Tag: Minute Man

Minute Man NHP: Battle Road

On By nationalparkswithtIn MassachusettsLeave a comment
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New England Road Trip➤

Patty and I hit the road again in April 2023. We planned to visit a friend in Rhode Island and attend a meetup of the National Park Travelers Club in Massachusetts. Along the way we hit several other National Park Units and historic sites.

A National Park Travelers Club member hosted the meetup at Minute Man National Historical Park. We attended some of the special events the park presented for Patriots’ Week.

Minute Man National Historical Park➤

Minute Man National Historical Park commemorates the opening battle in the American Revolutionary War. The British planned to raid the colonists’ weapons cache in Concord. The Patriots discovered the plan and moved the weapons out of Concord. The night before the raid, Paul Revere and other riders warned the militia in the countryside that “The Redcoats are coming!”

On April 19, 1777, the British pushed past the militia at Lexington and continued on to Concord. As they searched for the weapons, the colonial commanders ordered militia men to fire back at British troops for the first time. This was “the shot heard round the world.”

The militia outnumbered the British Regulars in Concord by four to one. The British commanders decided to retreat back to Boston. For the rest of the day, the militia pursued the British along the road between Concord and Lexington. The Battle Road lies within the park and serves as the setting for a massive reenactment each April.

Battle Road➤

After watching the first reenactment at Hartwell Tavern, we followed the troops down the Battle Road to the next skirmish by the Visitor Center. We passed by the Captain William Smith House. Smith served as the commander of the Lincoln Minute Men. His company was the first to arrive in Concord to confront the British Regulars.

We wound up by the Whittemore House in Lexington. There, the Patriots once again engaged the British. We saw a couple of the Redcoats get taken prisoner. After the demonstration finished, we went to the visitor center to watch the film.

New England Posts➤

Location: Virginia Rd, Lincoln, MA
Designation: National Historical Park
Date designated/established: September 21, 1959
Date of my visit: April 15, 2023