Heading into Patriot’s Day 2024
With yesterday’s posting, Boston 1775 has entered the Patriot’s Day season for 2024.
It’s hard to find a complete posting of Patriot’s Day events because so many towns and organizations have their own celebrations. But a good place to start is the calendar on the front page of Revolution 250.
Among the new commemorations this year is Tavern Week in Arlington, known as West Cambridge or Menotomy in 1775. The Massachusetts Provincial Congress’s committee on safety and supplies met in the Black Horse Tavern on what’s now Massachusetts Avenue on 18 April. Three members planned to spend the night but bolted out the back door when the redcoat column approached.
The Arlington Historical Society is also offering tours of the Jason Russell House, site of the bloodiest fighting of the day, on Saturday, 13 April, and Monday, 15 April, noon to 4 P.M.
Also on 13 April, Michael Lepage will portray Paul Revere at the Paul Revere House in Boston while the Minute Man National Historical Park hosts its annual big tactical demonstration and reenactment of events along the Battle Road.
Some of the towns planning local Patriot’s Day remembrance events include Billerica, Danvers, Somerville, Hanover, and Lynnfield. Others will send traditional contingents to the event in Minute Man Park.
All outdoor events of course depend on welcoming weather. We had snow last week, and flooding forced the cancellation of an event at James Barrett’s farm in Concord today. So let’s hope for sunshine and cool breezes for the next two weeks!
3 comments:
Minor CNit, but the official holiday name is "Patriots' Day" not "Patriot's Day", thanks
The state of Massachusetts indeed says “Patriots’ Day.” The state of Maine says “Patriot’s Day.” The National Park Service says “Patriots’ Day.” The city of Boston says “Patriot’s Day.” The town of Lexington says “Patriots’ Day.” The city of Somerville says “Patriot’s Day.” Eventually, I suspect, we’ll drop the apostrophe altogether.
I am all in favor of dropping the apostrophe in ALL holiday names.
The likelihood of that action succeeding is probably in the same range as the Maine bill from a decade ago that sought to get their holiday name to match our name.
History, there is new story, every day :)
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