The Road and the Land: Menotomy, April 19, 1775

Tuesday, March 30, 2027 · 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Arlington Historical Society — 7 Jason St., Arlington, MA

On April 19, 1775, the opening day of the American Revolution, colonial provincial militia and ministerial British forces clashed in bloody, vicious combat through Menotomy. As hundreds of red-coated soldiers and humbly attired provincials surged down Battle Road—known today as Massachusetts Avenue—the relentless fighting left roughly 150 men dead or wounded along a three-mile stretch through town. Recounting these events is as exciting and essential as it is deeply moving, highlighting pivotal moments like the brutal bloodbath inside the Jason Russell House, Samuel Wilson’s stubborn one-man stand, and the serendipitous capture of the British supply wagon. Yet beyond these dramatic human encounters lies the fascinating, often overlooked story of the road and the land itself. Violent, wrenching physical forces forged the terrain stretching from the Foot of the Rocks to the Jason Russell House, creating a landscape that profoundly dictated the chaotic combat of April 19th and continues to impact our daily lives in 21st-century Arlington. Join Arlington Historian Doreen Stevens as she uncovers how geography and history collided along Battle Road, revealing the deep physical and…