Bunker Hill Monument

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Bunker Hill Monument
Bunker hill 2009.JPG
Bunker Hill Monument, 2009, Charlestown, Massachusetts
Map of Boston and Cambridge.png
Red pog.svg
Location Boston, Massachusetts
Coordinates 42°22′34.9″N71°3′38.8″W / 42.376361°N 71.060778°W / 42.376361; -71.060778
Built1825-43
ArchitectWillard, Solomon
Architectural styleObelisk
Part of Monument Square Historic District (ID87001128)
NRHP reference No. 66000138
Significant dates
Added to NRHPOctober 15, 1966 [1]
Designated NHLJanuary 20, 1961 [2]
Designated CPJune 2, 1987

The Bunker Hill Monument is a monument erected at the site of the Battle of Bunker Hill in Boston, Massachusetts, which was among the first major battles between the Red Coats and Patriots in the American Revolutionary War. The 221-foot (67 m) granite obelisk was erected between 1825 and 1843 in Charlestown, Massachusetts, with granite from nearby Quincy conveyed to the site via the purpose-built Granite Railway, followed by a trip by barge. There are 294 steps to the top.

Contents

An exhibit lodge built near the base of the monument in the late 19th century houses a statue of fallen hero Dr. Joseph Warren. Bunker Hill is one of the sites along the Freedom Trail and is part of Boston National Historical Park.

The monument underwent a $3.7 million renovation, completed in 2007, that included repairs, handicap accessibility improvements, and new lighting. The Bunker Hill Museum across the street was dedicated in June of that year and includes many exhibits about the battle.

Background

The monument was one of the first in the United States. It is not on Bunker Hill, but instead on Breed's Hill, where most of the fighting in the misnamed Battle of Bunker Hill actually took place. An earlier memorial at the site, an 18-foot (5.5 m) wooden column topped with a gilt urn, had been erected in memory of fallen Bunker Hill hero Dr. Joseph Warren, a Mason, in 1794 by King Solomon's Lodge of Masons.

The Monument Association, which had purchased the entire battlefield site by 1825, was forced to sell off all but the summit of the hill in 1838 to cover the cost of completing the monument.

In front of the current obelisk is a statue of Col. William Prescott, a native of Groton, Massachusetts, another hero of Bunker Hill. Some popular stories claim he coined the famous phrase "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes" during this battle; others have instead attributed it to Israel Putnam, John Stark, or Richard Gridley, rather than Prescott; but the main consensus is that none of them said it. [3] In any case, no one at Bunker Hill could have coined the phrase; the idea behind it was already more than a hundred years old when this battle took place, [4] and the modern phrasing of it had been used by British commanders Sir Andrew Agnew in the 1740s [5] and James Wolfe in the 1750s, [6] as well as by Prince Charles of Prussia in 1745, famously repeated in 1755 by Frederick the Great. [7]

Breed's Hill

Breed's Hill is a glacial drumlin located in the Charlestown section of Boston, Massachusetts. It is located in the southern portion of the Charlestown Peninsula, a historically oval, but now more roughly triangular, peninsula that was originally connected to the mainland portion of Charlestown (now the separate city of Somerville) in colonial times by a short, narrow isthmus known as the Charlestown Neck. It is best known as the location where in 1775, early in the American Revolutionary War, most of the fighting in the Battle of Bunker Hill took place. In the 19th and early 20th centuries the peninsula's shape and connections to other landforms were significantly altered, with the waters of the Charles River between Cambridge and Charlestown heavily filled in. [8] Much of the hill is now occupied by residential construction, but the summit area is the location of the Bunker Hill Monument and other memorials commemorating the battle.

The hill is about 62 feet (19 m) high, and is topped by Monument Square, site of the Bunker Hill Monument. The hill slopes fairly steeply to the east and west. In addition to its historic sites and tourist-oriented facilities, the hill is the site of a great deal of residential property, as well as supporting municipal and retail infrastructure. It is about 700 yards (640 m) from Bunker Hill. [9]

History

The Americans, having caught word of a British plan to fortify the Charlestown peninsula, decided to get to the peninsula first, fortify it, and present sufficient threat to cause the British to leave Boston. On June 16, 1775, under the leadership of General Putnam and Colonel Prescott, the Americans stole out onto the Charlestown Peninsula with instructions to establish defensive positions on the hills overlooking Boston.

