Here are a few shots from the family day out.
You need food for a picnic so first stop was Mighty Subs
We came at lunch, there is always a line then:
Art and Karen have been doing this for 20 years. He is always a friendly face at the register:
You know that a marriage is strong when you can work together 20 years every day while being married:
It is one of the hardest working teams you will ever see:
Once the Subs are in hand it was off to Concord and the Old North Bridge:
Before this was any “official” place the citizens put up this monument.
Here is the inscription:
Park Rangers give a regular talk about every half hour or so. The young lady who gave the talk was from Indiana and had previously worked in National Parks in Montana:
She informed up that the actual grave of the British soldiers killed at the bridge in the first actual exchange of fire is unknown as people were worried about grave robbers:
The bridge and the river are things of beauty a great place to picnic
Or Canoe:
Or relax and Paint:
A thing of beauty:
Another thing of beauty 22″ of pure perfection!
The Monument on the “American” side of the bridge went up at the 100th anniversary of the battle:
Several views and the inscription:
The main building is across the river and up the hill. It is where the colonial force mustered. When they thought the town was being burned they came down and attacked.
One of the primary targets of the British expedition were 4 brass cannon that the colonists managed to snatch from the British Army. They were hidden at Barrett farm one mile from the bridge. They were not found by the British but two of them were later captured during the Canada campaign. One was located at the Boston navy yard in storage when it was being torn down:
The barrel was inscribed in the late 18th century:

These are some of the weapons. Even though a total of 500 men were engaged at the bridge only 5 men were killed 2 colonists and 3 British regulars. The volunteer described firing smoothbore muskets as throwing knuckleballs and just as reliable.
It was as always a very pleasant day. Strangely enough I’ve never visited the primary visitor center about 5 miles to the east along the battle road. I’ll hit it in the next few weeks. I’ve also never been here on Patriots day when they have the reenactments. The place is really packed then.
It proved that you can have a very nice day without a PC anywhere near you. Minute Man park and Concord Bridge are a wonderful place to visit. Consider making it part of your Massachusetts Vacation.