The Col. James Barrett Farm (Barrett's Farm) is a historic

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

site in

Concord, Massachusetts Concord () is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. At the 2020 census, the town population was 18,491. The United States Census Bureau considers Concord part of Greater Boston. The town center is near where the confl ...

, associated with the revolution's first battle, the 1775 battles of Lexington and Concord. His farm was the storage site of all the town of Concord's militia

gunpowder Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, carbon (in the form of charcoal) and potassium nitrate (saltpeter). Th ...

, weapons and two pairs of prized bronze cannons.

Background

James Barrett was Colonel of the

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

during the Battles of Lexington and Concord that began the

. His farm was the storage site of all the town of Concord's militia

, weapons and two pairs of prized bronze cannons, according to secret British intelligence. On the morning of April 19, 1775, the

British Regulars {{no footnotes, date=August 2015 Commonly used to describe the Napoleonic era British foot soldiers, the British Regulars were known for their distinct red uniform and well-disciplined combat performance. Known famously in British folklore as the ' ...

were ordered by General

Thomas Gage General Thomas Gage (10 March 1718/192 April 1787) was a British Army general officer and colonial official best known for his many years of service in North America, including his role as British commander-in-chief in the early days of th ...

to march from

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

to the town of Concord, about 20 miles inland, and seize the cannon and raid the arsenal at the provincial farm. The British met resistance at both

Lexington, Massachusetts Lexington is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is 10 miles (16 km) from Downtown Boston. The population was 34,454 as of the 2020 census. The area was originally inhabited by Native Americans, and was firs ...

and Concord. Before the British arrived and searched, the stores had been concealed in a field nearby, and the British never found them. The farm was built in 1705 and added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1973. The farmhouse was in disrepair and was restored over eight years by Save Our Heritage. The restoration was funded by local and private funding as well as a Department of the Interior grant.Laura Franzini
Restored Revolutionary War home set to open

Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...

, October 26, 2012. In March 2009, Congress passed legislation to add Barrett's Farm to

Minute Man National Historical Park Minute Man National Historical Park commemorates the opening battle in the American Revolutionary War. It also includes the Wayside, home in turn to three noted American authors. The National Historical Park is under the jurisdiction of the Na ...

. In August 2012, the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propert ...

obtained ownership of the Barrett House and surrounding 3.4 acres from Save Our Heritage. In October, 2012 Minute Man National Historical Park and Save Our Heritage hosted a celebration of completion of the restoration and transfer of ownership of the Col. James Barrett House to the Minute Man Park. Congresswoman

Niki Tsongas Nicola Dickson "Niki" Sauvage Tsongas (; born April 26, 1946) is an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts from 2007 to 2019. She held the seat formerly held by her husband, the late Paul Tsongas, for the dis ...

helped make Barrett's Farm part of the national park system and spoke at the event.Minute Man National Park news announcement
October 2012.

References

External links

Save Our Heritage
website

website
Friends of Minuteman National Park
website
Why We Remember Lexington and Concord and the 19th of AprilAmerican Revolution Digital Learning ProjectPBS Television SeriesHistoric marker
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barretts Farm Houses completed in 1705 American Revolutionary War sites in Massachusetts Farms on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts Houses in Concord, Massachusetts Massachusetts in the American Revolution Museums in Concord, Massachusetts Historic house museums in Massachusetts Minute Man National Historical Park National Register of Historic Places in Concord, Massachusetts 1705 establishments in Massachusetts American Revolution on the National Register of Historic Places

Background

See also

References

External links