Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:174 Liberty Street
Concord, Massachusetts
Tel:
(978) 369-6993
'The shot heard round the world' (words from Ralf Waldo Emerson's "The Concord Hymn") rings clearly at the Minute Man National Historical Park in Lexington, Massachusetts. The Minute Man National Historical Park memorializes the American Revolution Battle of Lexington and Concord, as well as the Wayside, which served as a home to three American authors. Today, the park offers visitors a range of educational experiences, including ranger-guided tours and self-guided walking trails.
On April 19, 1775, British colonial militia and minutemen fired back at British troops in what became known as the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the first battle of the American Revolution. The site of the battle is located near the Wayside, where Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Margaret Sidney made their home over the years. In 1959, the National Park Service established the Minute Man National Historical Park on 970 acres covering the sites of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the Wayside, and the Battle Road Trail in between Lexington and Concord.
The Minute Man National Historical Park offers plenty of opportunities to learn about the site's history. Ranger-guided tours of the park last between 20 minutes and three and a half hours and cover topics such as the history of the Minutemen, the history of the Wayside, and the significance of the five-mile Battle Road Trail. The park contains a 40-foot mural of fighting between Colonists and British Regulars, as well as the multimedia presentation, "The Road to Revolution," detailing Paul Revere's Ride and the Battle of Lexington and Concord. Self-guided tours are also available of the Battle Road Trail, Hartwell Tavern, and North Bridge. After their experience at the Minute Man National Historical Park, visitors can find a variety of restaurants in modern-day Lexington, ranging from pizza to fast food.
To get to the Minute Man National Historical Park, take I-95 to exit 30B, then travel west on Route 2A for about one mile. Visit the Minute Man National Historical Park and commemorate the fight for American freedom.