Celebrating 60 Years at Minute Man National Historic Site

US Representative Lori Trahan and Superintendent B.J. Dunn hold a proclamation, made of the floor of the US House of Representatives. NPS Photo

On September 21, 2019, Minute Man National Historical Park celebrated its 60th anniversary with a weekend of events focused on the community, the arts and the story of the park's creation. The park was recognized beyond the local area, with a proclamation read on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives which added to the excitement of the special day.

On Friday, September 20, Lou Sideris (retired) presented a talk on the history of the creation of the park and its development over the past 60 years. The Lexington Historical Society hosted the event and the Friends of Minute Man National Historical Park provided refreshments to those in attendance. Mr. Sideris presentation reminded those in attendance that the creation of a national park is a process involving local constituencies. Mr. Sideris also told a personal story of former NPS Director Conrad Wirth, who had proposed to his future bride on the famous “North Bridge” many years before the park was created.

With summer like temperatures blanketing the area on Saturday, September 21, the grounds overlooking North Bridge came to life with the sounds of patriotic music performed by the Concord Band. Celebrating their 60th anniversary, the Concord Band, a semi-professional community based band, presented the afternoon program for all to enjoy. Many favorite patriotic pieces as well as commissioned work created for the commemoration of April 1775 events, filled the air. Representative Lori Trahan presented superintendent BJ Dunn with a proclamation entered on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives chamber by Representatives Trahan and Kathleen Clark, whose congressional district also encompasses the park.

The weekend wrapped up on Sunday, September 22nd with a relaxed, artist in residence, talk and workshop presented by Nancy Winship Milliken and co-hosted by the Umbrella Community Arts Center. Ms Winship Milliken spoke about her work, the Earth Press Project: Witness. Inspired by the many witness houses that dot the landscape of Minute Man National Historical Park. Ms. Winship Milliken reflected on what these building and landscape had witnessed on April 19, 1775 and posed the question, "What change would you like to witness on this earth?" The Earth Press Project: Witness is a publicly engaged environmental project using an earth-based printing technique to inscribe words collected from communities across America in response to this question. The results are thousands of submissions with several hundred being created into adobe blocks which make up the artwork. To date, the word most suggested is “Peace.”

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