July 4th in Concord, MA

I love the 4th of July weekend. I try to get to as many fireworks as I can. As a lover of history who respects the people that fought for our freedom, I know what the holiday means. Today, I went to Concord, MA where the shot heard around the world was fired, where Paul Revere was made famous, and where the first battle of the Revolutionary War was fought. In my forty three years, I have never done anything more Patriotic on the 4th of July.

The reason we went today was a reading of the Declaration of Independence. The reading was at 1 pm and I had to work. I took a 1/2 day and hauled my butt up to Concord. We got there with fifteen minutes to spare.  The reading of the Declaration was at the North Bridge (the first place that Colonists fired on British troops). My biggest fear was that all the parking spots would be full. Happily there was a lot of parking on the grass at the Old Manse for overflow parking.

A Patriot reading the most famous document Thomas Jefferson
ever wrote.

After the reading a company of Musket men fired off 3 rounds off the bridge. I was not in a very good position to get a picture

The Minuteman Statue sculpted by Daniel Chester French. Only 21 years old at the time. He also sculpted the Lincoln Memorial

The North Bridge and the Minuteman Statue had their pictures taken a lot by people that celebrated the 4th. View from the Visitor Center.

Many people were at the Minuteman Historic Park today including kayakers on the Concord River

Sometimes it is tough to remember that there was another side. Here lies the two British soldiers that were killed at the North Bridge. That is two men, three thousand miles from home, that never got to see their mother or family again.

After we left the North Bridge we went to the Concord Museum. I had been there once a few years back but Laurie had never been there. The cost is ten dollars and well worth it. With so much history in Concord from the battle to famous authors, there is a lot to see.

This is actually one of the lanterns from the Old North Church in Boston  "One if by land, two if by sea!". Probably the most prized museum possession.

                       A fife played during the battle. Usually fifes were played by teenagers.

                                                  Paul Revere by John Copley Singleton

                         A small version of the Lincoln Memorial statue by D.C. French

                                               Thoreau's bed from Walden Pond

After the museum we went to the Calf Pasture which is a field that Colonists grazed their cattle.There is a very busy boat ramp and a trail. Three minutes of walking down the trail leads to the confluence of the Sudbury and Assabet Rivers to form the Concord River

            Very busy boat ramp (mostly kayaks but I did see one trailer). View from the bridge

From the Calf Pasture we drove to the Paul Revere Capture Site and rode our bikes three miles (each way) on Battle Road. I stopped at most of the information plaques. The trail is solid packed dirt (with a few soft spots). The scenery is woods, farm fields and wetlands. Even if you are not a history buff, the scenery is worth the ride.

Another reminder that it wasn't just American's that died that day. I believe the final numbers were 49 Patriots and 73 English soldiers lost their lives April 19, 1775

I do not think I will ever do anything more Patriotic in my lifetime to celebrate the 4th of July. Today was incredible. You could hear a pin drop when the Declaration of Independence was being read. Although Thomas Jefferson used vocabulary that no one uses today, the meaning, and the events leading to our Independence were all powerful. Even Laurie said later," this was the best 4th of July ever". I concur