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Spring Returns to Concord
Welcome to the spring 2024 issue of Discover Concord. Patriots’ Day is right around the corner, and we have it covered for you. In fact, the 250th anniversary of the “shot heard ‘round the world” is just one year away and planning for this momentous celebration has already been underway for some time, as Concord and surrounding towns prepare to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the globe. The hundreds of historic reenactors who make these events possible are also hard at work – training, practicing, and ensuring every detail is ready. Learn what it takes to be an historic reenactor in “Many Voices, One Revolution” on p. 18.
Patriots’ Day commemorations and celebrations are a special time every spring, and we have everything you need to stay in the know for the 2024 events. Turn to p. 12 for a roundup of Patriots’ Day activities this April. Looking to brush up on your history? Go to p. 14 for our “Illustrated Timeline of April 19, 1775,” to follow the events of the fateful day hour-by-hour.
Did you know that on April 19, 1775, an estimated twenty to forty colonists of African or Native American descent fought along the Battle Road? In fact, men of color and Indigenous peoples have a storied history when it comes to fighting for our nation. “Local Patriots of Color in the American Revolution” (p. 26) looks at the contributions of those men who served at the very start of the revolution.
The engravings of Amos Doolittle document some of the turning points in our nation’s history. They represent some of the only images we have as a reference of the battles of Concord and Lexington. Discover more in “Amos Doolittle: Picturing the Birth of America” on p. 22.
Margaret Fuller was a leading voice in the Transcendentalist, anti-slavery, and women’s rights movements, and a deep influence to many of her peers in Concord. In July 1850, Margaret died, along with her husband and son, in a shipwreck off the coast of New York. She was only 40 years old. Margaret’s voice still resonates today, though, as you’ll learn in “Safely Sailing On: Margaret Fuller’s Spirit in Concord.”
Concord comes alive in spring – with everything from the Concord Museum’s Garden Tour to a rich array of arts and cultural activities. As always, you’ll find dozens of things to do, as well as walking maps, and even an article on kidfriendly gardening activities for the spring. There is so much to discover in and around Concord this spring!
Whatever your plans, we wish you a springtime filled with sunshine, flowers, and friends.
