Patriots' Day

I always post only one image per entry, but I decided to make an exception today since I have two good images and I didn't know which one to choose.

Some of you may think this is a holiday because the Boston Marathon is held on this day or the Red Sox play their traditional home game. You would be wrong! Patriots' Day is a civic holiday commemorating the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the American Revolutionary War. It is observed in Massachusetts and Maine (once part of Massachusetts), and a public school observance day in Wisconsin. Observances and re-enactments of these first battles of the American Revolution occur annually at Lexington Green in Lexington, Massachusetts, and The Old North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts. In the morning, a mounted reenactor with State Police escort retraces Paul Revere's ride, calling out warnings the whole way.

The Stow Minuteman Company was reactivated in 1965 by order of the Stow Selectmen, to "preserve and perpetuate the memory and spirit of our forebears [and] promote an active interest in Revolutionary history." They walked from downtown Stow at 4:45AM all the way to North Bridge in Concord. They are a tough group, but I didn't check to see if they were wearing period shoes. I read a story that said at least one did not (i.e., Ms. Katy Needle). It was a great time and I felt a shiver of patriotism as I followed this great group. Although I will admit that feeling wasn't strong enough to make me want to follow them all the way to North Bridge. By the halfway point, I had my images, so I went home to bed. That's patriotism for you!

The first image was near dawn (5:50AM) at their stop at the intersection of Concord Road and Acton Street (Route 27) in Maynard. The second image was taken after I made a quick stop at Dunkin' Donuts and drove over to meet the Company just before they trekked down the footpath to Old Stow Road in West Concord.