Buckman Tavern is a historic
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
site associated with the revolution's very first battle, the 1775
Battle of Lexington and Concord. It is located on the
Battle Green in
Lexington, Massachusetts
Lexington is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is 10 miles (16 km) from Downtown Boston. The population was 34,454 as of the 2020 census. The area was originally inhabited by Native Americans, and was fir ...
and operated as a museum by the Lexington Historical Society.
History
The tavern was built in about 1709–1710 by Benjamin Muzzey (1657–1735), and with license granted in 1693 was the first public house in Lexington. Muzzey ran it for years, then his son John, and then at the time of the battle it was run by John's granddaughter and her husband John Buckman, a member of the Lexington Training Band. In those years the tavern was a favorite gathering place for militiamen on days when they trained on the Lexington Green. (Lexington, unlike other local communities, did not establish a
minuteman company, instead maintaining a "training band"
n old English phrase for a militia companyfor local defense).
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The
Battle of Lexington and Concord took form before dawn on April 19, 1775. Having received word that the regular army had left Boston in force to seize and destroy military supplies in Concord, several dozen militiamen gathered on the town common, and then eventually went to the tavern to await the arrival of the British troops. Definite word reached them just before sunrise, and
Captain Parker's company of militia left the tavern to assemble in two ranks on the common. Following the arrival of the army,
a single shot was fired; by whom, it is still unknown. With this shot, the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
began.
Although best known as the headquarters of the militia, Buckman Tavern is also noteworthy as perhaps the busiest of Lexington's 18th-century taverns. It housed the first village store in Lexington, and later, in 1813, the first town post office.
Historic site
The tavern's interior appears today very much as it did in 1775 and one can see the restored 18th-century taproom with large fireplace and central chimney. Among the many items on display is the old front door, with its bullet hole possibly made by a British musket ball during the battle, and a portrait of John Buckman.
[Fischer, David Hackett. ''Paul Revere's Ride'', p. 402, Oxford University Press, New York, NY, 1994. .]
It was declared a
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places liste ...
in 1961.
[Polly M. Rettig and C. E. Shedd, Jr. (December 23, 1974) , National Park Service and ]
See also
*
Munroe Tavern (Lexington, Massachusetts)
Munroe Tavern, located at 1332 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, Massachusetts, is an American Revolutionary War site that played a prominent role in the Battle of Lexington and Concord. It is now preserved and operated as a museum by the Lexingt ...
*
List of National Historic Landmarks in Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has a total of 191 National Historic Landmarks (NHLs) within its borders. This is the second highest statewide total in the United States after New York, which has more than 250. Of the Massachusetts NHLs, 57 ...
*
References
External links
Buckman Tavern – Lexington Historical Society
{{National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
Buildings and structures completed in 1690
Commercial buildings completed in the 17th century
Houses in Lexington, Massachusetts
National Historic Landmarks in Massachusetts
Massachusetts in the American Revolution
History museums in Massachusetts
Museums in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Drinking establishments on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
National Register of Historic Places in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Taverns in the American Revolution
American Revolution on the National Register of Historic Places
1690 establishments in Massachusetts