We are off to......: Minute Man National Historical Park & Walden Pond, Concord, MA

Saturday 9/13

We are at the Boston Minuteman Campground located just off I-495, the loop around Boston in Littleton, MA. When we pulled in we were delighted to see a nice forested setting. We felt it was more like a state park or Forest Service campground with hookups. The park is somewhat hilly but the sites are large and level. We backed in and didn't need to do more than a little front to back leveling.

We have neighbors on the left but that is it, just forest behind us, at least as far as we can see.

Sunday 9/14

The main reason for stopping near Boston was to visit the Concord and Lexington historical sites. There are a number of sites to visit in the park and the first stop was the Visitor Center. There are a number of displays presenting the history and historical figures along with a 30 minute multi-media presentation focusing on April 17th-19th, 1775, with hour by hour descriptions and displays of the action along the battle road. It is an excellent presentation that is not to be missed if visiting.

Some of the sites along the battle road are now private property and can only be viewed from the road. One of the places open to the public was Hartwell Tavern. Below is the original road that has been restored to the sandy clay road which existed at the time. It leads to the tavern and beyond.

A Redcoat was standing at the door. Someone asked if he liked being in a British uniform and he replied "I am a loyal subject to the King", in true character.

I guess Linda can't resist a man in uniform. In looking closely at the uniform, she noted it was made of wool, just as it would have been in 1775.

Further down the road was a Massachusetts Militia Man discussing the men that made up the militia and their weapons. He said that large numbers of weapons were widely available from the French and Indian War. The British had supplied the colonists with weapons and many were also captured from the French and from other battles. It was apparent he was a antique weapons enthusiast as he indicated with delight he had the opportunity to shoot many of them.

Next his assistant explained the commands she would give as he demonstrated loading and firing the weapon.

Needless to say he needed ear protection and safety glasses. It was quite a sight to see.
I think this is the first time either of us have seen a musket actually fired. No, there was no live ammunition in the weapon.

This is the Wayside. Once the home of Samuel Whitney, muster master for the Concord Minute Men, The Wayside gained fame in the 1800s through three literary families. Louisa May Alcott's childhood here inspired her scenes in Little Women. Nathaniel Hawthorne named it the Wayside, it was the only home he ever owned. Margaret Sidney, author of Five Little Peppers, preserved this home of authors. It is privately held now.

The North Bridge, which is the location of the "Shot heard 'round the world"

Minute Man Monument

Standing on this bridge brings the significance of what happened here into focus. What a different country this might be now had those men not fought and died for freedom,

Nearby was Walden Pond State Reservation. Below is Henry David Thoreau's recreated cabin that he lived in for two years and two months. It was from this cabin he wrote Walden.