Friends of Minute Man National Park
Preserving the Birthplace of the American Revolution
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As covid19 restrictions are lifted in Massachusetts, Minute Man National Historical Park is excited to welcome you back and offer the following programs:
11:30 a.m. Daily, North Bridge
Meet a Park Ranger at the benches by the North Bridge for this daily 30-minute program. Learn about the momentous battle at Concord’s North Bridge, where the British Army suffered its first casualties of the war, and the legacy of this event in American History.
1:30 p.m. Daily, North Bridge Visitor Center
At Concord’s North Bridge on April 19, 1775 soldiers on both sides made decisions that changed the course of history. Meet a park ranger at North Bridge Visitor Center for a 40-minute walking tour from the visitor center to the North Bridge battle site. Learn about the battle from the perspective of the participants. Along the way, the 18th-century battlefield and landscape will be revealed as you walk in the footsteps of the minute men.
2:30 p.m. Thursday-Sunday, Minute Man Visitor Center
Join a National Park Ranger for an interactive overview program that explores the story of the midnight alarm riders and the brutal fighting on April 19, 1775! Participate in the action as you build a map of the story using simple props. This program is perfect for first-time visitors and those wanting a better understanding of these historic events.
The grounds are open from sunrise to sunset. Visitor Center Hours and Operations:
Minute Man Visitor Center lobby is open and restrooms are available from the outside of the building daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. A staffed information table is set up outside the front entrance. "The Road to Revolution" multimedia presentation is not available. The bookstore is open daily.
North Bridge Visitor Center is currently closed but is scheduled to open late June. Currently, there is a staffed information table set up outside daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
For more information about operating hours, please click on the button below.
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An Old Garden for a New Century |
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Buttrick Garden Preservation Update
The Buttrick Gardens overlooking the North Bridge were initially constructed in the early 1900s, and portions are now being restored to reflect their original appearance. Stonemason Stan Nobles and his sons Stan Jr. and Alex of Nobles Stone Masonry recently repaired the brick walkways in the formal garden and the cobblestone walkways in the east terrace garden. The completed work provides a safe and historically accurate setting to enjoy the gardens.
Stan enjoys working on historical projects such as this one and he noted that the Buttrick Gardens have “nice, high-quality brick." He can tell that the craftsmen who worked on the pathways before him provided quality work, and he is proud to “restore the garden paths back to their original appearance.”
Stan Nobles has begun the next phase of the project and is currently working on the bluestone pathways. Stan and his team love chatting with visitors about their work so stop by and say hello!
Images from left to right, clockwise: Completed brick pathways, Stan Nobles and son Alex finishing repairs to the brick walkways.
Written by Liam Donahue, NPS Landscape and Garden Steward. To learn more about Liam, read the Steward Spotlight article below.
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Minute Man National Historical Park had an unusual visitor this month, a barred rock rooster! This handsome guy was sited by staff and visitors around the Hartwell Tavern parking lot area. We don't know how he got there. It is illegal, not to mention cruel, to drop unwanted animals off in the park. What we do know is that this rooster is an exceptionally hardy and resourceful fellow who not only evaded capture by park staff for several days but also somehow avoided the local carnivorous wildlife.
The rooster was finally caught by a team of park volunteers and is seen here being held by Margie Brown, Natural & Cultural Resource Manager at Minute Man. Fortunately, the park just happened to be partnering with Codman Community Farms to host a flock of retired laying hens. The hens and the rescued rooster will reside in a fenced and roofed chicken coop/run while assisting with composting invasive plants and leaves.
Image: Margie Brown holding the barred rock rooster shortly after he was caught by a team of volunteers.
To learn more about native species of animals at the park, please click on the button below.
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Fall Encampment at Minute Man |
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Minute Man National Historical Park is excited to announce a fall living history event! The event will feature a military encampment, domestic and agricultural programming, as well as an evening husking frolic!
Stay tuned, more details to follow.
Save the date! October 16-17, 2021
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Historic Hawthorn Tree at the Wayside |
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How do we preserve a 150-year old tree with a story?
The English Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata) growing in front of The Wayside, Home of Authors on Lexington Road in Concord, was likely imported from England and planted by Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne in the 1850s. The tree grows by the front door and is unique in that the front half of the tree blooms first with double white flowers that transition to pink, and a week later the back half of the tree blooms with more fragrant single white flowers. The tree may be two individual trees that fused at a young age.
To preserve this historically significant tree, the best propagation approach is to graft two cuttings onto one rootstock. In mid-March, Plant Propagator Jack Alexander took several small cuttings from the noted hawthorn tree. Recently retired from the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Jack Alexander is a third-generation nurseryman and expert at propagating an array of plant species.
“We are very fortunate to have Jack Alexander’s expertise as the hawthorn is fully mature and in decline,” explains Margie Brown, Natural & Cultural Resource Manager at Minute Man National Historical Park. Brown photographed the tree throughout is bloom season and observed that the white flowers gradually transition to pink. The two cultivars result in a longer bloom season. . . Read more and view photos
Images from left to right: Jack Alexander is seen taking a cutting in March 2021, the hawthorn tree in bloom in late May.
To read more and view close-up photos of the flowers in bloom, please click on the link below.
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Park Steward Spotlight: Liam and Liam |
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If you have visited the park this spring, you may have met Liam…or Liam. Liam Donahue and Liam Beguhn have been inspecting and caring for the park’s landscapes throughout the spring. Both Liams agree, “Working at Minute Man NHP is very enjoyable, visitors and staff are very friendly and always express their appreciation for our work.”
Hailing them as two exceptional stewards of the park, Natural & Cultural Resource Manager Margie Brown notes, “Working with Liam and Liam has been a delight—we have accomplished a lot with a focus on our larger goals of historic preservation and ecological health” While both Liams are embarking on new ventures in June, each has established a life-long connection with the park by protecting its resources, planting trees, rescuing plants from invasive vines, and improving cultural and natural landscape areas.” Read more
Image from left to right: Liam Beguhn and Liam Donahue in the Buttrick Gardens.
If you'd like to read more or get involved as a volunteer or an intern at Minute Man National Historical Park, please click on the button below for more information.
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It's not too late to donate! The Buttrick Gardens fundraiser supports the garden all season long. Your donation helps support the gardens with daily maintenance such as weeding, watering, pruning, dead-heading. Ongoing projects include rejuvenation of historic plants, reestablishing native pollinators, turf improvements, and removing invasive species.
All donors will receive a 3" fridge magnet and donors at the $150 and up level will receive a tote bag. Click on the button below to make your donation today!
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Beyond Battle Road
Items of interest outside the Park
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REV250 Podcast: USS Constitution with Commander John Benda
Check out the latest podcast from REV250. Commander John A. Benda, the 76th commanding officer of the USS CONSTITUTION, tells us a bit about the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world, and its crew of 80 active-duty sailors. Click here to listen.
Robbins House Reopening
Our neighbors at the Robbins House are reopening on Juneteenth! The Robbins House is a 544 sq. ft. historic early 19th-century house formerly inhabited by the first generation of descendants of formerly enslaved African American Revolutionary War veteran Caesar Robbins, and by fugitive slave Jack Garrison. It is located at 320 Monument St., adjacent to the North Bridge parking lot. Click here to learn more.
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Thank you to our newsletter sponsors! |
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Friends of Minute Man National Park
North Bridge Visitor's 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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