Battle of the Red Horse Tavern
2025-10-25 11:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | The Wayside Inn, Wayside Inn Road 72, Sudbury, Massachusetts, 01776, United States
18th century military reenactment
18th century taverns were important as a place to hear news and current events, engage in commerce, conduct militia drills, and provide respite for weary travelers.
The Red Horse Tavern sitting along the Boston Post Road, a major east-west route, was crucial as anyone, or anything, travelling into or out of Boston would have to pass by its door.
Whoever controlled the Tavern could control the flow of supplies, troops, and information.
Who will control the tavern?

Battle of Red Horse Tavern
2025-10-25 11:00 - 16:00 | The Wayside Inn, Wayside Inn Road 72, Sudbury, Massachusetts, 01776, United States
Come to the historic Wayside Inn on October 25, 2025 for an experience like never before. Start the day by listening to colonial music, talking with reenactors, visiting sutlers, observing cannon firing demonstrations and more. Then watch as the Colonial and British armies battle for control of the Red Horse Tavern.
Eighteenth century taverns were important in the Colonies as a place to hear the news and other current events, engage in commerce, conduct militia drills and provide respite for weary travelers. The Red Horse Tavern, sitting along the Boston Post Road, the major east-west route to and from Boston and New York, was crucial in that anyone or anything travelling into or out of Boston to/from the west would have to pass by its door.
Whoever controlled the tavern could control the flow of supplies, troops and information. Come and find out.
● 11:00 AM Last Man Formation
● 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM Nooning
● 1:30 PM Formation
● 1:45 PM – 2:15 PM Engagement South Field
● 2:30 PM Cannon Demonstration
● 3:00 PM Formation
● 3:15 PM – 4:00 PM Engagement South Field

The Supreme Court & the Early Republic
2025-10-25 15:00 - 17:00 | Old Ship Church, Main Street 90, Hingham, MA, 02043, United States
The Friends of Old Ship Meeting House invite you to join us for a special program: “The Supreme Court and Judicial Independence in the Early Republic.” We are honored to welcome as our guest speaker Hingham native Ethan V. Torrey, who serves as the Legal Counsel of the Supreme Court of the United States. Ethan’s presentation will focus on the Supreme Court and judicial independence in the early republic, from the Declaration of Independence to the Chief Justiceship of John Marshall. This will include discussion of the important roles played by early justices from Massachusetts, such as William Cushing of Scituate, one of the original five justices of the Supreme Court, confirmed by the Senate in September 1789. After his death in 1810, Cushing was replaced by Joseph Story of Marblehead, Massachusetts, who served on the court from 1812 to 1845. Both Cushing and Story were educated at Harvard University.
Our speaker, Ethan Torrey provides legal services to the Supreme Court as an institution and supports the justices on a variety of case-related issues. Torrey also teaches a class on the history of the Supreme Court at George Washington University.

A Farm Girl on the Front Lines: Deborah Sampson’s Secret
2025-10-26 14:00 - 15:30 | Bedford Old Town Hall, Great Room (3rd Floor), South Road 16, Bedford, Massachusetts, 01730, United States
Meet the woman who hoodwinked George Washington’s army!
Learn about the close calls and mountainous obstacles that Deborah Sampson faced as a poor farm girl, who, without support from family or friends, risked humiliation and imprisonment to help free the colonies from English rule.
Janet Parnes, founder and principal of Historical Portrayals by Lady J, will portray Deborah Sampson and provide a behind-the-scenes look at this dangerous deception and the character of the humble rebel who pulled it off.
Doors open at 2 PM for a social period and refreshments
2:15 PM – Brief Society announcements followed by the Guest Speaker
This event is free and open to the public.
This program series is supported in part by a grant from the Bedford Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

“Who was Paul Revere, Really?” with Dr. Robert Martello, Dr. Jayne Triber, and Nina Zannieri
2025-10-28 18:30 - 20:00 | The Commons, Sargent Hall, Suffolk University, Tremont Street 120, Boston, Massachusetts, 02108, United States
Two of Revere’s biographers will speak with the Executive Director of the Paul Revere House on Paul Revere, the man and the myth. While today he is most famous for his Midnight Ride, this talk will cover his life before and after the Revolution as well.

