Lexington: Explore the Past and Linger in History

I checked in at the Inn at Hastings Park, took a deep breath and relaxed. Greeted by classical music playing as I entered my room, I knew I was going to enjoy my stay. The building dates to the 1800s, but the inn has been renovated. The rooms are light and airy and full of old-world charm. This is also one of only five properties in the New England area to earn the Relais & Chateaux distinction.

I began my walk back in time at Lexington Battle Green. Early on the morning of April 19, 1775, the British soldiers approached here and confronted members of the militia, or Minute Men. To this day, no one knows who fired, but the first shot of the American Revolution took place on this historic green. There’s an obelisk here that is believed to be one of the oldest war memorials in the USA.

Next, I visited Munroe Tavern, which was built in 1735. It was here that the retreating Redcoats met reinforcements from Boston after the Battles of Lexington and Concord and used the tavern as a field hospital to treat the wounded. President George Washington also dined here when he visited Lexington in 1789. During my visit, I saw a re-enactment by the British 10th Regiment of Foot and the Lexington Minute Men, two organizations that represent those who fought on both sides the day of the battle. In a glass cabinet upstairs, a blue and white ceramic commemorative plate is on display, which came from Staffordshire, of all places, just down the road from where I grew up in England. 

Outside, the small yet beautiful Colonial-style garden at the tavern is typical of those that would have been around at the time of the Revolution, and is made up of the kinds of flowers that would have been available to the 18th century Boston gardener.

Take a break from your walk into the past and linger over lunch at Vine Brook Tavern in downtown. The contemporary restaurant is housed on the site of Lexington’s second post office, which dates to the 1800s. Alternatively, try the pork chop or two-way duck at Lexx Restaurant.

I wrapped up my day with a visit to Minute Man National Historical Park and took a stroll over the North Bridge, a site where the militia and Redcoats did battle again. I visited Fiske Hill and Hartwell Tavern and saw various memorials for British soldiers and colonists killed during the conflict in 1775. I strolled along the Battle Road, a trail now frequented by runners, walkers and those on horseback.

You’ll enjoy more than Revolutionary War history in Lexington. I hopped on the 90-minute Liberty Ride sightseeing trolley tour that took me past historic houses and sites in Lexington and Concord as well as the home of Ralph Waldo Emerson and the Orchard House, where Louisa May Alcott penned “Little Women.”

I wish I had planned an extra night or two in Lexington to experience everything there is to see and do in this vibrant and historical town. Be sure to include Lexington on your next US-bound holiday.