Suing Their Enslavers: 18th century Freedom-Seekers in Andover
2024-11-24 13:30 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Andover Center for History and Culture, 97 Main Street, Andover, MA, 01970, United States
First lecture in the series, Freedom and Unfreedom in Essex County
Suing Their Enslavers: 18th Century Freedom-Seekers in Andover
A lecture given by Christine Boehmer, independent historian
Not all Native Americans in Massachusetts were invited to celebrate the harvest with English colonists. Some were enslaved by the colonists. In Andover in the 17th and 18th centuries, wealthy white families commonly enslaved one or more Africans or Native Americans. Join us on Sunday afternoon November 24th from 1:30 – 3:00 when Andover independent historian, Chris Boehmer, will share the inspiring stories of siblings Peter Almonach Bridges and Kate Phelps, born in Andover to an enslaved African and Native American couple. In the 1760s Peter and Kate took their enslaver, Moody Bridges, to court and won their freedom.
The lecture is an in-person presentation. However, all registrants will receive an email the day before the event with a ZOOM option for participation. With this type of ZOOM presentation you will be able to ask questions or make comments in the chat room only. Your questions will be answered live on the ZOOM video after the lecturer has finished the presentation.
Click HERE to purchase tickets

Old Taverns in 18th Century Andover: Headquarters for sleeping, politicking and entertainment
2024-12-06 18:00 - 19:00 | Andover Center for History and Culture, 97 Main Street, Andover, MA, 01970, United States
Speaker: Joann Michalik, local historian and researcher

If you missed our 18th-century tavern night in April, here’s your chance to experience it . . . with a holiday twist.

The introduction of stage coaches along major roadways leads to taverns as inns, houses of entertainment, and political headquarters. Learn about the role of rum in the American Revolution and hear about a certain Mr. Washington who comes to Andover. ​See beakers, mugs, and bowls from the era. Try a taste of a special 18th-century Christmas drink!

Click HERE to Purchase Tickets

Lunchtime History Films - Massachusetts Militias, Colonials, and British of 1775
2025-01-27 12:00 - 13:00 | Tapley Memorial Hall, 13 Page Street, Danvers, MA, 01923, United States
How militias were formed and implemented
A casual discussion and 20-30 minute film. Presented by Heritage Films, Dan Tremblay, volunteer and member of DHS. Share your knowledge in casual conversation. Bring your lunch, tables are available.
Bring your lunch!
NEW for 2025: Partnering with the Danvers Senior Center to offer more films
Tapley Memorial Hall, 13 Page Street, Danvers MA.
Free Admission. Donations appreciated.

250th Anniversary of Leslie’s Retreat Forum and Discussion
2025-02-15 11:30 - 12:30 | Pickering House, 18 Broad Street, Salem, 01970, United States
Join us for an afternoon discussing one of the lesser-known skirmishes of the early Revolutionary War. Colonel Timothy Pickering was present on that day and at his home 250 years later, we’ll gather together local historians and pull out objects from our archives and more as we discuss the events of that storied day and Pickering’s role in it.
CLICK HERE to purchase Tickets

Leslie’s Retreat: Salem on the Brink of Revolution Exhibit Opening Reception & Lecture
2025-02-21 17:00 - 19:30 | Salem Armory Visitor Center, 2 New Liberty Street, Salem, MA, 01970, United States
On the 250th Anniversary of Leslie’s Retreat, this National Park Service exhibit will explore why Crown soldiers under Lt. Col. Alexander Leslie came to Salem on February 26, 1775, who were the major players in the event, and how this event has been remembered and celebrated in Salem in the last 250 years.

This free exhibit will be on display starting on February 21st at the Salem Armory Regional Visitor Center, 2 New Liberty Street, Salem.

The evening starts with a FREE opening reception followed by a lecture presented by Dr. Emily Murphy.

