250th Celebration

The Massachusetts Society and the New England District are proud to host the 250th Celebration of the “shot heard 'round the world” — a phrase long associated with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. April 19, 1775, now commemorated as Patriots' Day, marked the beginning of the battles of the American Revolutionary War. On that day, starting in Boston, the Sons of Liberty arranged for a signal to be shown in the tallest church steeple in Boston to inform Concord of the army’s route of march. Two lanterns are seen in the in the Old North Church steeple signifying the regulars will be coming across Boston Harbor (“one if by land, two if by sea”). As Paul Revere and William Dawes rode through the surrounding towns, others set out to join in the alarms along with church bells ringing and warning shots fired. Minutemen assembled on town greens along with other militia companies, and by the time the regulars crossed Boston Harbor to Lechmere Point, word of their mission had already reached Concord.

This four-day celebration marks the 250th Anniversary of the pivotal events that set our nation on the path to independence — a path the led from Boston through Lexington and Concord. The Sons of the American Revolution invite you to join us in commemorating the heroic actions of Captain John Parker and the Lexington Minutemen, Captain Isaac Davis and the Acton Minutemen, as well as the thousands of minutemen and militia who bravely defended their homes against Crown forces on that historic April morning in 1775.

Events in bold are hosted by the Massachusetts Society and the New England District. Bus transportation will be provided from the Burlington Marriot to each event and is included in each event registration.

Friday, April 18th

On April 18th, the society invites you to a special event at the Prado (Paul Revere Mall) behind Boston’s Old North Church in Boston's historic North End. Hosted by Old North Illuminated, the foundation preserving the church’s legacy, the event will feature a 45-minute play, Revolution’s Edge.

The play imagines a conversation on the eve of April 18, 1775, between Reverend Mather Byles (loyalist Rector of Christ Church), his enslaved servant Cato, and Captain John Pulling, Jr., a Son of Liberty. It depicts the tensions that led to Byles stepping down as Rector and ends just before Paul Revere's historic midnight ride and the iconic lantern signal in the church steeple.

The event is open to the public, with limited reserved seating available for members of the SAR. The Massachusetts Society has arranged transportation to and from Boston’s North End from the Burlington Marriott.

Saturday, April 19th

On Saturday we will witness the 250th anniversary reenactment of the skirmish on Lexington Green that claimed the lives of eight patriots and set America on the path to independence and war. There is nothing quite like being in the very place, at the very time, exactly 250 years after the Battle of Lexington Green unfolded.

Click to enlarge

The Massachusetts Society will provide transportation from the Burlington Marriott to Concord in time for the annual wreath-laying ceremony by the Henry Knox Color Guard in the Old Hill Burying Ground. This historic site is where British Marine Major John Pitcairn and Lieutenant Colonel Smith of the 10th Regiment of Foot observed the events of Concord in April 1775. Today, many American patriots rest eternally under that same hill.

At 8:30 a.m., the entire contingent of the Sons of the American Revolution will march in the Concord 250th Commemorative Parade to mark this momentous occasion.

After the parade, participants will be bussed back to the hotel where they will have some free time before the banquet in honor of the 250th Anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, hosted by the Massachusetts Society.

Note that there is a historical reenactment of events along the Battle Road in Minute Man National Historical Park from 11:00 a.m. to about 1:30 p.m. There is no transportation planned for this event, so make sure you get directions if you want to attend that program.

Sunday, April 20th

Click to enlarge

On Easter Sunday, we will have details for local Easter services available that morning. Following the service, members of the Massachusetts Society will host tours of Lexington and Concord for attending members from around the nation. These tours, planned from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. will give compatriots an opportunity to visit the hallowed ground of April 19, 1775 and to understand how the events of April 18 & 19, 1775, unfolded. Bus transportation and guides will be provided.

Also, about midday on Sunday, there will be a reenactment of the Battle of Menotomy in Arlington, MA. Menotomy was once part of Cambridge, and it was on this stretch of road from the “Foot of the Rocks” to Alewife Brook that the fighting was fiercest. The Jason Russell House will be open after the reenactment for tours. Not only was it the site of a bloody massacre in which more than a dozen colonial militia and Crown forces lost their lives, this “witness structure” still bears the physical scars of the shooting that day. Directions, but no transportation will be furnished.

Monday, April 21st

The programs in Concord on Monday go forward rain, snow or muck. At the North Bridge a ceremony by the National Park Services is to be held to commemorate the engagement between the Minuteman companies and British troops on April 19, 1775 with dignitaries from neighboring towns, the State, the nation, and foreign countries with ties to the community.

Paraphernalia

Challenge coins have evolved from their military origins to become widely accepted as symbols of recognition and belonging. This expansion demonstrates the universal appeal of challenge coins as tangible sign of membership and shared values within our society.

Please join us in recognizing the 250th Anniversary of Lexington and Concord by placing an order for a Challenge Coin below. Your order will be mailed to you in late February. Additional donations to support the program would be appreciated greatly.