In 1800 Lexington's population stood at 1,006, an increase of sixty-five persons since 1790.Ĭivic functions remained concentrated at Lexington Center. According to assessors' records, in 1792 the town had: In the late 18th century Lexington, like most Massachusetts towns, remained primarily an agricultural community. Completed on July 4, 1799, the Revolutionary Monument on the Common or Battle Green is the nation's oldest Revolutionary War memorial and is the gravesite of those colonists slain in the Battle of Lexington. Twenty-four years after the events of Apa monument was erected to honor those who were slain. In terms of casualties Lexington suffered more that day than any other town.Though her population was much less than that of Concord or Cambridge, her loss in killed and wounded was more than one-third greater than both of those towns taken together. Three additional Lexington lives were lost that afternoon. Throughout the town, other houses were looted and set on fire by the British on their way back to Boston. For one and a half hours, the dining room was used as a field hospital while the weary British soldiers availed themselves of food and drink.

That same afternoon the Munroe Tavern, located one mile east of the Common, served as the headquarters for Brigadier General Earl Percy and his one thousand reinforcements. Yet, Lexington had not yet seen the last of the soldiers. Just before sunrise Captain Parker's men assembled in two long lines on the common.įollowing the battle, the British troops continued on to Concord, arriving at about 7 a.m. In the early hours several dozen minutemen had gathered at the Buckman Tavern to await the arrival of the British soldiers. The leaders left at about dawn and by then the militia was gathering on the common. Traveling separately, they each stopped to warn Hancock and Adams and then set off for Concord. Joseph Warren of Boston sent William Dawes and Paul Revere to Lexington to warn them of the advancing British troops. Fearing that the pair might be captured by the British, Dr. The evening before, John Hancock and Samuel Adams, prominent leaders in the patriot cause, were guests of the Reverend Jonas Clarke in the parsonage (the present Hancock-Clarke House). Eight were killed on the Common, seven of whom were residents of Lexington.

On that fateful spring morning some seventy-seven militia members led by Captain John Parker stood on the Lexington Common to challenge the British troops. The first battle of the American Revolution took place in Lexington on Apand the town has long been known as 'The Birthplace of American Liberty'.

Massachusetts colonial militia