Lexington Battle Green facts for kids

Lexington Green
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
The Revolutionary Monument 1799
Location	Massachusetts Avenue and Harrington Road, Lexington, Massachusetts
Built	1711
NRHP reference No.	66000767
Quick facts for kids Significant dates
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966
Designated NHL	January 20, 1961

The Lexington Battle Green, also known as Lexington Common, is a famous park in Lexington, Massachusetts. This historic spot is where the first shots of the American Revolutionary War were fired. This happened on April 19, 1775, during the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Today, it is a public park and a special place called a National Historic Landmark.

History of the Green

Lexington did not originally have a common area like many other towns. In 1711, the people of Lexington bought 1.5 acres of land. They raised money together to create a training ground for their local militia. A militia is a group of citizens who act as soldiers. In 1722, they added another acre to this land.

The common is shaped like a triangle. It is bordered by Massachusetts Avenue, Bedford Street, and Harrington Road. It sits just northwest of Lexington's main town area. The Buckman Tavern, a busy local inn, is right across Bedford Street. It is also a National Historic Landmark.

On April 19, 1775, local militiamen gathered on the common. They came out of Buckman Tavern to face British troops. The battle that followed led to the first deaths of the American Revolution.

What You Can See There

Today, the battle green is a peaceful grassy park with some old trees. You can find several memorials around the edges of the common.

One important statue is of Captain John Parker. He was the leader of the Lexington militia. This statue stands at the eastern corner of the green. It was put up in 1900. The sculptor was Henry Hudson Kitson, an artist from Massachusetts.

A bronze plaque was placed in 1910 by the Daughters of the American Revolution. It shows where the Old Belfry used to stand. The Belfry was a bell tower that warned the town of danger. It was moved several times and then destroyed by a storm in 1909. It was rebuilt a year later. Now, it is on a hill just south of the park.

Near the western corner of the park is the Revolutionary War Monument. This granite stone was built in 1799. It is thought to be the oldest memorial to the Revolution. In 1835, the remains of seven militiamen killed in the battle were moved here. They were reburied inside the monument's iron fence. This monument also marks one end of the Patriot line during the battle. The other end is marked by a special inscribed boulder.

The Lexington Battle Green is one of only eight places in the United States where the U.S. flag can fly 24 hours a day by law. However, the U.S. Flag Code allows the flag to be displayed anywhere all day if it is lit up at night.

Inside the Lexington Visitors Center, you can see a diorama. This is a 3D model that shows the Battle of Lexington.

Images for kids

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  The Revolutionary Monument, built in 1799.

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  The Old Belfry, around 1900.

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  Amos Doolittle's drawing of the Skirmish at Lexington. The Buckman Tavern is building number 6.

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  The historic Buckman Tavern.

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  The Green in modern times.

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  The inscription on the Revolutionary monument.

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  A relief sculpture of a Lexington Minuteman by Bashka Paeff.

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  The Minuteman Statue, created in 1900.

See also

In Spanish: Lexington Battle Green para niños