In 1761, Isaac Stone donated a bell to the town of Lexington. Weighing over four hundred pounds, it was hung in a belfry built the following year. In 1768, the belfry was relocated to the town common. The bell tolled to summon people to worship, warn of danger, or observe deaths. Early on April 19, 1775, Captain John Parker used the bell to summon the Lexington militia to the Green after Paul Revere brought word that British troops were approaching.
In 1909, a storm destroyed the belfry. It was rebuilt in 1910 and moved to its current location in 1913, back on the original hill where it was first built. The bell rings at 5:30 AM on Patriots’ Day, the state holiday marking the battles at Lexington and Concord. Nearby, visitors can explore the Lexington Battle Green, Buckman Tavern, and the Hancock-Clarke House, all of which engage the visitor with this defining moment in American history.
Stories from Old Belfry Tower
A militia captain from Lexington, Parker played a pivotal role in the first battle of the American Revolution at Lexington Green in April 1775, where he led his men against British forces.
Most famous for his midnight ride, Revere rose from his early days as a silversmith's apprentice to become a key figure in the American Revolution, playing pivotal roles in spreading revolutionary messages and later establishing a successful career in the metal industry.
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