A couple of weeks before Patriot's Day we decided to visit Concord. At the parking lot we discovered one of the projects of the wonderful Community Preservation Act - The Robbins House. This was the home of the children of a former slave and Revolutionary War veteran Caesar Robbins. The house was not open for the season so we peeked in the windows.
Near the bridge and at other places in Minuteman National Historic Park and the Battle Road, were several monuments marking spots where British soldiers were buried. Paul and I wondered about who might have buried them, or if they were buried at all. We guessed they were probably buried by the colonists for several reasons. In the very well-done film at the visitor center, and in other information we read, the point was made that both sides felt as if they were fighting against family.
In this view of the Concord River, you can see what a beautiful day this was.
Back in the center of Concord, we visited two burying grounds, first the Old Hill Burying Ground, which is the largest and with graves dated from the 1600's and mostly in the 1700's. They were in excellent condition, and almost all could be read. In front of the burying ground, houses have been built so close that some stones are only a few feet from the houses. We read many of the stones and enjoyed the carved art. It seemed as if each epitaph was unique and personal, some giving nearly a life story of the person buried there.
Finally, we walked a few miles on the Battle Road Trail. We parked near the Brooks Farms and walked westward through farmland and over some boardwalks in the wetlands. Then we retraced our steps and kept going eastward beyond the "Bloody Angle" where colonial regulars from several towns ambushed the British soldiers. Finally, back to the car. There was much more we could have seen in Concord, but it will wait for another day.
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