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Patriots’ Day in Lexington
04.14.24 @ 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday, April 14th
| Time | Event | Event Details |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Liberty Ride Guided Trolley Tour: Visit the birthplaces of American liberty and 19th century literature! Board a classic trolley to ride along the historic Battle Road while your costumed guide recounts the exciting events of April 19, 1775, immersing you in the life of 18th and 19th century Americans, from farmers to literary giants to the heroes who would shape a new country.
Battle Green Walking Tour: On the one-hour tour, you will explore this National Historic Landmark with our costumed guide. You will learn about the notable sites and historic houses around Lexington Battle Green, where “the first blood was spilt in the dispute with Great Britain,” as George Washington wrote in his diary. It is considered consecrated ground, both for the blood that was shed on it and for the militiamen who are interred here. |
Tours can be booked online or in-person at the Lexington Visitor’s Center (1875 Massachusetts Ave). |
| 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM | Buckman Tavern Tours: Self-paced audio tours available. Built in 1710, Buckman Tavern was a gathering place for both locals and travelers, and the site of many important town meetings. Captain Parker and his militia gathered in this tavern in the early morning hours of April 19, 1775 to await the oncoming British Redcoat troops. The upstairs of Buckman contains galleries for rotating, special temporary exhibitions. | Location: 1 Bedford Street
Tickets available online and on site. Advanced purchase not required. Cost: |
| 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM | Hancock-Clarke House Tours: Guided tours available every half hour. Built in 1737, Hancock-Clarke House was the parsonage for the town of Lexington during the 18th century. Reverend Jonas Clarke was hosting guests John Hancock and Samuel Adams when they were awakened by Paul Revere and his famous warning in the early hours of April 19, 1775. Thanks to generous grant funding, this site is also the location of new research and exhibitions related to the enslaved and indentured black populations of Lexington in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. | Location: 36 Hancock Street
Tickets available online and on site. Advanced purchase not required. Cost: |
| 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Munroe Tavern Tours: Self-guided tours available. Built in 1735, Munroe Tavern was commandeered by the British Redcoat troops on their retreat back to Boston on the afternoon of April 19, 1775. Downstairs, the Tavern illustrates the British perspective of the day’s events. Upstairs, the story’s focus shifts to what it was like to have a family home taken over by enemy soldiers. The final highlight is the chance to see where President Washington’s dined when he visited the Tavern in 1789. | Location: 1332 Massachusetts Avenue
Tickets available online and on site. Advanced purchase not required. Cost: |
| 11:30 PM | Paul Revere Ride Reenactment: On the eve of April 19, 1775, Paul Revere and William Dawes, fellow Sons of Liberty, rode hard from Boston, arriving in town just before midnight. Their destination: The home of Reverend Clarke. Their mission: To warn Patriot leaders John Hancock and Samuel Adams of the impending British raid. Get an early start of the Patriots’ Day celebration and watch a dramatized reenactment of Revere’s arrival at the Hancock-Clark House, complete with real horses! | Location: 36 Hancock Street Cost: Free Presented by the Lexington Historical Society |
Visit the Town of Lexington’s website for additional information.
Photo courtesy of the Lexington Visitors Center
