Guest Post - Minute Man Park

Thanks to guest blogger Andy for today's post! Andy writes about political issues and current events over at the Political Friends Blog.

My family and I were able to visit Minute Man National Historic Park in June of this year. The park is located in Massachusetts and spans the road between Lexington and Concord. The park name is just a little misleading. It commemorates the ”…scene of the fighting on April 19, 1775.” On that date, British troops under the command of Thomas Gage were sent to Concord to search for, and confiscate, any supplies the colonials might have that would aid the militia in fighting the British. The British would fight patriots at North Bridge (the western most portion of the park) and would be harassed by Americans along the route back to Lexington. The largest battle that day took place in Lexington (the eastern edge of the park). This was the beginnings of the American Revolutionary War.

Minute Man Park is really packed with sites for a visitor to see. In American history, we refer to the battle at the Old North Bridge Road as the “shot heard round the world”. The name comes from a poem written by Ralph Waldo Emerson entitled “The Concord Hymn”. In addition to the site of the battle, Emerson’s home is part of the park. He’s not the only author that once lived in this park either. The Wayside is a home in the park (and a site of one of the three gift shops set up in the park). This house was the residence of authors Nathaniel Hawthorne, Lousia May Alcott, and Margaret Sidney at different times over its history. The capture site of Paul Revere is inside the park, and there is a tour stop that discusses his capture, and his fellow rider’s (can you name him?) fate.

There is a tavern set up similar to the way it appeared in 1775 inside the park. Minute Man Park also has a Junior Ranger program. My daughter (who is six years old) completed the program while we were there. We happened to visit during a busy weekend that included period reenactors. The Park is free (with the exception of some of the homes such as the Wayside).

While discussing the park with my daughter, and talking to the reenactors, I had to pause and reflect on what life must have been like in April of 1775. The people had been members of the British Empire (and still were). The government pushed those people to a point that they no longer felt they had a voice in the government. They felt so abandoned by the King, that some of them took up arms and fought the army here at Lexington and Concord. At the same time, there were colonials living in the area who were still loyal to the crown, and were torn between loyalty to the crown, and to their neighbors. Some 230 plus years later, we remember the battle, but we should also remember the causes of the battle. We shouldn’t brush over the conflict the people of the time felt, and the enormous decision they had to grapple with: remain loyal to the crown, or fight for your freedom. What would we decide today? How would we have behaved in their situation?

Links to Learn More:

• Minute Man National Historical Park
• The Battles of Lexington and Concord
  

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Another Lincoln Statue Comes to Boise

Last month, I was able to attend a ceremony held in honor of Juneteenth and to dedicate another statue of Abraham Lincoln in Boise. This newest statue, now sitting in Julia Davis Park, was originally sculpted by Gutzon Borglum and copied by a Boise artist, Irene Deely. The celebration, complete with the unveiling of the statue, was really nice, and I enjoyed seeing a good crowd of people that came to remember a man so important to American history.

The ceremony coincided with the Idaho Black History Museum's celebration of Juneteenth, a holiday to commemorate the abolition of slavery. President Abraham Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War, and it was put into effect on January 1, 1863. Two and a half years later, on June 19, 1865, a group of Union soldiers landed in Galveston, Texas with news of the end of the war and that the slaves were now free. Freed slaves began to call this celebration "Juneteenth." It is the first African American holiday in the U.S.

The celebration of Juneteenth and the dedication of the new Lincoln statue began with patriotic music and an introduction by David H. Leroy, the chairman of the Idaho Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. The ceremony included remarks from Irene Deely, Boise City Major Dave Bieter, and a representative from the Idaho Black History Museum on the meaning of Juneteenth. One of the guest speakers also included David Wiegers, who has visited more than 200 Lincoln statues around the country.

It all ended with the unveiling of the new statue! Borglum titled this statue "Gethsemane," portraying Lincoln as troubled by the war. The original statue Borglum sculpted sits in Newark, New Jersey. I would recommend anyone traveling through Boise to stop by and see this statue, as it's quite large. Plus, not far from Julia Davis Park is another Lincoln statue in front of the state Capitol. Both statues are incredible tributes to a man who has meant so much to America.

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New Interview

I'd like to interrupt this regularly scheduled break to bring you a new post of sorts. I was recently interviewed by a fellow blogger at his site, Trestin Meacham. I answered questions about my interest in history, my favorite historical topics, and how important history is. Please check it out at his blog!

In other news, I'm excited about beginning regular posts again in a couple weeks. Check back soon for posts about some new adventures!

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