Massachusetts played a pivotal role in the fight for independence, serving as the starting point of the American Revolution with the battles of Lexington and Concord. The Liberty Trail Massachusetts brings you to the very places where the fight for independence began.
On April 19, 1775, “the shot heard ’round the world” marked the beginning of open conflict between Patriot militias and British forces, setting the stage for the colonies’ quest for freedom. These early skirmishes ignited a movement that would forever shape the course of history. The Liberty Trail Massachusetts offers engaging, in-depth tours of sites related to the American Revolution, allowing visitors to connect with the stories of those who risked everything for independence.
Learn about the men and women—including enslaved individuals—who played crucial roles in the conflict, and explore the landscapes where lives were sacrificed to secure the future of a new nation. Whether you are a longtime history enthusiast or a first-time explorer, The Liberty Trail Massachusetts provides a gateway to uncovering these foundational moments in American history. Find your path.
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We invite you to visit the preserved locations along the Liberty Trail and to immerse
yourself in the extraordinary events that determined the fate of a nation.
Ensuing the Battle of Lexington and Concord, Patriot forces advanced on Boston, determined to overthrow the British occupation. Fortifying Dorchester Heights, George Washington positioned artillery to force the evacuation of British forces in the city.
In the days leading up the Battle of Lexington and Concord, James Barrett stored military supplies, including small cannons, from that were smuggled out of Boston amid rising tensions with the British.
Once an influential shipbuilding center, Newburyport now houses the Custom House Maritime Museum, which interprets the region's naval history.
The sound of liberty rang from this bell in the early morning of April 19, 1775, to call forth the Lexington militia. Today, a reconstructed belfry stands as a reminder of the militia's bravery and determination at the Battle of Lexington and Concord.
Waiting on British troops to arrive on the morning of April 19, militia members used this tavern to wait for their arrival before assembling on the field of battle and sparking the American Revolution
Used by both sides during the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the Munroe Tavern, it was most famously used Hugh Percy during his relief march to aid the retreating British column from Concord.
A proving ground for the Patriot cause, the infamous Battle of Bunker Hill was the first pitched battle between New England soldiers and the British. Although the British claimed the field, some 1,000 British soldiers and Marines were wounded or killed in action.
The site of the first known Colonist offensive attack during the Revolution, Meriam's Corner marks where the British column, retreating to Boston, was ambushed by local militias.
The oldest standing church in Boston, it once signaled lookouts in Charlestown, which triggered Paul Revere's famous ride to alert militia of the advancing British Regulars across the Massachusetts countryside.
Major John Buttrick, whose name is now the sake of this homestead, was a fourth generation American whose great-grandfather, William Buttrick, helped establish Concord in 1635. During and after the war, John Buttrick held positions in the military and upheld civic posts during the early days of the American Republic.
Located near where Paul Revere was captured during his famous ride, one of Revere's compatriots was able to escape and alert Hartwell family, who continued to raise the alarm about the advancing British troops.
At dawn on April 19, 1775, an unknown shot shattered the silence in Lexington. British Redcoats and colonial militia clashed, leaving blood on the field. In Concord, the patriots struck back, and as the British retreated, gunfire hounded them to Boston, thus sparking the American Revolution
