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Monuments, Memorials & Markers Timeline

The following is a preliminary timeline outlining when the 100+ Revolutionary War monuments, memorials, and markers in the Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area were erected and/or dedicated. Their evolution is placed within the context of historical events providing an understanding of who is memorialized and how.

This resource was developed as part of our semiquincentennial initiative How We Remember: Monuments, Memorials, and Markers in the Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area, offered with support from the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati and the National Park Service.

As a work in progress, when specific details are known we’ve included them; however, we have not been able to find the same level of information for all monuments, memorials, and markers included in this survey. Should you have additional information you’d like to share regarding a listing, or one we may have missed, please reach out—we’d love to hear from you!

1775

The Battles of Concord and Lexington takes place on April 19th

The Battle of Bunker Hill takes place in Charlestown on June 17th

1776

Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence on July 4th

1783

The US and Great Britain sign the Treaty of Paris, officially ending the American Revolutionary War on September 23rd

1787

The US Constitution is written and signed on September 17th

1799

Revolutionary War Monument on Lexington Common dedicated on July 4th. It is the oldest war memorial in the United States.

1800

25th Anniversary of the Battles of Concord & Lexington

1825

50th Anniversary of the Battles of Concord & Lexington

1835

Concord celebrates the Bicentennial of its founding

1837

1836 Battle Monument dedicated at the Old North Bridge, Concord on July 4th

Emerson’s poem “The Concord Hymn” first sung

1840

Roger Brown Historical Marker, Concord

1843

Bunker Hill Monument, Charlestown dedicated on June 17th

1844

Last surviving soldier of the Battles of Concord and Lexington dies

1848

Revolutionary War Monument, Arlington dedicated in June

Ashby Soldiers/John Fitch Monument erected

1851

75th Anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence

Issac Davis Monument dedicated on Acton Town Common on October 29th

1865

End of the Civil War

1868

Memorial (Decoration) Day first widely observed on May 30th

1870

Grave of the British Soldiers installed at Old North Bridge, Concord

1873

Granite Monument on Town Common, Hollis dedicated on May 30th

1875

Centennial of the Battles of Concord & Lexington

The Minute Man, designed by Daniel Chester French, dedicated at the Old North Bridge on April 19th

1876

Centennial of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence

1878

Old Men of Menotomy Monument, Arlington

Samuel Whitmore Monuments, Arlington

1883

Lexington Committee on Historical Monuments & Tablets established and recommends three memorial stones and nine memorial tablets

Stow celebrates the Bicentennial of its founding

Revolutionary War Memorial Tablets, Stow dedicated on May 16th

1884

Battle Line Boulder (Line of the Minutemen), Lexington

British Retreat Marker, Lexington

Meetinghouses Marker, Lexington

Percy’s Cannon, Lexington

Captain John Parker Memorial, Lexington

Grave of the British Soldiers, Lincoln

1885

Hayward Well, Lexington

Bloody Bluff Monument, Lexington

Slate tablet at the Revolutionary War Monument, Lexington

Concord celebrates 250th anniversary of its founding

Meriam’s Corner Monument, Concord

Muster Field Monument, Concord

1886

‘What a Glorious Morning for America Plaque,’ Lexington

1889

Sons of the American Revolution Founded

Prudence Cummings Wright Memorial Stone, Pepperell dedicated in November, the first to a woman in the Heritage Area

Paul Revere Capture Monument installed along Battle Road in Lincoln

1890

Daughters of the American Revolution Founded

Revolutionary War Monument, Medford

1892

Wooden Markers installed by the Sons of the American Revolution in Acton and Stow on July 4th to mark the graves of those who fought in the American Revolution

1893

Minuteman Monument (Ephraim Kimball Stone Marker), Fitchburg

1894

Sons of American Revolution adopt and formalize marker program using a design adapting the cross of Saint Louis with Daniel Chester French’s Minute Man at the Center

1895

Patriots’ Day becomes a Massachusetts State Holiday

Joseph Robbins Home Site Memorial Stone, Acton dedicated on April 19th

Calvin & Luther Blanchard Memorial Stone, Acton dedicated on April 19th

Issac Davis Home Site Marker, Acton dedicated on April 19th

1896

The African Reservation Monument in Bedford’s Old Burying Ground dedicated on Patriots’ Day acknowledging by name three African American Revolutionary War Veterans. It is the first such monument in the Heritage Area.

