Washington at Dorchester Heights
Evacuation Day in Boston marks the departure of the British on March 17, 1776, ending the 11-month “Siege of Boston.” This painting by Gilbert Stuart shows Washington at Dorchester Heights, where he surprised the British with new fortifications and cannons. The “Evacuation” took troops and Tory citizens to Halifax, NS. In Boston, Evacuation Day a local holiday, often combined with St. Patrick’s Day. Dorchester Heights is in South Boston.
March 5, 1770. A snowy evening. A musket shot is fired. More shooting follows, killing five. This woodcut image by Paul Revere.
Old State House, snow © Steve Dunwell
A snowy evening, March 5, 1770. Here on King Street, now called State Street. Rowdy Patriot mob + squad of British soldiers. Short skirmish and surprising gunfire leaves 5 dead.
Constitution, with sails, Boston
Feb 20, 1815 – decisive battle between USS Constitution and two British ships: Cyane and Levant. Victory for Constitution, her last major battle during the War of 1812.
Centennial of the National Park Service. Many of the sites on Freedom Trail are part of the Boston Historic Park, supervised by NPS. Bunker Hill is one of the treasures.
The Declaration of Independence will be read from the balcony on the Old State House on July 4th. This commemorates the actual reading of the Declaration, on July 18, 1776.
Old State House, snow © Steve Dunwell
The Boston Massacre occurred on a snowy evening, March 5, 1770, in front of the Old State House. Troops occupying Boston to enforce the new British taxes fired into a mob of about sixty rowdy Bostonians, wounding eight and killing five. Crispus Attucks, an African-american, was among the first to die.
Boston’s oldest public building, erected in 1713 overlooking Long Wharf, replaced an old wooden Town House dating from 1658. After the Great fire of 1711, the town financed a brick building with a room for the Elder’s meeting, a library, an arsenal, and an arcaded farmers’ market “for the country people that come with theire provisions…to sitt dry and warme both in colde raine and durty weather.” It became the hub of the colony’s trade.
Preserved and operated by The Bostonian Society.
USS Constitution guns, snow, Charlestown, MA © Steve Dunwell
Deck cannons of “USS Constitution”, with snow. “Old Ironsides” carried several types of cannons. The 24-pound long guns had a range of 1200 yards.
Aerial photograph looking over the Bunker Hill Monument, Charlestown, towards Boston, MA. The USS Constitution is at left. The famous battle took place June 17, 1775, on Breed’s Hill, on the right side of this photo.