CLICK HERE to Register for the Reception

Red Coat March: Leslie's Retreat 250th Reenactment
2025-02-22 09:30 - 11:30 | City of Salem, Salem, MA, 01970, United States
All are welcome to join at 9:30am at St. Peter’s-San Pedro Episcopal Church at 24 St. Peter’s Church to learn the history behind Leslie’s Retreat, and to hear from current elected officials. For more information about this program CLICK HERE
Beginning at 10:30 am with the tolling of the church bells, the Red Coats will begin their march towards the North Bridge for a live reenactment of Leslie’s Retreat. Public are encouraged to view the interaction between the Red Coats and local militia from the designated viewing spot on the North Bridge. The actual reenactment on the North Bridge will start right at 11am. For more event information about this event CLICK HERE

The Salem Gunpower Raid of February 26th, 1775, known locally as “Leslie’s Retreat”, was a significant incident leading up to the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. On Sunday, February 26th, 1775, Lt. Colonel Alexander Leslie of the 64th Regiment of Foot embarked from Castle Island in Boston Harbor aboard the HMS Lively to confiscate some cannon the Salem militia had recently secured. Leslie’s orderly landing and march from Marblehead to Salem was noticed and the alarm raised. By the time he arrived in Salem, the drawbridge across the North River to where the cannons were stashed, had been raised. A large rabble of Salemites had formed surrounding and upon the Bridge – a tense situation only grew more excited as British troops attempted to requisition some small boats to cross the North River.
After a few hours and stiff negotiation between Col. Leslie, Captain John Felt, Colonel Timothy Pickering and Rev. Thomas Barnard, an agreement was met. The frequently cited account of the incident by Charles Endicott mentions, “By the prudence and praise-worth forbearance of Colonel Leslie, any serious collision with the troops was happily averted”. Under a lesser officer than Leslie, it is easy to imagine the inciting incident of the Revolution starting at our North Bridge rather than Concord’s. The drawbridge would be lowered, Col. Leslie and his troops would march 30 rods (~500 feet) into North Salem to do their search, accomplishing their mission of searching for the guns, before returning to their vessel in Marblehead Harbor and ultimately back to Boston. While no shots were fired that day, the incident is historically significant on several counts and deserves our recognition and commemoration. A British magazine published April 1775 stated that “the Americans have hoisted the standard of liberty at Salem”, clearly viewing this as an inciting incident to the anticipated conflict.
This event is Presented by Salem 400+ with the active support of The Leslie’s Retreat Salem Resistance.

Leslie's Retreat 250th Trolley Tour
2025-02-22 12:30 - 16:00 | St. Peter’s-San Pedro Epsicopal Church, 24 St. Peter Street, Salem, MA, 01970, United States
Join us for a FREE 90-minute Trolley tour from Salem to Marblehead and back will discuss how and where the American Revolution could have started in Marblehead and/or Salem on February 26, 1775, almost two months before the first battles of the Revolutionary War at Lexington and then Concord on the 19 th of April.
The Trolley will begin boarding 15 minutes before departure outside of St. Peter’s-San Pedro Episcopal Church at 24 Saint Peter Street Salem, MA.
Everyone with a reservation must be on the Trolley 10 MINUTES before departure ( by 12:20pm or 2:20pm). If you do not arrive by this time any open seats will be given on a first-come-first-served basis.
CLICK HERE to Register

Fashion in the Season of Revolution: A Panel Discussion and a Revolutionary Reenactor Promenade
2025-02-22 14:30 - 16:10 | PEM, 161 Essex St, Salem, MA, 01970, United States
The Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) invites you to step back in time with Fashion in the Season of Revolution, a dynamic exploration of the intersection between style, society, and conflict in the Revolutionary era. This engaging program, presented in cooperation with Leslie’s Retreat 250, offers a unique blend of scholarship, storytelling, and immersive experience, combining a thought-provoking panel discussion with a vibrant Revolutionary reenactor promenade.
2:30pm – Panel begins in Morse Auditorium – Welcome and panelist introductions – Petra Slinkard
2:40pm – Presentation: PEM Collection in Focus – Abigail Adams’ Petticoat – Paula Bradstreet Richter, Curator-at-Large, PEM
3:00pm – Presentation: Purchasing Patriotism: New England Shoe Stories During the Revolutionary Era – Dr. Kimberly Alexander, University of New Hampshire
3:20pm – Presentation: “I Dress as Genteel As Possible:”; Research and Context in Living History Interpretation – Dr. Emily A. Murphy, Curator, National Park Service.
3:40pm- Presentation: Inspiration Up Close – A Story of Reenactment Dress – a conversation with Henry Rutkowski and Petra Slinkard
3:55pm – Invitation to reenactors to join on stage and audience to view costumes up close
4:10pm – Program concludes
This event is presented by the Peabody Essex Museum in collaboration with Leslie’s Retreat 250
This event is included with museum admission. (Salem residents and employees always visit for free)

