

The weekend's highlight will be the visiting re-enactment groups representing different wars. They include:  5th Connecticut Regiment (American Revolution), USS Constitution 1812 Marine Guard (War of 1812), 15th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (American Civil War), U.S. Naval Landing Party   (American Civil War), 1st Mass Cavalry (Civil War), 504th Paratroopers (WW2), 26th Yankee Division (WW2), and B. Historical (WW2). Watch as the groups prepare for battle, tour their camps and see how they lived on the road, and learn to drill and march with them. In the blacksmith shop, guests will see how musket balls were cast from lead. 

Additional Patriots’ weekend programming (for a complete list, visit  www.osv.org ) 

Saturday, April 15, and Sunday, April 16 

10 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Make a Tri-Corner Hat (in the Visitor Center, Building #3) 

10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.: Firearm Demonstrations (at the field next to the Blacksmith Shop, Building #39). 

Noon: Safe and Sound - The role of Powder Houses in New England (this special tour will meet by the Shoe Shop, Building #10) 

11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.: Fife and Drum performance on the Common 

1 p.m.: Procession of Military Patriots on the Common 

On Saturday, April 15 at 2 p.m. The Borinqueneers: A film that chronicles the never-before-told story of the Puerto Rican 65th Infantry Regiment, the only all-Hispanic unit in U.S. Army history. (Length: 78 minutes; in the Visitor Center Theater, Building #3) 

Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge. Open Saturday and Sunday, April 15-16 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; closed Monday, April 17. Visit www.osv.org for a detailed schedule of events.

AWW Media [US]

Spend a weekend in historic Concord, Massachusetts

Posted: May 13, 2024 | Last updated: May 13, 2024

Historic Concord, Massachusetts is an easy day trip from Boston and exciting enough to be the destination on its own. 

The Concord area in Massachusetts is near and dear to my heart. My beloved Aunt lives in a neighboring town and we have been doing things in Concord for nearly 30 years. If you decide to go, give my aunt a wave, and please tell me you love it as much as I do!

How to pronounce Concord

If you are going to visit Concord, you must learn to pronounce it correctly! Do not pronounce it like the famous aircraft, or the grape, or like concourse with a “d” at the end. It is pronounced with the first syllable stressed like “Conk-erd.”

The History of Concord, Massachusetts

Concord is a small town with a lot of history. It witnessed the beginning of the Revolutionary War and the transcendental movement and was home to many famous people.

Battle of Lexington and Concord

Concord, Massachusetts, is a place every American child should have learned about in history. It was the site of the first battle for American independence.

Paul Revere rode out on his famous night journey to warn the colonists that the British were coming. He didn’t quite make it to Concord, but his message did (through Dr. Samuel Prescott), and the area’s militia was pre-warned of ensuing British troops.

The Battle of Concord was made famous by the phrase “the shot heard ’round the world.”

The poem was written by Ralph Waldo Emerson, who, strangely enough, lived in Concord, and penned the lines:

 By the rude bridge that arched the flood

Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled

Here, once the embattled farmers stood

And fired the shot heard round the world.

Literary Concord

Concord, Massachusetts, is famous for reasons other than the site of the battle. It was also a literary hotbed in the mid-1800s, home to Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Louis May Alcott.

They were all part of the transcendentalist movement that swept through New England. The movement focused on self-reliance and the individual. It highly influenced the writing and thinking of the authors living in Concord.

The Concord G rape

The Concord grape was developed in Concord by Ephraim Bull. He cultivated thousands of different varieties of grapes to create the grape we all know and love today.

Old North Bridge

The Old North Bridge is the site of the famous battle that began the American Revolution. The British Army began burning the ammunition of the local militia which led to a face off on the bridge between the American militia and the British Army.  No one knows who began firing, but after a brief skirmish 3 British and 2 Americans were dead.

Today the Old North Bridge has a tree lined path leading to it from the visitor parking lot. The Old Manse (the home of Ralph W. Emmerson’s grandfather ) is to the left of the path and the rest is National Park . The bridge has been rebuilt a number of times and bears little resemblance to the original, but it is still a great place to visit and to let the kids get their wiggles out.

