Friends of Minute Man National Park
Preserving the Birthplace of the American Revolution
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Minute Man National Historical Park
Welcomes a New Superintendent
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Simone Monteleone joins the Minute Man team
We are delighted to welcome Simone Monteleone as the new superintendent of Minute Man National Historical Park. Simone brings a wealth of experience managing historic and natural resources and the Friends of Minute Man look forward to working with her.
“I am thrilled to be joining the talented staff at Minute Man National Historical Park to lead them as we prepare to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution. This is an exciting time to step into this role as the National Park Service further explores the stories of all those associated with the events leading up to the ‘shot heard round the world,’” said Monteleone.
Monteleone has worked for the National Park Service since 2007, after beginning her career in the private sector as an architectural historian. Before joining Minute Man, she served as the chief of Cultural Resources, Partnerships, and Science for over seventy national parks in the southeast region. . . Read more
To read more about our new superintendent, please click on the link below.
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It was a dark and stormy night . . .
Thanks to everyone who braved the rain to enjoy Halloween Eve at Hartwell Tavern.
Over 250 guests enjoyed trick or treating, a jack-o'-lantern display, history, storytelling, a spooky exhibit, and music at the event.
With your support, the Friends were able to greet visitors and provide supplies for the event such as the battery-operated candles you see in the Hartwell windows (see photo).
Photo courtesy of Kristin Bassett
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Visitor Centers Close for the Season |
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While the park's visitor centers closed at the end of October, Minute Man National Historical Park is a great place to visit year-round. There are over 5 miles of trails to explore in the park that afford views of both historic monuments and local wildlife.
Restrooms at Hartwell Tavern, Meriam's Corner, and North Bridge/Monument Street will remain open through the end of November 2021. Visitor centers and restrooms will reopen in April 2022.
To help with your self-guided visit, be sure to download the National Park Service app from the App Store or Google Play and search for Minute Man. The mobile app includes maps and directions as well as self-guided tours of the North Bridge and the Battle Road Trail!
To start planning your visit, click on the button below to view an interactive park map.
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Written by Rachel Carmela Farago, NPS Landscape and Garden Steward
Thanks to a generous donation to the Friends of Minute Man National Park, two granite posts located on the grounds of the Major John Buttrick House were recently repaired and reset. The historic granite posts mark the entrance to the property which stands across the street from the North Bridge Visitor Center.
After many years of service, the posts had started to settle and lean. Nobles Stone Masonry used an excavator to carefully dig and lift the heavy granite posts from the ground and reset them. During this process, they discovered that one of the posts was cracked in half, which required them to put the two pieces of granite back together with conservation-grade adhesive before resetting the post.
While the digging and repairs took place, archaeological monitoring was performed by Minute Man National Historical Park curator Nikki Walsh and intern Rachel Carmela Farago in case any artifacts were unearthed in the process.
Just in time for winter, the posts are now upright and look as good as new!
Images from left to right, clockwise: Stan Nobles using an excavator to remove a granite post as curator Nicki Walsh looks on and monitors for archaeological artifacts. Alex and Stan Nobles discuss how to fix the broken post. Alex applies a conservation-grade epoxy to repair the post.
To view more photographs and learn more about the Major John Buttrick House, please click on the button below.
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Thanks to all the volunteers who joined us on Saturday, Nov. 6th at Park Day to help care for Minute Man National Historical Park.
In the morning, a group of 42 scouts and family members from Hanscom Air Force Base Pack 173 assisted with grass seeding, trash pick-up, raking, trail improvements, sheep pasture rotations (see picture above), replenishing water and grain for the sheep, and collecting eggs. In the afternoon, over 20 volunteers assisted with roadside trash removal, stone wall vegetation trimming, orchard care, livestock care, and trail improvements.
We are so appreciative of the time and effort given by volunteers to care for our park resources. These efforts really enhance the park by improving the condition of the landscape and the experience of our visitors.
We look forward to another Park Day event on the first Saturday in April. Mark your calendars for spring Park Day on April 2, 2022!
To view more great photographs of Park Day, please click on the button below.
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Beyond Battle Road
Items of interest outside the Park
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In honor of Native American Heritage Month, we are highlighting resources related to Native American history in New England.
Lincoln Public Library: A collection of resources by and about the Indigenous Peoples of New England & America
Would you like to learn more about the history of Native Americans? The folks at the Lincoln, MA public library have put a great collection of online resources for anyone to puruse. Click here for reading suggestions, apps, links, and more.
Ben Franklin's World Podcast: The World of the Wampanoag
Before New England was New England, it was the homeland of numerous Native American peoples, including the Wampanoag. Explore the World of the Wampanoag before and after 1620, a year that saw approximately 100 English colonists enter the Wampanoags’ world. Click here for episode 1 (before 1620) or episode 2 (after 1620)
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Thank you to our newsletter sponsors! |
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Friends of Minute Man National Park
North Bridge Visitor Center
174 Liberty Street
Concord, MA 01742
P: 978-318-7822
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The Friends of Minute Man National Park is an independent, member-based
non-profit 501(c)(3) organization supporting the Park's mission of
preserving and protecting the historic sites, structures, properties, and landscapes associated with the opening battles of the American Revolution.
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