The Revolution Ball
2025-02-22 19:30 - 23:30 | Hamilton Hall, 9 Chestnut Street, Salem, MA, 01970, United States
The Revolution Ball is a colonial dress/black tie evening of live music, dancing, food, and drinks. The event celebrates the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of Leslie’s Retreat from the Salem gun powder raid of 1775.
In February of 1775, Colonel Alexander Leslie and his British regulars were sent to raid the gunpowder and cannon stores of Salem. On their way through Marblehead and Salem, an alarm was raised and townsfolk and local militia responded in large number to impede Leslie and his soldiers. Rather than the confrontation ending in violence, collaboration and diplomacy won the day, thanks to local minister Rev. Thomas Barnard, Captain John Felt, Colonel David Mason, and Colonel Leslie.
The evening’s events will begin with period drinks, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and music. Period dancing will commence in the ballroom, led by Commonwealth Vintage Dancers. Local reenactors will be present, both to take photos with and to participate in the evening’s festivities. Guests are welcome to wear either colonial costume or black tie attire.
CLICK HERE to purchase tickets

In Open Rebellion
2025-02-23 15:00 - 17:00 | Old Town Hall, 32 Derby Square, SALEM, MA, 01970, United States
Held in Salem’s Historic Old Town Hall, step back into Salem on the eve of the American Revolution for the anniversary of Leslie’s Retreat and Revolution 250!
Its autumn of 1774, Salem is the seat of the newly appointed Royal Governor, General Gage- welcomed by some, resented by others. With their local government severely constrained and their needs being ignored by the King and British Parliament, what will Salem’s citizens do to get their message heard? And what new hope is this talk of liberty for the Africans enslaved by Salem merchants?
Commissioned by Essex Heritage and performed by History Alive
This event is Free and open to the public!

When Redcoats Marched in Marblehead
2025-02-27 19:00 - 20:00 | Marblehead Museum, 170 Washington Street, Marblehead, 01945, United States
On Sunday, February 26, 1775, about 250 British soldiers marched through Marblehead, sent by the royal governor to search for weapons. When that column of redcoats stalled at a drawbridge in Salem, their commander ordered locals to let them pass. Militia companies were assembling to stop them. If that confrontation had turned violent, it could have been the start of the Revolutionary War, almost two months before the first shots at Lexington.
This talk puts that confrontation in February 1775 in the larger context of the Massachusetts Patriots’ effort to assemble a military force, the royal governor’s attempts to stop them, and how that stalemate eventually led to April 19. It digs below myths attached to “Leslie’s Retreat” to highlight eyewitness accounts of a day the Revolutionary War might have begun, but didn’t.
J.L. Bell is the author of The Road to Concord: How Four Stolen Cannon Ignited the Revolutionary War, as well as a book-length study for the National Park Service and many articles for the Journal of the American Revolution and other outlets. He has spoken at many historic sites and institutions in greater Boston, Mount Vernon, the American Revolution Institute in Washington, and the Fraunces Tavern Museum in New York. Bell’s website, Boston 1775, offers daily updates of “history, analysis, and unabashed gossip about the start of the American Revolution.”
CLICK HERE for in-person tickets
CLICK HERE for ZOOM tickets