Plan on 30 minutes to an hour.

The Old Manse

The Old Manse has the distinction of being the home of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Emmerson’s grandfather lived on the property during the battle of Concord, and young Emerson would stay there most summers. Years later the home was rented to Nathaniel Hawthorne and his young family.

The Old Manse is a great home to tour if you don’t have little kids with you. My kids are not huge fans of “another old house” ever. If your kids are a little older or very tolerant, it is a great activity.

This historic home is directly next to the Old North Bridge and you don’t even have to move your car!

Plan on 45 minutes.

Orchard House

The childhood home of Louisa May Alcott is a joy to visit. The author of “Little Women” not only wrote the beloved book here, but she also used it as the setting for the book.

The home has a fabulous tour that helps you learn about the Alcotts’ lives. Louisa’s father wanted to create a utopia in nearby Harvard, which ultimately failed. Louisa’s youngest sister May was a very talented artist, and the family grew their own food (they were vegetarians).

After your tour, you will be intrigued to learn about the other authors who shared Alcott’s views and ideals.

Plan on an hour to an hour and a half.

The Wayside

This house was home to a young Louisa May Alcott and later to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s family. These families were quite intertwined, weren’t they?

The Wayside is next to Orchard House, and the Hawthornes and Alcotts became neighbors. Apparently Nathaniel Hawthorne was not a very sociable neighbor, however.

The tour of The Wayside is great for the whole family. My kids really enjoyed learning about the house as part of the Underground Railroad.

Author’s Ridge

If you thought the lives of the transcendentalist authors couldn’t get more intertwined, you were wrong. Sleepy Hollow Cemetery is right in the center of downtown Concord, and up on a scenic ridge is the burial site of Hawthorne, Alcott, Thoreau, and Emerson—all within a few steps of each other!

Most are buried in family plots. It is probably a mere coincidence that their plots are all so near, but it’s pretty fantastical. Many visitors leave pens, small stones, or other gifts on the simple headstones of each author.

It is a beautiful place to visit any time of the year, but if you happen to be visiting Massachusetts in the fall , you are in for a rare treat.

Walden Pond

Walden Pond is famous as the site of a small cabin built by Henry David Thoreau. He built the cabin at the shore of the pond in an attempt to live as simply as possible, and he wrote about this experience in the book Walden.

Walden Pond is what most of the rest of the United States would call a lake, but it is actually a body of water formed by a glacier, creating a “kettle pond.”   Kettle ponds tend to be wide and shallow and make great swimming holes. In the summer, you will find hundreds of locals enjoying the beach at Walden Pond.

In addition to great swimming, there is a fabulous walking loop around the pond. You can see the original site of Thoreau’s cabin and bring a small stone with you to add to the stone towers near the spot.

Plan on 1-2 hours.

Battle Road

Battle Road runs from Concord to Lexington. It was the road used by the British troops on their way to Concord after the skirmish in Lexington, and markers direct you to historic sites. Along Battle Road, you will find the place where Paul Revere was captured and the historic Hartwell Tavern, which offers varied educational programs during the summer months.

The Road itself is a beautiful walking trail that winds through local forest. It is paved and is great for little walkers and strollers.

Plan on 30 minutes.

Canoeing on the Concord River

The Concord River lazily meanders through downtown Concord. It passes under the Old North Bridge and has seen so much history. It is a great place to canoe and kayak.

Rentals are available at South Bridge Boat House.

Rentals include life jackets and paddles, and rental times are calculated by 15-minute increments.  The boat house is a little over a mile from the Old North Bridge, so we generally row to the bridge, get out and stretch for a bit, and then row back.

Plan on an hour.

• Make sure to bring sunscreen and bug spray. The river area is really buggy!
• Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy it at the Old North Bridge before turning back.

Concord Ghost tour

Concord has a lively paranormal scene, and you can learn all about it on the Concord Ghost Tour.

You will learn about the haunted room in the Colonial Inn, strange goings on in the cemetery, and about a friendly ghost that roams a famous house. It is a walking tour that takes you throughout downtown and is well run and professional.

