History in Motion...Concord to Lexington

In my continuing historical effort to learn more about my country and my neighborhood, I decided to spend the day on the Minute Men trail from Concord (North Bridge) where the first shots were fired in the American Revolution.  Starting at the Minute Man National Park at North Bridge, down through Concord, on to Lincoln and passing through Lexington.

The park encompasses the North Bridge, historical landmarks of the Battle Road; Samuel Brooks House, Hartwell Tavern, and Captain Williams Smith House. The fighting began April 19, 1775, with the Colonists killing the first British soldier on the bridge and then running the British back down the Battle Road.

Along with the historical sites there is an amazing bike and walking path through trees, 18th century homes and valleys. I only walked a short part of the Battle Road but would love to come back and bike it someday. You can even see wild turkeys along side the road.








Just to give you a brief timeline: 
1765 the rebellion against taxation in the American Colonies 
1773 tea party (the original one)
April 19, 1775 at 9:30a.m. the battle begins at the North Bridge near Concord and moves through the day to Charlestown near Boston. 

Hartwell Tavern

Shooting the Musket

Concord

The town of Concord is quintessential New England, at least that is what this Colorado native thinks. Concord is a lovely village with shops and restaurants surrounded by tree-lined streets and colonial-style homes.

Just a short walk up Monument Street from the center of town is the Old Manse (Scottish for "ministers" house) is the home of Reverend Emerson, Ralph Waldo Emerson's grandfather.  The author wrote Nature starting the Transcendentalism. Author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, a personal friend of Emerson also wrote at Old Manse.  Other authors, Henry David Thoreau and Louisa May Alcott, both born in Concord were also great friends.

The four author's; Emerson, Thoreau, Alcott and Hawthorne, are all buried in Concord on what is known as Author's Ridge. Sleepy Hollow is the name of the graveyard. Rumor has it, it is named after Washington Irving's (also a personal friend of these author's). Others say it is because it is because it is a quite place and was so long before it was a cemetery.

Next up the Berkshires!