This Saturday, April 19, 2025, marks the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which marked the first military engagement of the American Revolutionary War in 1775. On that day militiamen from these two Massachusetts towns, surrounding communities, and as far away as Maine and Connecticut, confronted and stopped British troops marching from Boston to confiscate weapons in Concord. What later became known as the “Shot Heard Around the World,” forever changed the course of history.
Today visitors can walk in the footsteps of history along the 5 mile Battle Road Trail, which connects historic sites including Meriam’s corner where the Minute Men forced the British retreat back to Boston; the home of Captain William Smith, commander of the Lincoln Minute Men and brother of Abigail Adams; and the stretch of road where Paul Revere was captured thus ending the famous “Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.”
In commemoration of the 250th anniversary, throughout this weekend, there will also be special events in Lexington and Concord, including a reenactments. However, for those of you who cannot attend, I thought I’d share with you again the slightly skewed reenactment that Chuck Billy gave me during my first visit to Battle Road Trail in 2016. Alright, you’ll notice that this is a not so accurate reenactment! Chuck Billy got the winning side wrong! But you get the general idea of what happened on April 19, 1775.
The Goldens Are Coming! (October 12, 2016)
The Goldens Are Coming! The Goldens Are Coming! Listen my children and you shall hear of the midday walk of Chuck Billy! I decided that our recent trip to Battle Road Trail in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts was the perfect opportunity to teach Asa about the American Revolution. However, it didn’t take long for me to realize that Asa had absolutely no interest in the historic markers I read to him. So I decided to get Asa focused on the lesson by making it more relatable.
Asa and I were going to play the role of the British Soldiers, and the Squirrels would be the Colonists! After all, technically the Squirrels live there and we don’t. Also playing the role of the British wouldn’t be too far of a stretch because Asa is always getting asked if he is an “English Cream Golden Retriever,” which by the way he is NOT! But why not take the British perspective for the sake of learning?
Just like the British Soldiers, Asa and I were a formidable presence as we marched side by side down that country road towards Concord! From all directions we could see the Squirrel Colonists darting around us, but we were not to be deterred. After they passed us in one spot, being familiar with the landscape, the Squirrel Militia would quickly scurry ahead of us over the stonewalls and through the underbrush, only to pop up again to ambush us further along the trail. They even dropped acorns on our heads from the trees above!
Undaunted we marched on, stopping only to visit the houses along the trail in the hopes of being petted by the park rangers. That’s when we realized not only were the Squirrels trying to defend their territory, they were also sounding the alarm to everyone that we were on our way. Try as we might, the houses were all empty. Just like on the afternoon of April 19, 1775, anticipating the clash of the British Soldiers with the Colonial Militia, many of the local residents left the area. Those Squirrel Colonists sure know how to hurt a Golden…oops I mean a British Soldier, by scaring everyone away so no one would pet us!
With emotions running high, the Golden Troops began to fall apart. Trying to restore order, second-in-command Mom, ordered Asa to wear his gentle leader head halter so he would stop pulling ahead and endangering the troops by dragging her along. Outnumbered by the Squirrels and exhausted with aching paws, we soon decided it would be best to return to our car and drive to our ultimate destination, the Old North Bridge. There we stood guard waiting for the Squirrel Colonists to appear for battle. But they never showed up. Instead all we saw were two other Golden Retrievers crossing the bridge, and plenty of people to pet us. Declaring the British Soldiers won the battle we headed home, triumphant in conquering Battle Road from the Squirrel Colonists!
I must say, I’m rather impressed with how well my lesson went. Ok, so my facts may have been wrong, and Asa now thinks the British won the Battles at Lexington and Concord. But that’s a minor detail in the greater goal of getting him interested in history! Besides, if Maine native Henry Wadsworth Longfellow could use poetic license when retelling the events of April 19, 1775 in “Paul Revere’s Ride,” why can’t I?
2025 Editor’s Note: Again, my apologies for Chuck Billy’s squirrelly inaccurate reenactment! If you’d like to learn the real history of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, we suggest visiting this dog friendly scenic walk. Throughout the Battle Road Trail there are informational signage and during the on-season many of the historic homes offer tours and historic reenactments. Please note though, that dogs are not allowed in the houses, and that there is gunfire during the reenactments.
250th Commemoration: For more information on the events celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, visit National Park website: Minute Men National Historic Park.
Two Lights for Tomorrow: Also no matter where in the country you are on Friday, April 18, 2025, we encourage you to participate in Two Lights For Tomorrow. Two Lights for Tomorrow is a nationwide initiative to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. It asks homes across the country, to place two lights in their window to honor the legendary moment when Paul Revere signaled the approach of British troops with lanterns in Boston’s Old North Church. It represents the spirit of unity, vigilance, and the enduring quest for freedom, and is a call to action to celebrate and serve. To learn more, please Google Two Lights for Tomorrow, for events planned in your state.