I wouldn’t recommend this for kids under 10 or ones that are easily scared, but older kids will eat it up!

Plan on an hour and a half.

Saltbox Farm Cooking Class

Take a cooking class at local Saltbox Farm. Most weekends feature at least two classes. You will use locally grown vegetables and locally sourced proteins when you learn to make a creative meal. Chefs from all over New England lead the small classes.

Main Streets Market and Cafe

This is my favorite place to eat when I am in Concord. I love their sandwiches, flatbread pizzas, and their delicious cupcakes. There are also gluten free goodies, so my oldest loves it too!

It is often very busy in the summer, so order at the counter and then take your food to sit on one of a dozen benches outside of the cafe.

Colonial Inn

If you want to eat in an historic inn and eat some really yummy food then head to Colonial Inn. There are 2 restaurants in the inn and both are really good. I prefer Liberty Restaurant because prices are lower, and I don’t feel bad if my kids are a little wild. I recommend the pot roast or a burger.

Kimball Farm Ice Cream

Ok, this isn’t technically in Concord, but you can’t visit without venturing to nearby towns of Westford or Carlisle to get some of the best ice cream ever. I have been eating this ice cream for nearly 30 years, and I think it is the best! To be fair, I think it’s a tie between New Haven’s Arethusa Farm Dairy and Kimball Farm.

Some of our family favorites are mint and cookies, butter crunch, chocolate peanut butter, strawberry, and gingersnap molasses (available in the Fall only). There are dozens of flavors, and they give very generous scoops, so if you aren’t very hungry, get a kiddie size!

Patriot’s Day in Concord and Lexington

If you can visit Concord in April, you are in for a treat. Patriot’s Day is a state holiday in Massachusetts and Maine. It commemorates the battles of Lexington and Concord and is also the day of the Boston Marathon.

Patriot’s Day is celebrated on the 3rd Monday of April as a bank holiday and a day off school, and many businesses are closed.

What makes Patriot’s Day so special to a history lover are the re-enactments of the battles of Lexington and Concord. Both reenactments occur at the actual time so it makes for an early morning.

Battle of Lexington reenactment

First comes the battle of Lexington at 5:30 AM. The re-enactors come out of Buckman’s Tavern to find the British have arrived on Lexington Green. A British officer tell the militia to put down their weapons and then shots are fired.

The entire scene only lasts for about 15 minutes, but it is thrilling to feel like a witness to history. My boys love seeing the old guns fire.

Plan on arriving by 4 am if you want a front-row seat!

Battle of Concord Reenactment

You have a little time to make it to the Old North Bridge in Concord because cars move much faster than the British marched.

The re-enactment begins at 8:30 a.m. with British regulars standing off against the militia. The “shot heard round the world” is fired as the two armies meet.

The Concord Patriots Day parade follows the re-enactment in the center of town.

These are the two main Patriot’s Day events, but check here for other weekend activities.

Our family has really loved this glimpse at history, and we have gone three times over the last few years. It helps cement history in our minds. I loved it when my middle son came home from school to tell me that he explained the battles of Lexington and Concord to his class!

I highly recommend it!

I hope you love Concord as much as my family does and that you enjoy a day or two exploring this fascinating town.

If you want to make a week out of your visit check out my f avorite to do’s in Boston with your kids.

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Last updated: May 11, 2024

Lexington and Concord: The Shot Heard 'Round the World

Facing an impending rebellion, British General Thomas Gage decided to seize weapons and gun powder being stored in Concord, Massachusetts, twenty miles northwest of Boston, to prevent violence. Patriot spies soon got wind of Gage’s plan. Paul Revere and other riders spread the word of the 800 British regulars who were dispatched to Concord.

Departing Boston late in the evening of April 18, the King’s troops marched into the small town of Lexington around 5:00 am to find, facing them, a militia company of more 70 men led by Captain John Parker . When the vanguard of the British force rushed forward upon the town green, Captain Parker immediately ordered his company to disperse. At some point a shot rang out-- historians still debate who fired the shot. The nervous British soldiers fired a volley, killing seven and mortally wounding one of the retreating militiamen. The British column moved on towards Concord, leaving the dead, wounded, and dying in their wake. Parker and his men would have revenge later that afternoon.

