The site of the bloodiest fighting on April 19, 1775, the first day of the American Revolutionary War, Jason Russell built this simple house in the 1740s, using re-salvaged materials from his grandparent’s older home. Decorative changes around the windows and front door and an ell were added in the 19th century. The furnishings in the house date from the 18th and 19th centuries, reflecting its long development. Many of the furnishings belonged to the Russell family who occupied the house until 1896.

British troops arrived at this location in the late afternoon of April 19, 1775 and surprised the colonial militia members who were stationed there in defensive positions. Jason Russell, plus eleven other colonists and two British soldiers, were all killed during that encounter. It was reported in The Lexington – Concord Battle Road Interim Report of the Boston National Historic Sites Commission to the Congress of the United States (1958), that at the Jason Russell House, “there followed the most famous fight at close quarters during the eventful day and the bloodiest encounter associated with any house in the Revolution.”

The Arlington Historical Society, a non-profit corporation organized in 1897, acquired and restored the house in 1923. Today, the Historical Society operates the house as a museum.

Located beside the kitchen is an herb garden featuring colonial period herbs used for cooking, dyeing, and medicinal purposes. This garden is maintained by a dedicated group of volunteers from the Arlington Garden Club.