Boston Freedom Trail

15. Bunker Hill Monument

Boston, MA

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To mark the first major conflict between patriots and British soldiers, the Bunker Hill Monument was commemorated in 1843, and is actually located on neighboring Breed’s Hill. During the Siege of Boston, Colonel William Prescot, whose statue stands in front of the obelisk monument, led Patriots to defend the hill against advancing British soldiers. Colonial Forces besieging Boston learned that British forces planned to send troops from the city to fortify the unoccupied hills and high ground surrounding the city, securing Britain’s control of Boston Harbor. While the Battle is named after neighboring Bunker Hill, most of the fighting took place on Breed’s Hill. Prescot famously ordered, “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes”, to save their limited supply of ammunition. Roughly 2,200 British ground forces, supported by the British Navy, faced off against 1,200 militia. The British forces attacked twice, and were repulsed with heavy casualties. The third assault forced American forces to retreat to Cambridge and surrender the hills, as they ran out of ammunition. However, they inflicted heavy casualties on the British Army. Colonial forces suffered 450 casualties, while the British endured 1,054, nearly 50% of their attacking original strength. Although the battle was a victory for the British, it inspired Colonial Forces by showing them that they could hold their own against the might of the British Army, while discouraging the British from making any further assaults against Colonial siege positions. The first monument on the site was an 18-foot wooden pillar with a gilt urn erected in 1794 by King Solomon's Lodge of Masons to honor fallen patriot and mason, Dr. Joseph Warren. In 1823, a group of prominent citizens formed the Bunker Hill Monument Association to construct a more permanent and significant monument to commemorate the famous battle. The existing monument was finally completed in 1842 and dedicated on June 17, 1843, in a major national ceremony. The exhibit lodge was built in the late nineteenth century to house a statue of Dr. Warren. The Bunker Hill obelisk rises 221 feet into the air, as opposed to its bigger 555-foot cousin, the Washington Monument in DC. Walk up to the base of the monument, where you can admire panoramic views of the Boston coast.