Arriving in Concord around 8:00 am, British commanders Francis Smith and John Pitcairn ordered several companies, about 220 troops in all, to secure the north bridge across the Concord River and then continue on another mile to the Barrett Farm, where a suspected cache of arms and powder was presumably located. By the time the British arrived at the North Bridge, a growing assembly of close to 400 militia from Concord and the surrounding towns had gathered on the high ground overlooking the north bridge. From their vantage point on the hill they could see smoke rising from Concord, the result of British burning some supplies that they uncovered. Thinking the town was being put to the torch, Lieutenant Joseph Hosmer of Concord shouted to his fellow officers, “Will you let them burn the town down?” The decision was then made to take action. Col. James Barrett ordered his companies to march upon the bridge but not to fire upon the British soldiers unless first fired upon. The Acton Company , commanded by thirty-year old Captain Isaac Davis, was placed at the head of the column. When asked if they were prepared to confront the British troops Davis said, “I haven’t a man afraid to go.”

The Minute Men formed up and marched down the hill. As they did so, the British soldiers, intimidated by the colonial numbers and orderly advance, retreated to the opposite shore and prepared to defend themselves. When Davis’s company came within range, British soldiers opened fire, killing Isaac Davis and also Abner Hosmer, another Acton Minute Man. Major Buttrick of Concord shouted, “For God’s sake, fire!” and the Minute Men replied with their own volley, killing three British soldiers and wounding nine others. This volley is the volley considered “the shot heard round the world.” The rest of the British troops retreated back to town.

Smith and Pitcairn soon ordered a return to Boston, which devolved into a rout as thousands of minute men patriots descended on the area. As the British were attacked from all sides by swarms of angry Minutemen along what is now known as Battle Road. When they reached Lexington, John Parker and his men had their revenge , firing on the British regulars from behind cover. For the next 12 miles, the British were continually ambushed by Minutemen shooting from behind trees, rock walls, and buildings.  The emotions of this fight carried well beyond April 19, inspiring American warriors to "rise up and fight again" even in the face of staggering odds against them.

Having heard of the morning fighting at Lexington, General Gage ordered Lord Percy to march from Boston with a relief column. The column reached Smith and Pitcairn’s men on the eastern outskirts of Lexington, but Minutemen continued to pour in as word spread quickly throughout the area. Among these minute and militia companies were many African Americans, both free and enslaved, who took up arms and fought alongside their white neighbors.

The British conducted a running fight until they could get under the cover of British guns in ships anchored in the waterways surrounding Boston. By 8:00 pm, it was clear that the day had been a disaster for the British. They lost 73 killed and many more wounded compared to the patriot’s loss of 49 killed.

Concord poet Ralph Waldo Emerson dubbed them the “embattled farmers.” They were not American citizens, yet. That would have to wait until 1776 and the Declaration of Independence. On April 19, 1775 they were simply loyal British subjects who believed that they were standing up to defend and fight for their rights. In doing so they changed the world forever.

Minute Man National Historical Park

Old North Bridge

Hartwell Tavern

Related battles, you may also like.

• 6 Coolest Towns in Massachusetts for a Summer Vacation in 2024

No summer vacation is complete without a day at the beach. Luckily, Massachusetts is the perfect destination for a coastal holiday. The big cities of Salem and Boston often get more notice in Massachusetts, however, several small towns within the state promise vacationers a unique and memorable experience.

Let’s explore six of the coolest towns in Massachusetts with historical, natural, and commercial attractions, and quaint atmospheres for an unforgettable 2024 summer vacation.

Fishing boat harbor in Rockport, Massachusetts, United States, a town located in Essex County.

Rockport makes for an ideal beach getaway. The small town has many fantastic, secluded beaches with a craggy, weather-beaten look. Visitors can head to Front or Back Beach, Old Garden Beach, and Long Beach to explore tidal pools, dip their toes in the water, ride the waves, or enjoy a long walk.