Newburyport's Road to Revolution Part I: Roots of Rebellion
2025-02-27 19:00 - 20:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, 1 Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Join the Museum of Old Newbury and the Custom House Maritime Museum for the kick-off event to a year-long exploration of Newburyport’s role in the American Revolution.
Join historian and author Alexander Cain for a captivating lecture exploring the roots of the American Revolution, focusing on Newburyport, the Merrimack Valley, and Essex County.
Explore the 17th and 18th-century concept of “English liberties” that shaped the colonists’ understanding of civil rights. Discover how these ideals collided with the growing power of the British Crown, leading to escalating tensions between colonists and the mother country.
Trace the colonial buildup to war, examining key events of 1774 and 1775 and emphasizing events in Newburyport and the Merrimack Valley. Explore the local impact of the dramatic events of April 19, 1775, when the first shots of the American Revolution rang out in Lexington and Concord. Learn about the role of local militias, including the “Minute Men” of the Merrimack Valley, the “Independent Companies” of Newburyport and Haverhill and how the conflict unfolded in Essex County. Meet colonial militiamen, British soldiers, and more for a fun, first-person take on the brewing conflict.
A lively Q&A session with follow the lecture, so bring your burning questions about everything from the Minute Men and the Massachusetts militia system to the British army. Join us as we travel together down Newburyport’s Road to Revolution!
CLICK HERE to Purchase Tickets
Funded, in part, by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism

Who Started the American Revolution? (It's Not Who You Think!)
2025-03-01 14:00 - 15:30 | Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, 33 Marrett Road, Lexington, MA, 02421, United States

For the Defense and Safety of the Province: Essex County Prepares for War
2025-03-08 09:30 - 12:00 | Meredith Farm, 41 Cross Street, Topsfield, MA, 01983, United States
****THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT****
Join us for a lecture by Historian Alex Cain, followed by drilling demonstrations performed by reenactors from Danvers & Lexington.
In October 1774, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress ordered the towns across the colony to prepare for war with England. In response, Essex County entered a wartime phase that included creating minute-man companies, stockpiling arms, ammunition, and equipment, and establishing a defense network ready to mobilize if the redcoats marched from Boston into the countryside. Join Alexander Cain as he discusses the county’s response to the British threat of war on the eve of Lexington and Concord.

After the lecture, attendees can stay to witness live demonstrations of the types of drills used by local militias in 1775. Reenactors from the Danvers Alarm List Company will demonstrate the Pickering Manual of Arms, while the Lexington Minutemen will demonstrate the 1764 Crown Manual. These demonstrations will offer a hands-on look at how militias trained and prepared for battle in the years leading up to the Revolution.
Guests are welcome to arrive at 9:00 am for some coffee and light refreshments, the lecture will begin at 9:30am with the drilling demonstrations to follow right after.
The Lecture portion will be limited to 75 participants but all are welcome to attend the drill demonstrations. Please be aware that the reenactors will be firing muskets during these demonstrations, which will result in loud booms and smoke.
REGISTER HERE
Meredith Farm is a privately owned, 188-acre farm in Topsfield, which has been recently renovated. Its 1793 Barn houses an extensive private collection of artifacts related to American history; This barn is where the lecture portion will take place.
This program is part of Essex County Revolution 250.Essex County Revolution 250 is an initiative of Essex Heritage in partnership with Massachusetts Rev250 and dozens of regional museums, heritage sites, and organizations, with the intention of raising awareness and highlighting the diverse stories of Essex County, Massachusetts residents, free and unfree, during the American Revolutionary period.

Newburyport’s Road to Revolution Part II: Nbpt Braces for Attack by Sea
2025-03-20 19:00 - 20:00 | Custom House Maritime Museum, 25 Water Street, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Boston is occupied, Portsmouth blockaded. A wild rumor flies that Ipswich has been attacked by sea and her inhabitants killed. A British scouting party sneaks into Newburyport Harbor under the cover of night. In the face of constant threat, Newburyport’s harbor became a safe haven for vessels of all kinds on the eve of Revolution, thanks to an elaborate web of defenses including sunken piers, floating batteries, and artillery at Salisbury Point.
Join Graham McKay, executive director of Lowell’s Boat Shop, and Bethany Groff Dorau as we explore how Newburyport prevented attack by sea and became a refuge for rebels at sea.
CLICK HERE to Purchase Tickets
Funded, in part, by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism

Rebels At Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution talk by Eric Jay Dolin
2025-03-27 18:30 - 19:30 | Andover Center for History and Culture, 97 Main Street, Andover, MA, 01970, United States
Join us to hear Author Eric Jay Dolin talk about his book, Rebels At Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution.