A redoubt, a small and usually temporary defensive fortification, was constructed on nearby Breed's Hill, probably due to its closer proximity to Boston compared to Bunker Hill. The next morning, June 17, the British were astonished to see the rebel fortifications upon the hill and set out to reclaim the peninsula. The resulting conflict was called the Battle of Bunker Hill because that is where Prescott originally intended—and was ordered—to build the fortifications. Also, some people considered Breed's Hill a part of Bunker Hill, while others called it Charlestown Hill. [10]

British soldiers under Howe sent 2,400 men to attack Breed's Hill. A force of 1,500 colonists held off two British Army attacks, but the third attack, by British Royal Marines, forced the rebels to retreat. 450 colonists were killed or wounded, compared to 1,150 British casualties.

In 1825, the Bunker Hill Monument Association began construction of the Bunker Hill Monument, acquiring 15 acres (6.1 ha) of land for the purpose. [11]

Construction

William Ticknor, a well-known Boston lawyer and antiquarian, first suggested that a memorial be built. An interested group of men met for breakfast at the home of Colonel Thomas Handasyd Perkins, including William Tudor, Daniel Webster, Professor George Ticknor, Doctor John C. Warren, William Sullivan, and George Blake. On May 10, 1823, the first public meeting was called. Each member subscribed five dollars, and on June 7, 1823, the Bunker Hill Monument Association was established and the work of raising money was begun. Famed nineteenth-century philanthropist Amos Lawrence contributed $10,000 to the monument's erection.

19th-century lodge built near the base of the monument Bunker Hill Lodge.jpg
19th-century lodge built near the base of the monument

In the spring of 1825 the directors had purchased about 15 acres (6.1 ha) on the slope of Breed's Hill, but had not yet chosen a design. The first design committee consisted of Webster, noted engineer Loammi Baldwin, Jr., George Ticknor, Gilbert Stuart, and Washington Allston. One hundred dollars was offered for the best design; about 50 plans were presented in response. Choice was soon narrowed to a column and an obelisk and a new committee was appointed to procure designs and estimate expenses for each. At the next meeting the majority voted that the obelisk designed by Solomon Willard be used.

The directors laid the cornerstone on June 17, 1825. The Marquis de Lafayette (who was on a 14-month tour of the United States on the 50th anniversary of the War) performed the ceremony, Webster delivered the oration, and the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, conducted the services. Rev. Joseph Thaxter, who was wounded in the battle, officiated as chaplain at the ceremony, offering a prayer in thanks for the colonists' victory. [12] [13] [14] More than 100,000 attended the event, including 190 veterans who had participated in the battle. [15]

Blocks of granite for the monument averaged two cubic yards (1.5 m3) each and were quarried by wedging. They were delivered to the site at an actual cost of $5.40 per cubic yard from a quarry opened for the purpose, far below the average contract offer of $24.30 for the same. [16] Moving the blocks proceeded somewhat slowly at first, but the Granite Railway was completed in short order and became operational on October 7, 1826, the first commercial railroad in the United States functioning as a common carrier.

Construction of the monument was frequently halted as available funds were depleted. To bring the project to completion the Monument Association in 1838 began to sell off sections of the battlefield as house lots; they were successful in raising the money, while giving up about two thirds of the area (sale of 10 acres (4.0 ha)), preserving only the summit of Breed's Hill as the monument grounds. Neighbors disgruntled with the construction eyesore were rumored to have plans to raise money to tear down the partially completed monument. [17] [ failed verification ] Sarah Josepha Hale and the readers of her magazine supplied funds essential to the monument's successful completion. [17] [ failed verification ] The capstone was laid on July 23, 1842, and the monument was dedicated on June 17 of the following year, again with a Daniel Webster oration. According to the Boston Latin School Association's "Points of Pride Quiz" for December 2007, BLS boys helped erect the Boston landmark. [18]

The Bunker Hill Monument Association maintained the monument and grounds until 1919, when it was turned over to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In 1976 the monument was transferred to the National Park Service and became a unit of Boston National Historical Park. The monument was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961, in part for its architectural significance as a major early war memorial, and the nation's largest-scale memorial prior to the construction of the Washington Monument. [19] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966, and was included in the Monument Square Historic District in 1987. [1] [20]

Panorama from Bunker Hill Monument, Boston.jpg
The view from the Bunker Hill Monument

See also

Related Research Articles

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The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on June 17, 1775, during the Siege of Boston in the first stage of the American Revolutionary War. The battle is named after Bunker Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts, which was peripherally involved. It was the original objective of both the colonial and British troops, though the majority of combat took place on the adjacent hill which became known as Breed's Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Stark</span> 18th century soldier from New Hampshire

