Join us on Saturday, September 14 for “Behold, the guns were gone!” A special 250th anniversary event commemorating the theft of four brass cannon from under the noses of British soldiers in Boston on September 14 & 16, 1774. Following the Powder Alarm in early September 1774, a dangerous arms race emerged between British soldiers and their provincial antagonists in Boston. Expensive and hard to come by, cannon were a premium commodity. Today, Minute Man proudly displays one of those original stolen cannon in the North Bridge Visitor Center!

Come learn about the role and function of Artillery on an 18th century battlefield! Enjoy a day of lectures, artillery firing demonstrations, and interactive ranger programs focused around the cannons of 1774. The day will include living history demonstrations from Knox’s Regiment of Artillery and a keynote lecture from Historian John Bell about the importance of stolen cannon in igniting the American Revolution.

10:00 am – 4:30 pm: Informal Living History and “The Hancock” Cannon on display at North Bridge Visitor Center.

Join Park Ranger Jim Hollister to explore how the events of September 1774 put Massachusetts on the path to war in 1775. Program at North Bridge Visitor Center.

Join Park Living Historians as they demonstrate the safe firing of a 3pdr artillery piece. Program at North Bridge Visitor Center.

11:30 am, 3:00 pm, & 4:00 pm– Join the Artillery! (30 Minutes)

See if you have what it takes to be an 18th century artillerist in this non-firing hands-on experience. Join a Park Ranger for an interactive program about 18th century cannons and their use on the battlefield. Program at North Bridge Visitor Center.

Join historian John Bell at Minute Man Visitor Center for a lecture about September 1774 and how patriot forces managed to steal cannon from their safehouses guarded by British soldiers in Boston. Parking at 210 North Great Road, Lincoln, MA. It is a 5 minute walk to the visitor center from the parking lot.