More information coming soon
Andover Center for History & Culture website

Newburyport's Road to Revolution, Part III - The First Tea Party
2025-03-30 15:00 - 16:00 | Museum of Old Newbury, 98 High Street, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Join us for a special Sunday afternoon tea party at the Museum of Old Newbury to explore a tea mystery. For generations, Newburyporters claimed to have been the first to protest onerous British tariffs by destroying tea imported from British India. Before Sam Adams’s band dunked that tea in Boston harbor, as the Clipper City’s claim goes, a sturdy shipwright sparked the Revolution when he rallied a local band to burn the offending tea in this town’s Market Square. Join historian and educator Bill Quigley, who has examined this long-standing narrative, to learn the truth of this history. It’s a tale of surprising twists.
Bill Quigley teaches history and directs the Writing Center at The Governor’s Academy. He’s the author of an award-winning Civil War history, Pure Heart: The Faith of a Father and Son in the War for a More Perfect Union (Kent State, 2016), and he is working now on a book about the historically misrepresented Christiana “Riot” of 1851. He is co-president of the Museum’s board of directors.
CLICK HERE to Purchase Tickets
Funded, in part, by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism

"Heads of Families and Men of Substance" The Rise of the Merrimack Valley Minute Men
2025-04-01 18:00 - 20:00 | The Stevens Center on the Common, 800 Massachusetts Avenue, North Andover, MA, 01845, United States
In October 1774, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress instructed towns throughout the colony to prepare for imminent conflict with England. In response, the Merrimack Valley, in particular, shifted into a wartime stance, forming minute companies, stockpiling weapons, ammunition, and supplies, and setting up a defense network ready to mobilize if British forces advanced from Boston. Join historian and professor, Alexander Cain as he explores the Merrimack Valley’s reaction, focusing on Andover, to the British threat and delves into the formation of the Massachusetts militia and the minuteman system just before the battles of Lexington and Concord.
Doors at 6:00/Presentation Begins at 6:30
CLICK HERE to purchase tickets

North Andover Revolutionaries in the First and Second Burial Grounds
2025-04-08 18:00 - 20:00 | The Stevens Center on the Common, 800 Massachusetts Avenue, North Andover, MA, 01845, United States
Join us as we approach the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution by learning about our local revolutionary heroes buried in North Andover’s First and Second Burial Ground. Who were they? What was their previous fighting experience? What drove them to war?
NA Historical Society Educator, David Blauvelt, will speak on the character and actions of some of the town’s Revolutionary War soldiers.
Doors at 6:00/Presentation Begins at 6:30
CLICK HERE to purchase tickets

Marblehead's Mysterious Revolutionary
2025-04-10 19:00 - 20:00 | Marblehead Museum, 170 Washington Street, Marblehead, 01945, United States
On May 10, 1775, the once formidable life of Colonel Jeremiah Lee of Marblehead came to an abrupt end, due to his covert acts on behalf of independence.
Judy Anderson leads this illustrated presentation to honor Lee’s life and contributions to the revolutionary cause, which have remained nearly unrecognized for two and a half
centuries.
A Colonel of Marblehead’s defensive militia since 1751, Lee also led the town’s large rebel militia from January 1775 until his untimely death. Judy Anderson will illuminate the story of one of America’s forgotten, but most crucial, revolutionaries.
IN-PERSON TICKETS (SOLD OUT)
FOR ZOOM TICKETS, CLICK HERE

Lunch Time History Films-Massachusetts Community Militias
2025-04-14 12:00 - 13:00 | Tapley Memorial Hall, 13 Page Street, Danvers, MA, 01923, United States
Lunchtime History Films, bring your lunch!

