After checking into our hotel, we stroll down the street so Greg can show me where his office
(HQ) is located. Along the way, we discover my (maiden) namesake. (Fontaine)

And, of course, we have to take turns...

Posing with the toys!

Greg points out the Chicago Bar & Grill...in Boston!

As as it starts to rain, we make it to his HQ. Where Greg opens his wallet to advise
the building that he could use a little more cash for all the work he does for it! <grin>

And you can NOT go to Boston without hitting Cheers!

The next day is Sunday, so we rent a car to head off to find Salem.
Along the way we plan to also his the Lexington/Concord area.

Gee...too bad. Hertz is out of "standard" cars, so we're forced to take
a Jag at the regular price. No problem...we'll suffer! <hee, hee>

Thanks to the GPS system in the car, we have no problem finding our way to Concord.
We hit the visitor's center before we go exploring. The trees are just too cool.
I love trees! So symmetrical the chaos.

This is the location of the farm house owned by Major John Buttrick,
whose land is the location of the beginning of the Revolutionary War.
Just down this hill is where the first battle took place. The "Red Coats"
were coming over the bridge to his farm...when they were
confronted and pushed back by a bunch of patriot farmers.

2009 Update! Very cool. Through my Facebook profiles, Sara Pederson-Witchey
found me. She is a descendent of Major John Buttrick! She was working on a book
of the family history and wanted permission to use my pictures, which, of course,
I gladly allowed her, as I was glad to help. But how cool to talk with someone
who came down from the man/family/farm where I felt those long ago spirits of
those brave souls who originally fought for our country!

Inside the visitor's center. Talk about symmetry. Beautiful.

We head out the back and down the hill to explore the site.

Through the garden.

Check out the barn.

More way cool trees.

The river behind the farm.

The battleground!

In 1775...the first battle of the Revolution was held right there.

When we started on this drive, I wasn't all that interesting in the historical aspect,
I just wanted to hit Salem and check out the Witch Museum.
But once here...standing on this hallowed ground...it was as if I could feel the past.
I was suddenly struck by the fact that a couple hundred years ago a bunch
of farmers fought for freedom...and many died...RIGHT HERE.

I was hooked.

It says..."On the morning of April 19, 1775, approximately 400 colonials stood on the hill
overlooking the north bridge. As smoke rose from Concord Center, the order to march was
given. In the exchange of fire that followed, Captain Isaac David, who had explained 'I haven't
a man who is afraid to go' was killed together with Abner Hosmer, A private, also from Acton.

"This memorial was erected by the Captain Isaac Davis Chapter of the
Daughters of the American Revolution, april, 1975."

This statue of a patriot farmer gave me a real sense of who had once fought and died here.

This is the plaque on the above statue:
"By the rude bridge that arched the flood, Their flag to April's breeze unfurled.
Here once the Embattled farmers stood, And fired the shot heard round the world."

Over 200 years later...here stands Greg!

Grave of British Soldiers

They came three thousand miles and died, to keep the past upon its throne.
Unheard beyond the ocean tide, their English mother made her moan.

April 19, 1775

Here on the 19 of April 1775 was made the first forcible resistance to British aggression.
On the opposite bank stood the American Militia. Here stood the invading army and on
this spot the first of the enemy fell in the War of that Revolution which gave
Independence to these United States.

In gratitude to God and in the love of Freedom this Monument was erected.

AD 1836

Concord Fight

On the morning of April nineteenth, 1775, while the British held this bridge, the minute-men
and militia of of Concord and neighboring towns gathered on the hill across the river. There
the Concord Adjutant Joseph Hosmer demanded "Will you let them burn the town down?"
There the Lincoln Captain, William Smith, offered to dislodge the British. The Acton Captain,
Isaac Davis said, "I haven't a man that's afraid to go." And the Concord Colonel, James Barret,
ordered the attack on the regulars.

The column was lead by the Major John Buttrick, marching from his own farm. His aide was
Lt. Colonel John Robinson of Westford. The Minute-men of Acton, Concord, Lincoln and
Bedford followed. After them came the Militia. At the British Volley Isaac Davis fell. Buttrick
cried "Fire, Fellow-Soldiers, for God's sake fire." And himself fired first. The British fled.
And here began the separation of two kindred nations, now happily long united in peace.

Allen French

Greg sits on the wall along the hill where the British arrived.

Much more peaceful arrivals these days.

Quick! Give that pooch a Victrola to listen to.

We cross the bridge and look on from the side where the British emerged.

The bridge in the background.

Dian finds a tiny piece of loose rock as a good luck charm, sitting on top of this boulder.

Greg walks out to the boathouse and reflect on history.

Folks canoeing down the river.

The view from the bridge, back up to where the farm house originally stood.

Once you're here...and you read and think about what once happened here...
you can't help but want to stand and reflect on the events and the history.

Time to head back to the car. Oh that look too interesting to walk around.

Dian playing the beast in the woods.

Duck!

Off to Lexington.

Some beautiful churches along the way.

The words on the rock say:
"Stand your ground. Don't fire unless fired upon.
But if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.

April 19, 1775

The battle raged on here in Lexington.

Somewhat poetic. Two-hundred years ago our forefathers
fought and died here...generations later, these innocent children play.

