Landscape Changes
At the time of the Battle, this area was a cleared pasture owned by Samuel Brooks, whose house is on Battle Road before you. In contrast to today’s forested landscape, the 1775 landscape was predominantly open farmland.
A common myth about the fighting on April 19th is that the Colonists hid in the woods and fired at the British column. In fact, there were only occasional woodlots; cover was more often provided by stone walls, houses and outbuildings.
Whenever you see a stone wall through or along woods, it means that historically the area was cleared. Farmers removed the stones to utilize the fields, and they often piled them into walls rather than cart them away.
Marker can be reached from the intersection of N Great Road (Massachusetts Route 2A) and Concord Tnpk, on the right when traveling west.
Courtesy hmdb.org