Massachusetts Community Militias

A casual discussion and a 20-30 minute film. Presented by Heritage Films, Dan Tremblay, a volunteer and member of DHS.

Free Admission. Donations appreciated.
Danvers Historical Society: 978-777-1666 or E-mail to connect@danvershistory.org

Reconstructing the Voice of James Stevens: A North Andover Revolutionary
2025-04-15 18:00 - 20:00 | The Stevens Center on the Common, 800 Massachusetts Avenue, North Andover, MA, 01845, United States
Join linguist and NAHS facilities manager, Antoine Trombino-Ponte, as he explains his reconstruction of the voice of James Stevens, through James’ diary, which he began on April 19th, 1775.
Antoine Trombino-Aponte is the Facilities Manager at the North Andover Historical Society as well as an Educator at the JFK Library, Boston.
Doors at 6:00/Presentation Begins at 6:30
CLICK HERE to purchase tickets

Virtual Program - Salem's Pre-Revolutionary Revolution
2025-04-16 19:00 - 20:30 | MA
A decade before 1776, changes in the social and political hierarchies of Salem paved the way for its Revolutionary and post-Revolutionary roles. Dr. Donna Seger, professor of history at Salem State University and co-author of the forthcoming Salem’s Centuries. New Perspectives on the History of an Old American City, leads us through some of the major clashes and contests.
Join Dr. Donna Seger and Historic New England’s North Shore Regional Site Administrator, Abigail Stewart, for thrilling tales from Revolutionary Salem!
CLICK HERE to purchase tickets
Historic New England Members Free; Nonmembers $5.
Advance tickets are required.
Please call (617)994-6678 for more information.
The link for the webinar will be included in the order confirmation for this program.

The Osgoods - 250 Years Ago They Started A Revolution
2025-04-18 18:00 - 20:00 | The Stevens Center on the Common, 800 Massachusetts Avenue, North Andover, MA, 01845, United States
Based on shared research about their families, cousins Rich Pitra and Kathleen Osgood will bring their ANCESTRY CLUB research to North Andover on the eve of the 250th anniversary of our town’s involvement in the early days of the American Revolution.
From the “shot heard round the world” on April 19, 1775, to September 3, 1783, with the signing of the Treaty of Paris, the Osgoods fought in the Revolution. Now, 250 years later, Katie and Rich will highlight the family who fought in the opening battles for American Independence, including the Fryes and Osgoods from Andover, the Osgoods and Prescotts from Lancaster, and the Hales from Hollis, Massachusetts. The presentation will follow their routes to Lexington and Concord and on to the Siege of Boston and the Battle of Bunker Hill.
Doors at 6pm/Presentation at 6:30pm
CLICK HERE to purchase tickets

"Shadows of 1775"
2025-04-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Centre Congregational Church Chapel, 5 Summer St, Lynnfield, MA, 01940, United States
Hosted by Lynnfield Historical Society
Shadows of 1775
An original play. Hear the words of those who represented Lynn end (what Lynnfield was known as)
The play is led by a narrator who calls on various characters sitting in the audience; Characters (who are real people from 1775 Lynnfield) tell their individual stories, which, in turn, tell the whole story.
This event is FREE and open to all. Seating is limited (First come/first served)
For more information visit: https://www.lynnfieldhistoricalsociety.org/lhs–revolution-250.html

Lynnfield Historical Society Revolution 250 Events
2025-04-19 | Lynnfield Library, 18 Summer St, Lynnfield, MA, 01940, United States
On Saturday April 19th there will be a series of events on Lynnfield Common and in the Lynnfield Library
11:00am: Patriots Gallery of lawn signs containing biographies of the 38 men of Bancroft’s Company
11:00am: Children’s craft and story time; Children can make their own tri-cornered hats. There will also be a reading of Longfellow’s poem “Midnight Ride of Paul Revere” in the Library.
12:30pm: Fife and Drum Demonstrations
12:35pm: Hear the story of Martin Herrick – Lynnfield’s own midnight rider
12:45pm: Martin Herrick arrives on horseback
12:50pm: Kids Parade
1:00pm: Militia Demonstrations: Musket Display, Mourn Arms presentation, Wreath Laying, 18th Century music with Ron Sarro
2:00pm: Patriotic concert featuring the Reading Community Concert Band.

