Historic Site | State/County Park

Boston Common

Once the training ground for British troops in Boston, it was from here that Regulars marched toward Lexington & Concord, sparking the American Revolution.

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Boston, MA

A Rival Green

Boston Common, referred to as a "trayning field," was a significant site during the American Revolution. Over 1,000 Redcoats camped there during the British occupation of Boston in 1775, and it was from the Common that three brigades embarked on the fateful trip to Lexington and Concord, where they encountered militia on the Lexington Green. John Hancock's mansion overlooked the Common, and his wife, Dorothy Quincy Hancock, entertained 300 naval officers during Admiral D’Estaing’s fleet visit in 1778.

The Hancocks contributed to the Common by providing a large cask of Madeira wine and fireworks for the 1765 Stamp Act repeal celebration and building a bandstand in 1771. Boston Common has served as a place for public oratory and discourse, hosting significant events related to the American Revolution.

What's Nearby

Explore more of The Liberty Trail by visiting these nearby attractions.

Equestrian statue of George Washington on the Boston Common

Boston, MA 02111

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0.47521928544778
0.62513779299254
0.82171920519354
1.2797029226245
1.285294298547
1.4310056226763
2.2395967038192
6.5394436322977
10.301008339753
Munroe Tavern in Lexington, Massachusetts

Lexington, MA 02420

15.748662276983
17.082723621546
17.159340682299
17.283590320403
17.381775726825
21.283061399681
21.59080920861
24.118082148437
25.149949417498
25.17788434128
26.128790803445
The North Bridge at Minuteman National Park

Concord, MA 01742

26.958552825649
26.961248640195

Stories from Boston Common

Trail Site

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

Biography

A wealthy merchant and political leader from Massachusetts, Hancock was a key figure in the American Revolution, serving as president of the Second Continental Congress, signing the Declaration of Independence, and later serving as governor of Massachusetts.

Trail Site

A monumental structure built in 1742, Faneuil Hall served as one of the most important sites of civic engagement in colonial Boston. Since, it has hosted the likes of revolutionary leaders and dissidents.