Revolutionary War Monument Sudbury dedicated on Bunker Hill Day

1898

The Nevens Stone in Hollis, NH dedicated on Bunker Hill Day

1899

Bunker Hill Memorial Bench, Pepperell dedicated on November 1st

Count Rumford Statue, Woburn

Liberty Tree Site and Simon Hunt Farm, Acton

Minuteman Statue Lexington unveiled on April 19th

1900

125th Anniversary of the Battles of Concord & Lexington

American Revolution Memorial, Shirley dedicated on April 19th

Muster Plaque, Shirley dedicated on April 19th

Captain Isaac Davis Birthplace Stone, Acton dedicated on April 19th

Isaac Davis Stone, Acton dedicated on April 19th

Sarah Bradlee Fulton Memorial, Medford dedicated on May 26th

1902

Job Lane Memorial Boulder, Bedford

Paul Revere Capture Monument, Lincoln

1903

Francis Barker Memorial Stone: Acton dedicated on April 19th

Joseph Brown Memorial Stone, Acton dedicated on April 19th

1905

Revolutionary War Monument, Westminster

Revolutionary War Soldiers Plaque of Old Dunstable, New Hampshire, Nashua

Isaac Hall House Marker, Medford

1906

Oliver Carter Monument, Leominster

1909

The Powers Stone, Hollis

Lower Common Watering Trough, Lunenburg

1910

Bell Rock Park, Malden dedicated integrating 1905 Revolutionary War plaque into the park’s commemorative features

Revolutionary War Monument, Nashua

Men of Leominster Revolutionary War Plaque, Leominster

The Site of the Old Belfry, Lexington

1914

Militia Training Ground Marker, Sudbury

Washington at the Wayside Inn, Sudbury

1915

John Buttrick Bas-Relief Monument, Concord

1920

Loammi Baldwin Statue, Woburn dedicated on April 19th

1924

War Memorial, Westford

Revolutionary War Memorial, Woburn

1925

150th Anniversary of the Battles of Concord & Lexington

1926

Women of Menotomy Monument, Arlington

Minute Man Park, Pepperell dedicated on July, 26^th

Mead Stone/Minutemen’s Line of March, West Acton

War Memorial, Lincoln

1930

Tercentenary of the Founding of Massachusetts

Prince Estabrook Grave Marker dedicated at the First Parish Church in Ashby

Pepperell War Memorial, Pepperell

Memorial Plaque at Bell Rock Cemetery (Sandy Bank), Malden

1939

Soldiers and Sailors of All Wars Plaque, Carlisle

1940

Memorial at Bell Rock Cemetery (Sandy Bank), Malden

1949

Minutemen of 1775 Memorial, Lexington

1950

200th Anniversary of the Battles of Concord & Lexington

Veteran’s Memorial Park, Bedford

Benjamin Wellington Historic Marker, Lexington

1950/1951

Revolutionary War Monument and Liberty Park, Littleton

1951

Abner Miles Grave Marker, Westminster

1955

Concord Fight Marker, Concord

1957

Veteran’s Monument, Mason dedicated on Memorial Day

1959

Minute Man National Historical Park established on September 21st

1961

House and Barn of Colonel James Barrett Plaque, Concord

1967

Common Marker, Sudbury

1968

D.A.R. Plaque at Westlawn Cemetery, Westford

Col. John Robinson Memorial, Westford

1969

Patriots’ Day officially observed on the third Monday of April

1975

Bicentennial of the Battles of Concord & Lexington

Captain Isaac Davis Plaque, Concord dedicated on April 19th

Issac Davis Trail formally established linking Acton to Concord

U.S. Flag on Lexington Green, Lexington

Captain Benjamin Mann and Bunker Hill Monument, Mason

Minuteman Muster Location Marker, Carlisle dedicated on April 19th

American Revolution Memorial, Sterling

Bicentennial Marker, Bolton

1977

James Haywood Home Site Memorial, Acton

1978

Foot of the Rocks, Arlington

1979

Captain Josiah Crosby & Lieutenant Thompson Maxwell Marker, Milford

1999

American Revolution Soldiers Marker at the Old Burying Ground, Bedford dedicated on Memorial Day

2000

225th Anniversary of the Battles of Concord & Lexington

David Lamson Way, Arlington

NPS Battle Road Trail project erects granite markers along the trail including Battle Road Markers, Milestone Markers, British Grave Markers, and Archeological Site Markers.

The Paul Revere Capture Monument is moved to its current position.

2002

Minuteman Line of March Markers, Bedford

2008

Prince Estabrook Monument dedicated across from Lexington Green

2012

Captain Isaac Hall Hitching Post, Medford

2018

American Revolution Memorial, Lancaster

2019

Colonel John Robinson Historical Marker at Westlawn Cemetery, Westford

2021

Revolutionary War Memorial Drum Monument, Westford

2025

Black Soldiers of the American Revolutionary War Monument, Malden