As church bells rung out at 6 a.m., people from all over stood in bravery, knowing the danger they were about to encounter, while remaining firm that they wouldn’t be taken down.
After shots were fired in Lexington moments after daybreak, the British headed to Concord where they’d clash with colonists. The day ended with 95 Colonial militiamen either killed or wounded, shaping the American Revolution that ultimately led to the nation’s independence.
Thousands of people from all over flocked to the Lexington Green and Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord on Saturday, taking in reenactments of the first fights of the Revolution while reflecting on the lessons of the momentous day 250 years ago.
“The downstream effects of what happened here in establishing America, creating a vision of freedom and enabling the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, everything that would come to pass, are immeasurable,” Florida resident Eric Soskin told the Herald as he got ready to march in Concord’s morning parade.
“It took people like you and me, just ordinary people who were Minutemen, everyone was a militia member in Concord in 1775,” said Soskin, who has worked for all types of government over the years. He is currently a senior adviser to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
At 5:15 a.m., militiamen, muskets in hand, took on a large contingent of British regulars on the Lexington Green. The battle ended with eight Americans killed and 10 wounded — the dead scattered on the grounds as the British marched off.
“It’s truly momentous,” said Richard Howell, who portrayed Lexington Minute Man Samuel Tidd in the battle. “This is one of the most sacred pieces of ground in the country, if not the world, because of what it represents. To represent what went on that day, how a small town of Lexington was a vortex of so much.”
Volunteer committees in both Lexington and Concord prepared for Saturday’s festivities over the past few years. Reenactments, parades and celebrations, marked by some protests against President Trump and his administration, proved a success, in the eyes of Concord250 co-chair Gary Clayton.
“It has been going wonderfully,” Clayton told the Herald in the town’s center at about 11:15 a.m. “You’ve got large crowds, enthusiastic, positive, wonderful. People are really enjoying themselves, but in doing so, understanding and respecting this holiday and what it means.”
Reenactors dressed in colonial garb from a slew of Greater Boston towns – Lincoln, Bedford, Westford, Stow, Sudbury, among others – joined by Scouts and marching bands from around the region all marched through the streets of Concord as tens of thousands lined the roads in festive decor.
Resident Rob Morrison, who has lived in town for 35 years and has visited 97 other Concords across the country, organized a group of what he called “Concord Cousins.”
Some 20 people representing 12 Concords traveled to the suburban Massachusetts town to take in the day’s celebrations, coming from Minnesota, Georgia, New Hampshire and West Virginia, to name a few.
“Concord means a peaceful agreement, people coming together,” Morrison told the Herald. “We’re all from different parts of the country, we’ve got all different accents and political views, but it didn’t keep us from having a wonderful party last night, we had a rocking time.”
John Strickland and his wife Ginny came from Georgia, having been to Boston before but making the trek to Concord for the first time, this weekend. Strickland is the mayor of Concord, a small Georgian town of about 400 people dotted with farmland.
Despite the differences in population and geography, Strickland said he deals with all the same issues present in Boston: traffic problems and faulty sewer and water systems. He smiled as he spoke of Saturday’s significance.
“When you studied it in grammar school, middle school and that sort of thing,” he said, “it kind of went over your head a little bit, but actually seeing it, you really understand it.”
Closer by, Jenn Walton came from Concord, N.H. She said she encourages people from the Boston area to travel north to the Granite State for 250th celebrations there, most of which will be held in July 2026.
“It’s such an amazing celebration of all of the possibilities for our nation,” Walton said of how it felt meeting other Concordians. “Making all of these connections all over the country, just a whole diverse group of people, and it’s inspiring to be altogether and share in this day.”
Some signs and protests popped up throughout the day in Concord, which has been labeled as one of Massachusetts’ sanctuary cities for its limited cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
One sign in front of a home read: “Deny hate, Defend a US President, Deport the president,” while one protester held a poster in the town’s center bearing a picture of President Trump and Vice President JD Vance and the message: “This is the government the founders warned us about.”
Massachusetts Congresswoman Lori Trahan and Gov. Maura Healey gave remarks during a ceremony at the North Bridge, both highlighting the contributions that Concordians made during the battle on April 19, 1775 and how they feel today’s political climate has striking similarities.
Trahan pointed out how George Washington he warned of domestic threats and those who put themselves above the Constitution during the Constitutional Convention of 1787.
“That remains our charge today: To ensure that in America, no one – no matter how loud, how wealthy, how powerful – stands above the law,” she said. “Because in a Democracy of the law, not a single man is sovereign.”
A wreath-laying ceremony followed their speeches honoring those who died in clash 250 years ago to the day. As a trumpet player played “Taps,” a trio of military jets flew over the bridge and historical park.
Down the road at the Concord Museum, throngs of visitors strolled through exhibits honoring the day, one which included the original lantern from Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride. Outside, minutemen reenactors drilled with muskets, cooked over an open firepit, and demonstrated various crafts.
“This was a real time of turmoil for this country, and it was a time of great bravery, as well,” Executive Director Lisa Krassner told the Herald. “Those themes, values and what these brave people fought for are still part of the national conversation today: liberty, justice and freedoms.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report