Liberty Trail History Makers
The Revolutionary War was a war unlike any other — one of ideas and ideals, that shaped “the course of human events. Explore the history and personalities from this pivotal time in American history.
Captain Isaac Davis, a Massachusetts Minuteman leader, was the first American officer killed in the Revolutionary War at the Battle of Concord on April 19, 1775.
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
This building was the home of the captain of the Lincoln Minutemen, William Smith, who led his men at the Lexington Green on April 19, 1775.
One of the oldest public buildings in the United States, the Old State House was the seat of government in Massachusetts leading up to the Revolution and after the consolidation of the States. Infamously, the Boston Massacre happened just beyond its steps.
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.
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.
Once the training ground for British troops in Boston, it was from here that Regulars marched toward Lexington & Concord, sparking the American Revolution.
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.
One of the bloodiest sites during the Battle of Lexington and Concord, this house saw extensive combat and still bears the scars left behind by the engagement.
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.
In the early twilight hours of April 19, 1775, Paul Revere rode by this house to warn its occupants, Samuel Adams and John Hancock, of the impending British raids. Already known for their revolutionary sentiments, Adams and Hancock fled to avoid capture.
One of the oldest residential buildings in Boston, this structure was once the home of one-and-only Paul Revere, an avid member of the Sons of Liberty.
The Harrington House belonged to that of Jonathan Harrington whom, according to local history, crawled back to his house to pass in his wife's arms after being mortally wounded during the Battle of Lexington and Concord