Minute Man National Historic Park-September 12th

working  on jr. ranger books

Walking to the North Bridge

Our musket man

The North Bridge

Minute Man Statue

Riding the Battle Road

The Hartwell Tavern

The world's best ranger!!!

History really came alive for us today as we visited this awesome park.  The beginning of the Revolutionary War came alive as we watched the awesome multi-media presentation at the visitor center, saw where Paul Revere was captured, sat in the tranquil setting by the North Bridge, walked the bridge and imagined what it was like on April 19, 1775, we rode our bikes on the battle road in the Brooks Hill area which follows the route taken by the minute men as they raced ahead to ambush the British soldiers on their way back to Boston, we stopped in at the Hartwell Tavern where we observed a musket demonstration and stood in the front room and imagined what might have been going through Mary Hartwell's mind to see the British Army march so  magnificantly by her front window: a sight that would normally be a sense of pride under different circumstances but now she prays and worries about her husband and her 5 sons who were minute men.  We learned that William Dawes and Samuel Prescott also made the midnight ride with Paul Revere but Prescott was the only one who made it to Concord, we learned that they shouted "The Regulars are Coming" since they were all British.  We thought about the sacrifices and thoughts surrounding their decision to fight for freedom when in essence they were committing treason.  
It makes us incredibly thankful for the courage and resolve of our forefathers that we can enjoy the blessing of freedom.  We marveled at the statue of the Minute Man and learned that the 23 year old sculpter would later sculpt Lincoln's Monument in D.C.  Our day started to crumble though with some whiney, grumpy children  until we ran into the world's best ranger, who encouraged and lifted all our spirits. Thank you Kevin Kavenaugh!!!