Colonial New England

The Revolutionary Past Lives on in New England

During the year there are several activities in the area that celebrate our Colonial and Revolutionary War history. This year we attended the Patriots’ Day and Memorial Day ceremonies, and the Colonial Faire and Fife & Drum Muster.

Patriots’ Day is a state holiday in Massachusetts commemorating the first shots fired in the American Revolutionary War, at the Battles of Lexington and Concord, on 19 April 1775. On 18 April 1775 the British Military Governor of the Massachusetts Colony, General Thomas Gage, ordered Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith to seize the arms and powder being stockpiled by the Concord militia. The skirmish that started at Concord's North Bridge had been brewing for some time since the tensions in Massachusetts had been escalating due to the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and the Intolerable Acts. But the Battles of Lexington and Concord marked the actual first shots were fired between the Patriots and British regulars, beginning what would eventually lead to the American colonies Revolutionary War against the British Empire. Every year on Patriots Day, the local militia companies that fought at the Battles of Lexington and Concord back in 1775 March from their towns to the North Bridge to commemorate the occasion.

Memorial Day is a US Federal holiday that honors and mourns the country's deceased service members and women who lost their lives while defending the United States. It is celebrated on the last Monday of May (27 May in 2024) and is often considered the unofficial start of summer. The local militia company provided the salute to all those who sacrificed their lives so that we may enjoy our freedom today.

Colonial Faire and Fife & Drum Muster: In the days preceding the Revolutionary War, the local militias would usually muster to drill twice each year, once in the spring and the other in the fall. Following their drill, the militia would be joined by their families and celebrate with good food and drink, music and games. On September 28, 2024, the local Companies of Militia & Minute and Ancient Fyfe and Drum Companie hosted a full day of events at the Wayside Inn (which was established in 1716, making it one of the oldest continuously operating inns in the United States). As noon approached, fifes and drums could be heard in the distance as 24 companies from all over New England assembled to parade from the Wayside Inn to the muster field. After the parade, each fife and drum company returned to the muster field to play for the audience. The Wayside Inn is also the site of the one-room schoolhouse from 1798 made famous in the “Mary Had a Little Lamb” poem

Here are a few photos from the events celebrating our Colonial history from throughout the year: (click on any photo to start the slideshow)