Perhaps the biggest thing the Merrimack Valley is known for is history. From authors’ homes to battlefields to boarding houses, you’ll always be near some significant historical site. Here are a few historic highlights you should check out while visiting the Merrimack Valley.
Concord
Minute Man National Historical Park
Minute Man National Historical Park is where the American Revolution began. Come visit these grounds and learn about the people and events of April 19, 1775. You can see North Bridge, where the “shot heard round the world” was fired. There’s also the five-mile Battle Road Trail, which follows the original remnants of the Battle Road where thousands of Colonial Militia and British Regulars fought their bloody engagement. This trail also connects historic sites from Meriam’s Corner in Concord to the eastern boundary of the park in Lexington.
The Old Manse
The Old Manse is a handsome Georgian clapboard built in 1770 that bore witness to several historical events. The house was built for patriot minister William Emerson, and the top floor overlooks North Bridge. Over a century later, the house was home to famous authors Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne. In fact, the Old Manse has recreated the heirloom vegetable garden Henry David Thoreau had planted in honor of Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthornes’ wedding.
Thoreau Farm
Thoreau Farm is famous Merrimack Valley author Henry David Thoreau’s birthplace. This nearly 300 year old site is designed to give a glimpse into his life while promoting Thoreau’s extraordinary insights into life, nature, and social responsibility. They have several educational programs, and you can even rent Thoreau’s room for a personal writing retreat.
Lexington
Lexington Battle Green
The Lexington Battle Green is one historic highlight you can’t possibly afford to miss. It’s where “the first blood was spilt in the dispute with Great Britain,” as George Washington wrote in his diary. This is why you should book the Lexington Battle Green Walking Tour. It’s the perfect way to view and learn about the splendid historic sites surrounding the Battle Green, including the iconic Henry H. Kitson Minuteman Statue, the Old Belfry, and the Old Burying Ground.
Munroe Tavern
Munroe Tavern was built in 1735 and was commandeered by the British Redcoats during their retreat to Boston on the afternoon of April 19, 1775. When you enter the tavern, you’ll get two perspectives of that day’s events – the downstairs illustrates the point of view of the British soldiers, while upstairs is dedicated to the people who lived at the Tavern and what it was like to have a family home taken over by enemy soldiers. Another historic highlight of the Tavern is the spot where President Washington dined when he visited in 1789.
Hancock-Clarke House
Hancock-Clarke House was built in 1737 but is best known for its role in Paul Revere’s famous ride in 1775. Reverend Jonas Clarke was hosting Patriot guests John Hancock and Samuel Adams when they were awakened by Paul Revere warning them that the British were coming.
Lowell
Lowell National Historical Park
Lowell National Historical Park commemorates the history of America’s Industrial Revolution, which is the very reason the city of Lowell was built. Here you’ll be able to visit cotton textile mills, a working weave room, museums, boarding houses, canals, and more. While you’re there, a historic highlight you should be sure to add to your itinerary is the Patrick J. Mogan Cultural Center. What was once a boarding house now features the Mill Girls and Immigrants Exhibit, which gives visitors an opportunity to discover the lives of the young women and thousands of immigrants who worked in Lowell’s Mills.
Don’t miss out on the incredible historic highlights throughout the Greater Merrimack Valley. Plan your visit around the awesome historic sites and houses and step back in time to different world-changing events.
