Boston, American History

We had been to Boston before, walked the Freedom Trail, and experienced the sights sounds and smells of downtown Boston. I still remember the wonderful smells coming from the little Italian food store not far from the Betsy Ross House. This time, we decided to confine our visits to the historical communities on the outskirts of Boston.

Two places we had on our "must see" list were Lexington and Concord. This is the Buckman Tavern where the Militia gathered to await the arrival of the British Troops.
This is the Munroe Tavern where Solomon Brown reported that he had seen British soldiers marching toward Lexington on his return from Boston. It was also commandeered as headquarters for the British command during the battle, and as a field hospital during and after the battle.
Here, the Lexington Minuteman stands guard over the Battle Green where the first battle of the American Revolution took place. Pen and I have said repeatedly that we wish we could have seen some of the places we've visited before we took our history classes.

One of the people we didn't hear about in our American history classes was Prince Estabrook. This monument, installed in 2008 was overdue. If you click on the photo it will enlarge and you can read the inscription. By the way, if you ever visit Lexington, be sure to stop by Vinny T's for dinner You'll experience good atmosphere, good service, and delicious Italian food.

The Buttrick Mansion was the home of Major John Buttrick who led the Minutemen down to the Old North Bridge. It is on the hill above the bridge.

This is the Old North Bridge over the Concord River. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that "The shot heard around the world" was fired here. His father viewed this shot from his nearby home. The monument in the foreground is where the British stood in the Battle of Concord. Across the bridge is where the Minutemen stood.

The two small crosses mark the graves of the two British soldiers who were killed in this battle. Note the inscription on the stone at the head of the graves. Double click to enlarge the photo.

The "Old Manse" from which Rev. William Emerson, father of Ralph Waldo, watched the Battle of Concord.

This is the Concord Minuteman. This statue was created by Daniel Chester French who also created the Statue of Abraham Lincoln that sits in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. This was one of his favorite works.

This was the birth house, in Braintree Massachusetts, of President John Adams, the second President of the United States and patron of our first political dynasty.

This house was the one that John and Abigail Adams moved into upon their return from England, and in which they both grew old and died. It was also home to John Quincy Adams, sixth President of the United States, and Charles Adams, son of John Quincy and ambassador to England during the Civil War. Charles is credited by many with keeping England from recognizing the Confederacy.

John and Abigail Adams are buried in this Church not far from their home in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Near the Adams House in Quincy is the Adams Library. John Adams books now reside in the Boston Public Library, but John Quincy also had a huge collection in excess of 10,000 volumes.

Since photographs weren't allowed inside the library, I borrowed this one from the National Park Service website. Impressive isn't it? We were able to tour the Adams houses free with our Golden Age pass. It even covered parking fees.