In colonial America, taverns were commonplace throughout Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area. But these early American taprooms were much more than just watering holes. They served an important purpose in the community as a place for townsfolk to gather and plan. This proved especially important in the years leading up to the Revolution. Taverns became Patriot refuges, where decisions were made about separation from the Crown and what a more democratic form of government would look like. As British-colonial relations finally boiled over, taverns became meeting spots for Patriot militias to assemble and prepare for battle.
From the first shots fired, that fateful morning in April 1775, to the vicious fighting of “Parker’s Revenge” that afternoon, the events that took place in Lexington, Massachusetts are forever etched in America’s history.