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The siege of Boston was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War. In the siege, American patriot militia led by newly-installed Continental Army commander George Washington prevented the British Army, which was garrisoned in Boston, from moving by land. Both sides faced resource, supply, and personnel challenges during the siege. British resupply and reinforcement was limited to sea access, which was impeded by American vessels. The British ultimately abandoned Boston after eleven months, moving their troops and equipment north, to Nova Scotia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Prescott</span> American colonel in the Revolutionary War

William Prescott was an American colonel in the Revolutionary War who commanded the patriot forces in the Battle of Bunker Hill. Prescott is known for his order to his soldiers, "Do not fire until you see the whites of their eyes", such that the rebel troops may shoot at the enemy at shorter ranges, and therefore more accurately and lethally, and so conserve their limited stocks of ammunition. It is debated whether Prescott or someone earlier coined this memorable saying.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlestown, Boston</span> Neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts, United States

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The Monument Square Historic District encompasses a city park and its surrounding buildings at the top of Breed's Hill in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. The location is notable as the site of the 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill, early in the American Revolutionary War. Monument Square was laid out in the 19th century, when the Bunker Hill Monument was erected there. The park is framed by predominantly residential buildings built in the mid-19th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dearborn–Putnam controversy</span> 1818 publishing controversy in the United States

The Dearborn–Putnam controversy erupted in 1818 when Henry Dearborn published a post-war account of General Israel Putnam's performance during the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. Both Putnam and the much younger Dearborn were present before and during the battle, with Dearborn at the front lines while Putnam was about the battle scene directing troops and overseeing the construction of fortifications before the fighting began. Accounts of Putnam's presence during the battle, however, have varied among veteran officers of the battle and some historians. During the battle, there was a fair amount of disorganization among the hastily assembled Continental Army and militia, making it difficult for any one participant to give an overall assessment of everyone's performance.

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A statue of Joseph Warren is installed in a lodge adjacent to the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown, Boston, in the U.S. state of Massachusetts.

References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  2. "Bunker Hill Monument". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on June 6, 2009. Retrieved June 30, 2009.
  3. Bell, J. L. (June 17, 2020). "Who Said, "Don't fire till you see the whites of their eyes"?". Journal of the American Revolution. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  4. Joannis Schefferi, "Memorabilium Sueticae Gentis Exemplorum Liber Singularis" (1671) p. 42
  5. Anderson, William (1863). The Scottish Nation: Or, The Surnames, Families, Literature, Honours, and Biographical History of the People of Scotland, volume 2. Fullarton. OCLC   1290413.
  6. R. Reilly, The Rest to Fortune: The Life of Major-General James Wolfe (1960), p. 324
  7. Winsor, Justin; Jewett, Clarence F (1882). The Memorial History of Boston: Including Suffolk County, Massachusetts, 1630–1880, Volume 3. James R. Osgood. OCLC   4952179.
  8. Mapping Boston, Krieger, Alex, ed., MIT Press 1999, pp. 16-18.
  9. Rines, George Edwin, ed. (1920). "Breed's Hill"  . Encyclopedia Americana .
  10. Ketchum, pp. 82-83
  11. Chisholm 1911.
  12. Sprague, William Buell (1865). "Thaxter prayer, Annals of the American Pulpit, William Buell Sprague, 1865" . Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  13. History of the Town of Hingham, Massachusetts, Thomas Tracy Bouve, 1893. Pub. by the town. 1893. p.  281 . Retrieved April 9, 2018 via Internet Archive. joseph thaxter bunker hill.
  14. Purcell, Sarah (2002). Sealed with Blood: War, Sacrifice, and Memory in Revolutionary America . Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. pp.  171-209. ISBN   9780812221091.
  15. "Bostonians Lay Cornerstone for Bunker Hill Monument". Mass Moments. Mass Humanities. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  16. The Civil Engineer's Pocket-Book, Trautwine et al., 19th Edition, 1909
  17. 1 2 Pennsylvania Center for the Book. "Home | Pennsylvania Center for the Book". Pabook.libraries.psu.edu. Archived from the original on January 18, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  18. "Points of Pride (PoP) Quiz". Boston Latin School Association. Retrieved March 22, 2017.
  19. "NHL nomination for Bunker Hill Monument". National Park Service. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  20. "NRHP nomination for Monument Square Historic District". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved February 19, 2015.

Sources

Preceded by Locations along Boston's Freedom Trail
Bunker Hill Monument
Succeeded by
Last location - end of trail