June or July 2024 is a great time to visit, especially for music lovers. Each year, the town hosts the Rockport Chamber Music Festival. It will be held from June 7 to July 7, 2024, and feature performances by blues, jazz, and indie singers.

The Mount, Lenox, Massachusetts, USA. Editorial credit: Heidi Besen / Shutterstock.com

Another great spot for music lovers, Lenox will host its annual Tanglewood Music Festival throughout June and July 2024. This year's lineup will feature performances by Jon Batiste, Brandi Carlile, Jason Mraz, and the Boston Pops.

For a quiet, rejuvenating outdoor experience, visitors can explore the 500 acres of Kennedy Park. The park offers 15 miles of hiking trails, an observation point, and old carriage roads amidst serene hardwood forests.

Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary is an equally pleasant experience. It has 7 miles of hiking trails, and 1300 acres of wetlands, forests, and meadows. Additionally, visitors can go canoeing or bird watching through the Sanctuary.

The historic town center of Concord, Massachusetts, USA. Editorial credit: Wangkun Jia / Shutterstock.com

Immerse yourself in the rich history of Concord . The town, along with Lexington, was the site of the first battle of the American Revolution in 1775. For history buffs, the Old North Bridge ( a crucial part of the battle) and the Concord Museum are must-see attractions.

Concord also has a spectacular literary history. The town was once home to the author of Little Women, Louisa May Alcott. The home that inspired her novel, Orchard House, still stands today and is open to the public. People visiting in June 2024 may like to purchase tickets to the 25th Annual Garden Tour to view six uniquely beautiful private gardens around town.

Provincetown

Tranquil scene at Commercial Street in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Editorial credit: Rolf_52 / Shutterstock.com

Located on the northernmost tip of Cape Cod lies Provincetown . It is a welcoming small town with gorgeous beaches. In August 2024 (17th to 24th), thousands of people will flock to Ptown for Carnival, a summer celebration of creativity and community. The festival hosts costume contests, a parade, parties, and performances.

Once Carnival is over, head to Herring Cove Beach to catch the sunset and enjoy live music on Wednesdays and Sundays. For an invigorating activity, visitors can rent a bike and explore the Province Lands Bike Trail which meanders past pine forests, dunes, and cranberry bogs.

Shelburne Falls

The Bridge of Flowers spans the Deerfield River in Shelburne, Massachusetts during fall.

Situated on the banks of the Deerfalls River is Shelburne Falls, which was once a popular fishing ground for Native Americans. Known for its Victorian architecture, the entire town is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Things to do in town include a stop at the Bridge of Flowers. It is located in the heart of Shelburne Falls and what was once a trolley bridge is now a beautiful flower garden maintained by volunteers. The bridge is open during the summer from August to October.

For more natural adventures, visitors should explore High Ledges Wildlife Sanctuary. The hike offers breathtaking views of the Deerfalls River and Mount Greylock. During spring/summer, the wildflowers in the river valley are in full bloom.

The entrance of Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Nantucket , with temperatures in the 60s to 70s, is teeming with visitors during summer because of the town’s many events and because it comes alive in summer with lush, flower-filled gardens.

The annual Fourth of July event is a must-visit, not just for the fireworks but for the farmer’s market, food trucks, and the water competition on Main Street between the reserve fighters and the fire department.

In August, the town hosts the annual Opera House Cup - a sailing race that fills the harbor with colorful boats. Also in August, the Boston Pops will visit Nantucket to perform for the Nantucket Cottage Hospital at Jetties Beach.

Discover Summer Magic in Massachusetts' Small Towns

From the Rockport Chamber Music Festival and Ptown’s Carnival to the Opera House Cup in Nantucket and the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, these Massachusetts towns offer visitors a plethora of fun-filled activities to enjoy this summer.

Each of these towns is charming, surrounded by natural beauty, and welcomes visitors with open arms. So, if you’re planning your next summer vacation, and prefer the peace of small-town living, consider visiting these six coolest towns in Massachusetts.

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