Buckman Tavern

In 1714, Lexington selectmen gave John Muzzey permission to keep
a "public House of Entertainment." On Sundays townspeople
came here for hot flip and a warm fire after sitting for hours in the unheated church.

John Buckman owned this Inn during the Revolution. He gave it a new double hip roof to
provide more attic bedrooms, obliterating its "saltbox" roof profile. In later years it served as
the town post office. The Lexington Historical Society induced the town to buy the building in
1914 to save it from demolition. Today, the town owns the Tavern and the Society maintains it.

(Buckman Tavern is where the minute-men gathered to prepare for the British Invasion.
[the first one<smile>])

The battle memorial behind the tavern.

Buckman Tavern, itself.

The Lexington memorial to the minute-man.

Another cool church.

A memorial to the battle that took place here that also
lists the names of the townsfolk who died in the battle.

Cool church and cool trees!

The plaque on this house says: "House of Jonathan Harrington,
who wounded on the Common, April 19, 1775, dragged
himself to the door and died at his wife's feet."

As we walked on the Common, this beautiful little golden pup
and his owners came by. I couldn't' stand it.
He was just too cute, so I had to stop and play with him.
His gracious owners didn't mind.

He shows off his tricks..."Sit!"

And check out those ears...both flipped back. Too cute!

A little more play and we're on our way.

Off to Salem. Lots of amazing cemeteries here.

And for those of us who remember Necco wafers, here's the company.
Cracked me up that their water tower was multicolored just like a pack of wafers.

Very cool buildings here, too.

Crow Haven Corner...the local witch supply store.

The Witch Museum.

Even the cop cars have a witch logo.

Statue of Roger Conant, Born 1592, Died 1679.

The first settler of Salem, 1626.

(Thanks to Bradley Thomas for passing me corrected info
on Roger Conant, as well as this link for more info on Roger and the statue:
http://www.salemweb.com/guide/roger.shtml)

'Nuff Said.

The most amazing fact that we discovered while visiting here was that the
witch trials (1692) were caused by a handful of young girls who faked that they
had had spells cast upon them. They convinced the townspeople that they
had been cursed by witches and then they pointed the finger at
many innocent townsfolk and swore that they had been bewitched
by these people. One by one...anyone who crossed this group of
girls would be labeled a witch. And one by one many innocent
people were hung or crushed by stones in an attempt to rid the town of the evil.

Only later did the girls confess...the real evil was discovered
in the evil little girls who had lied to get attention...causing many people their lives!

[Note...Susan Daffron, my bud, had a relative killed during the trials!
The only person pressed to death with stones, Giles Corey.]

Monday morning and Greg is off to meetings at his office.
So the day is mine to explore. The view of the Boston Gardens from our hotel room.

What a beautiful place!

The Duck Pond in the Gardens across from our hotel.

The residents.

So pretty...I want one!<g>

The swan boats in the back.

The swan boats in the background.

This very cool burial ground right down from our hotel.

Sites dating back to the 1700.

Another friendly local resident.

I believe this was one of the mines that was in the
harbor during maybe the Revolutionary War?

Civil War memorial.

Whoa! What a piercing look!

He guards the memorial.

Outside the back of our hotel.

In Memory of
Mary Bumford
Wife of Thos Bumford
who died March 3, 1803
Aged 21 Years

Stop here my friend as you pass by
As you are now so once was I.
As I am now so you must be
Prepare for death and follow me.

This stone caught my attention because the poem was similar to the one we
used for my father's mass cards when he passed away, in the mid 70s.

This Stone Erected to the Memory of 4 Children
of Mr. Joel and Mrs. Sarah Hager
Joel died Oct 18, 1785, Aged 13 Months
Joseph died Dec 22, 1784, Aged 11 Days
Joel died Dec 23, 1784, Aged 12 Days
Sarah died July 5, 1796, Aged 5 Years, 3 m

(It was common to continue naming after the father, hoping one child would survive.)

In the Gardens.

In the Commons.

Dian starts her walking tour of Boston...along the Freedom Trail.

Park Street Church, 1809.

Paul Revere is buried here.

And Samuel Adams.

Ben Franklin's parents are here, too...as well as Mother Goose
and the victims of the Boston Massacre.

King's Chapel

The Old State House, 1713.

Cool shops and street entertainment in Quincy Market.

Paul Revere's House...1770 - 1800

A peak around to the backyard.

Paul Revere's front door!

I must say, taking this picture gave me a strange (cool) feeling of history!

Cool buildings along my walk.

Paul Revere Mall
With this statue of Paul making his famous run,
with the Old North Church in the background.

The Old North Church.

I'm actually here!
(My 3rd grade history teacher would be so proud!)

"...One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country folk to be up and to arm..."

The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere!

King's Chapel Burial Grounds, 1630

Some of the passengers of the Mayflower are buried here!

Cool buildings back near the hotel as I hoof it back.

Boston City Hall.

I believe this is the (Old?) Capital Building.

An incredible memorial to the Irish famine...to all those who suffer from hunger
with remembrance to the thousands who died...and hope that the future is better...
To find the American Dream.

Boston is an incredible city!
If you ever have a chance to go...do it...and walk it!