For more information visit: https://www.lynnfieldhistoricalsociety.org/lhs–revolution-250.html

REV250 Bus Tour of North Andover & Andover
2025-04-19 11:00 - 14:30 | MA
**THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT**
Join us on April 19th for the Revolutionary History Tour Shuttle, a special collaboration between the North Andover Historical Society and the Andover Center for History and Culture!
Embark on an adventure through our shared heritage as we bring our two towns, once united during the American Revolution, back together for a day of family-friendly learning and fun.
The 1.5 hour bus tour will start at the North Andover Historical Society. The route retraces the path taken by the Militia through North Andover and Andover en route to the battle at Lexington and Concord. View historical homes and sites that stood in 1775. The 18th century owners of these homes helped shape our nation’s journey to independence. Our experienced guides from the NAHS and ACHC will share captivating stories and anecdotes about our local connections to the revolution.
In North Andover the bus will stop briefly for a tour of the historic kitchen and dining room at the Timothy Johnson House where you can enjoy a glass of lemonade. The bus continues on to Andover viewing more historic homes and stopping briefly at the west Andover Blanchard Upton House for an outdoor tour and a glass of apple cider. From there, the bus returns to the North Andover Historical Society.
Connect with your neighbors and foster a sense of pride in our intertwined past and the aspirations of ordinary people in our towns in 1775 who fought for liberty, equality and justice as they marched at the Lexington Alarm from the North Parish meeting house, through Andover and on to Concord and Lexington on 19th April, 1775.

Patriots Day Remembrance 2025
2025-04-21 07:50 - 13:00 | Rebecca Nurse Homestead, 149 Pine Street, Danvers, 01923, United States
Every year on Patriots Day, the members of the Danvers Alarm List Company gather to honor the brave men from Danvers who made the ultimate sacrifice at the Jason Russell House on April 19th, 1775, by participating in a special mini-marathon. This year, in commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of Patriots Day, we’re expanding our programming. For the first time, we’ll offer Trolley transportation, allowing not only our reenactors but also members of the public to join us at each of our historic stops. Our knowledgeable reenactors will share the story of the 16 mile march made to the Battle of Menotomy and the lives of the men we lost that day. At each stop of the graves and monuments dedicated to the seven Danvers men, we will hold a brief ceremony and a volley salute. Reenactors will also bring history to life with engaging spoken dialogue aboard the Trolleys. Be sure to stay tuned for the most up-to-date information on the schedule and Trolley registration.

Below are the stops without the exact times as we are still finalizing this. Trolleys will pick-up and drop-off at the Rebecca Nurse Homestead. There is plenty of parking available but once we leave the Homestead at 7:50am we will not be returning until 1pm, so please keep this in mind. (We will have portable toilets available at the Nurse Homestead before departure and upon return.)

Training Field (Centre Street Danvers). The Village Training Field on Centre Street was given to the town by Deacon Nathaniel Ingersoll in 1709 as a training place. A marker at the Training Field stands as a memorial to the seven Danvers men who died on April 19, 1775 in Menotomy (Arlington).
Jacobs Gravesite (Edgehill Road Peabody). Henry Jacobs was one of the Danvers men who fell on April 19. He is buried in a family cemetery. At that time, Peabody was part of Danvers.
Old South Burial Ground (Main Street Peabody). The South Burial Ground contains the graves of four Danvers men who died on April 19: Ebenezer Goldthwaite, George Southwick, Samuel Cook, and Benjamin Daland.
Lexington Monument (Washington St. Peabody)

(This stop will be the only stop with access to bathrooms until the Nurse Homestead)

