Originally built on its present site in 1762, the Belfry was moved to the Lexington common in 1768. From there the bell summoned people to worship, warned them of danger and tolled on their deaths. Upon receiving the warning from alarm riders Paul Revere and William Dawes, Captain John Parker used the bell atop the Belfry to assemble the Lexington militia on the green on April 19, 1775.

After the original structure was lost during a gale in 1909, the Lexington Historical Society had an exact reproduction built the following year on the original site of Belfry Hill.