Meriam’s Corner got its name from the Meriam family, who lived in the nearby house. After deciding to withdraw from Concord and return to Boston, the column of British troops marched past this location on the afternoon of April 19, 1775.
The British column was protected by flankers, parties of soldiers moving further out on the sides of the main body to keep any would-be ambushers from getting close. However, at Meriam’s Corner, these flank parties had to rejoin the column to cross a bridge over Elm Brook, leaving the British vulnerable to attack. A company of militia from nearby Reading took advantage of the opportunity to fire on the rear of the British column. Unlike at Lexington or the North Bridge, where colonial militia leaders instructed their men not to fire until fired upon, at Meriam’s Corner, the colonists opened fire on the British without waiting to be attacked. This marked the first offensive action taken by the American colonists in the Revolutionary War.
Today, visitors can explore Meriam’s Corner, preserved as part of Minute Man National Historical Park. Nearby, the North Bridge, the Minute Man Statue, and the Hartwell Tavern offer further insights into the early battles of the American Revolution.
More to Explore
Stories from Meriam's Corner
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
The site of the famous "Shot Heard Around the World," the Old North Bridge served as the flashpoint of the American Revolution. To this day, historians debate who fired the first shot, here, which led to the Battle of Lexington and Concord.
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.