Hutchinson Home Site Marker (Water Street Danvers). Capt. Israel Hutchinson commanded a Minute company that fought in Menotomy. Hutchinson lived in a home on Water Street in Danversport, which is no longer standing. The bodies of the Danvers dead were brought back to this house on April 20, 1775. A granite marker marks the location of the house.
Reuben Keniston Grave – Leach Burial Ground (Elliot Street Danvers). Ruben Keniston was a Beverly man who marched to Menotomy with Capt. Israel Hutchinson’s company. He was killed on April 19th.
Nurse Homestead Cemetery (Pine Street Danvers). The cemetery at the Nurse House contains the graves of Revolutionary War veterans Francis Nurse (great grandson of Rebecca) and Matthew Putnam. (There will be portable toilets at this location)

CLICK HERE to purchase tickets for the Patriots Day Trolley
Please check back on Facebook as more updates get added to this special day of programming.

Vox Populi: Towns of Massachusetts and the American Revolution
2025-04-22 18:00 - 20:00 | The Stevens Center on the Common, 800 Massachusetts Avenue, North Andover, MA, 01845, United States
In the two and a half centuries since American Independence was declared and secured, little attention has been spent looking into the roles of communities other than those who participated in significant events or were centers of population. Boston, Lexington, Concord, & Bunker Hill play an outsized role in the public memory of the American Revolution. In this talk, we will examine the hearts and minds of the people and communities across Massachusetts to understand why they would risk their lives, liberties, and fortunes for a new nation.
Jonathan Lane is a historian with the Massachusetts Historical Society and the coordinator for Revolution 250, an organization dedicated to commemorating the American Revolutionary War.
Doors at 6:00/Presentation at 6:30
CLICK HERE to purchase tickets

Facing Colonel Alexander Leslie
2025-04-23 19:00 - 20:30 | Tapley Memorial Hall, 13 Page Street, Danvers, MA, 01923, United States
How, why & where the first battle of the American Revolution could have happened at Salem’s North Bridge in February 1775 instead of in Lexington and at Concord’s North Bridge on April 19th.
Less than two months before April 19th in 1775, the American Revolution’s first land battle could have taken place in Marblehead and/or Salem instead of in Lexington and Concord, in the exact same scenario. The “Salem Alarm” event that occurred in Salem on February 26th, 1775 and later became known as “Leslie’s Retreat,” is now quite familiar — especially after the big 250th anniversary reenactment a few weeks ago, and several educational events about it.
Here in Danvers on April 23rd, an illustrated program will explore the human side of the near-miss episode, along with its geographical and social context.
Who was the “Leslie” of “Leslie’s Retreat” ? — Why did he and his Regular Army troops march through the crowded and volatile metropolis of Marblehead to march into Salem? — And where in Marblehead did they land?
Social and cultural historian Judy Anderson of Marblehead will introduce Colonel Alexander Leslie as a person, along with a few of the other individuals who were involved — most of whom were remarkably young ! … She will also note who were NOT involved, contrary to common assumptions and portrayals of the tense confrontation on that cold February day. … Along the way, she will illuminate what Marblehead actually was in 1775, as opposed to what people think it was — especially in relation to Danvers and Salem. Because in 1775, all three were VERY different communities.
Portrait of Lt. Colonel Alexander Leslie as a General (in 1776) by Thomas Gainsborough. Private collection in Scotland.
Detail of a painting by J.O.J. Frost (1920s), depicting the landing of Colonel Leslie’s troops at a cove in Marblehead Harbor. Marblehead Museum collection.
We are proud to participate in Mass Cultural Council’s Card to Culture program.
Speaker Series typically every 3rd Wednesday, 7pm.
Including a temporary exhibit of related artifacts from the Society’s collections.
Tapley Memorial Hall 13 Page Street, Danvers MA.
Danvers Historical Society: 978-777-1666 or E-mail to dhs@danvershistory.org Donations appreciated.
Learn more here: https://www.danvershistory.org/2025/04/facing-colonel-alexander-leslie/
