Friends of Minute Man National Park
Preserving the Birthplace of the American Revolution
Join us for a night of free spooky fun - If you dare!

Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021
5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Hartwell Tavern, Minute Man National Historical Park
112 North Great Road, Lincoln
Free; lanterns available for sale

Do you believe in ghosts? Do you like history? Jack o’ Lanterns? Musket firing? Then come visit us at Hartwell Tavern on Halloween Eve.

Walk down a path lined with dozens of jack-o-lanterns. Stroll through the open house and grounds. Talk with rangers and volunteers about ghostly folklore and how people in Colonial New England protected themselves from evil spirits and witches. Visit with our park curator and see real artifacts recovered from colonial houses within the park that reveal a frightening history. Experience night-time musket firing demonstrations at 5:30, 6:30, 7:30, and 8:30 p.m.

For trick-or-treaters of all ages, the Friends of Minute Man will be offering individually wrapped candy so you can be among the first to say that you went trick-or-treating at Hartwell Tavern! Costumes are encouraged but not required.

This free program will be both outdoors and indoors. Visitors who wish to walk through Hartwell Tavern must wear a mask. All visitors should bring a flashlight and use caution on dark paths. The Friends of Minute Man will be selling lanterns for $5 to benefit future park programs.

For more information, please click on the link below.
Explore the Elm Brook Hill Battle Site
Saturday, October 23
12:00 and 1:15 p.m.
Tour will gather at the Hartwell Tavern
Free and open to the public

Click here for more information
Buttrick Gardens Renewed and Revitalized
The Buttrick Gardens hardscape preservation project at Minute Man National Historical Park has come to a close just in time to be enjoyed by visitors this fall! The project was made possible through a $100,000 grant secured by the Friends of Minute Man National Park from the Concord Community Preservation Fund. The extensive historic gardens are located next to the North Bridge Visitor Center and are enjoyed by thousands of visitors each year. The garden hardscape restoration included resetting and leveling brick and bluestone walkways; adding a new, safer stairway and handrail to the sunken garden; and replacing missing cobblestones in the pathway leading to the Concord River. . . Read more

Images from left to right, clockwise: Alex Nobles at work in the sunken garden; Rachel Farago, Stan Nobles, and Margie Brown plan the bluestone preservation; a finished section of bluestone with daylilies in bloom.

Written by Rachel Carmela Farago, NPS Landscape and Garden Steward. Rachel is assisting with various conservation and restoration projects at Minute Man National Historical Park as she completes her master's degree in Historic Preservation at Boston University.

To read more about the restoration project or to view more photos, please click on the button below.
Friends of Minute Man Welcomes Amy Barrett
The Friends of Minute Man are proud to announce the addition of Amy Barrett to our Board of Directors. A long-time Concord resident, Amy is a realtor at Barrett Sotheby’s International Realty and brings an exciting new perspective to our organization. “We are beyond pleased that someone of Amy’s character and talents will be joining the Friends Board. Both her professional expertise and history of community service in Concord have made her an ideal fit for us,” remarked Bob Morris, President of the Friends Board.

To learn more about the Friends of Minute Man leadership team, please visit our website.
Thank you for becoming a member or renewing your membership during our annual membership drive, we appreciate your support.

It's never too late to become a member! We are delighted to accept new members all year long. You’ll receive a magnet and a membership card that entitles you to 15% of at Minute Man National Historical Park stores.

Thank you for your support!
A Good Time at the Fair!
Our sheep herd is hosted at the park in partnership with Codman Community Farms (CCF), so three ewes and their lambs went on a road trip on Sunday, Oct 3rd to attend the annual CCF Harvest Fair.

The group of Ouessant sheep enjoyed their time at the fair while volunteers talked with fair attendees about the joys of sheep stewardship. The lambs were quite popular and loved all the gentle pats and attention they received!

To learn more about the sheep at Minute Man, please visit the Friends website.
Art in the Park:
Go Out Doors @ Minute Man
If you’re walking through Minute Man National Historical Park this fall, be sure to check out the latest exhibit from Concord’s Umbrella Arts Center. “Go Out Doors” is a whimsical collection of three artfully upcycled doors installed at Minute Man through mid-November. 
 
Images from left to right: Artist Cassandre Charles created “Playtime For Prince / Black Boy Joy Honoring Prince Estabrook” located at the Minute Man Visitor Center; Yetti Frenkel produced "Go Outdoors!" installed at the parking area across from Wayside Home of Authors; and artist BARD designed "Echoes of Footsteps and Flora" located at the Buttrick Gardens, adjacent to the North Bridge Visitor Center.

To learn more about each artist and the artwork, please visit the Umbrella Arts website, or download the NPS app by clicking on the link below. Choose "Minute Man National Historical Park" as the park you'd like to explore, click on "self-guided tours" and then choose the "Go Out Doors" tour.
Volunteer at Fall Park Day
Saturday, November 6, 2021
1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Hartwell Tavern, Minute Man National Historical Park
112 North Great Road, Lincoln

For the past two years, Minute Man National Historical Park has hosted a wonderful fall clean-up on the first Saturday in November. It is a great time of year to give back to a place that offers a place of contemplation, recreation, relaxation, and inspiration. We hope you can join us to rake leaves, clean up small storm-damaged tree branches, prepare our orchards for the winter, and care for the livestock.

We will have tools and can provide gloves. Please bring water, snack, and sun protection including sunscreen and a hat. Please contact Margie Brown if you have any questions.

To register for this event, please click on the link below.
Beyond Battle Road
Items of interest outside the Park
REV250 Podcast: The Marquis de Lafayette with Alan Hoffman
Check out the latest podcast from REV250. Who was Lafayette, and why was he so important? Join REV250 to find out as they chat with Alan Hoffman, President of the American Friends and author of Lafayette in America in 1824 and 1825: Journal of a Voyage to the United StatesClick here to listen.

The impact of Route 128 from the Bedford Historical Society
Read the latest newsletter from our neighbors at the Bedford Historical Society to learn how the building of Route 128 propelled the small farming community of Bedford into the 20th century. As a bonus, you can find out when Bedford was finally home to more people than pigs! Click here to read.
Thank you to our newsletter sponsors!

Friends of Minute Man National Park
North Bridge Visitor Center
174 Liberty Street
Concord, MA 01742
P: 978-318-7822
The Friends of Minute Man National Park is an independent, member-based
non-profit 501(c)(3) organization supporting the Park's mission of
preserving and protecting the historic sites, structures, properties, and landscapes associated with the opening battles of the American Revolution.

Did you receive this email from a friend? Sign up to receive emails delivered to your own inbox.