American Antiquarian Society Evening Public Tour
2025-10-30 17:45 - 18:30 | American Antiquarian Society, 185 Salisbury Street, Worcester, 01609, United States
Go behind-the-scenes at the American Antiquarian Society to learn about its collection of 4.5 million printed, handwritten, and visual primary sources produced in what is now the United States up to 1900. These materials include thousands related to the Revolutionary War and our nation’s founding. The tour includes patriot printer Isaiah Thomas’s original printing press, which he smuggled out of Boston on the eve of the Battles of Lexington and Concord to safety in Worcester. Thomas published the first eye-witness account of the battles in his newspaper, The Massachusetts Spy.
Registration for the free public tour is required, as space is limited. Register at americanantiquarian.org

Burial Hill Tour Series – Revolutionary Connections
2025-11-01 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-12-06 13:00 - 14:00 | Plymouth Burial Hill Cemetery, Town Square 19, Plymouth, Massachusetts, 02360, United States
The Plymouth Antiquarian Society and Pilgrim Hall Museum announce their continuing partnership in a free public tour series of Plymouth’s historic Burial Hill for the 2025 season. Each first Saturday of the month a thematic tour of the ancient burying ground will reveal facets of Plymouth’s evolving story over generations. This year honors the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution with a series theme of “Revolutionary Connections.” Each monthly tour highlights the Revolutionary era in Plymouth with insights into South Shore connections to America’s contest for independence. Presenters include local historians and authors who share their expertise on a range of topics, highlighting art, history, and culture atop the open-air history museum in the heart of downtown Plymouth, Burial Hill.
Severe weather may cancel tour. Stay up to date with us on our Facebook page and visit pilgrimhall.org or plymouthantiquarian.org for more information on the continuing Burial Hill tour series.

250th Marine Corps Birthday Weekend onboard Quincy's USS Salem Museum Ship
2025-11-08 10:00 - 16:00, 2025-11-09 10:00 - 16:00 | United States Naval Shipbuilding Museum, South Street 549, Quincy, Massachusetts, 02169, United States
In honor of the US Marine Corps 250th Birthday, United States Naval Shipbuilding Museum is offering Free Admission for US Marine Corps Active Duty & Veterans on Saturday, November 8th & Sunday, November 9th from 10am – 4pm. Honors will be rendered for service members. Commandant’s Video Birthday Message will be shown throughout the day.
On 10 November 1775, the Continental Congress resolved, “That two Battalions of Marines be raised… that they be distinguished by the names of the first and second battalions of American Marines…” Founding Father John Adams is recognized as the Father of the US Navy. Quincy is the hometown of 2nd US President Adams and has a proud maritime history showcased onboard USS Salem. General Paul X. Kelley, 28th Commandant of the Marine Corps served as Commanding Officer of Salem’s Marine Detachment from 1952-54. His uniform is on display in the Salem Association Memorial Room.

250th Marine Corps Birthday Ball Plymouth
2025-11-08 16:30 - 23:00 | Hotel 1620, Water Street 180, Plymouth, Massachusetts, 02360, United States
250th Marine Corps Birthday Ball in Plymouth, MA. In conjunction with a Marine cake cutting ceremony, there will be a showcasing of Plymouth’s connection to the Continental and Privateer Marines of the Revolutionary War by reenactors. From the first Continental Marine Recruiter in Plymouth 1776, Lieutenant Seth Chapin. To Plymouth’s own Continental Marine Lieutenant James Warren Jr, who served aboard the USS Alliance until wounded in May 1781. He is also the son of James Warren and Mercy Otis Warren. Then the Privateer Marines who perished aboard the General Arnold in a storm in Plymouth Bay on Christmas 1778. This event is a collaboration between the Marine Corps League Detachment 1306 in Plymouth and Volunteers of America Massachusetts in Plymouth. Guest of Honor for this Marine Corps Birthday Ball will be Lieutenant Colonel Robert H. Barrow USMC Ret.

"Spies Among Us" year long exhibit opening on February 6th 2025
2025-11-09 13:00 - 15:00 | Golden Ball Tavern Museum, Boston Post Road 662, Weston, Massachusetts, 02493, United States
“Spies Among Us” will open on Thursday, February 6th at 10 a.m. during the museum’s first Thursday opening hours. We will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on February 6th and will be open every Thursday going forward from 10-4. We will also showcase the exhibit during our February Second Sunday Open House on Sunday, February 9th from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
The exhibit will recall the story of General Gage’s spies who visited the Tavern in 1775, explore examples of espionage on both sides, and examine the many ways of spying that were used during the American Revolution.
Spycraft played a pivotal role during the American Revolution, with both the Continental Army and British forces using intelligence operations to gain strategic advantages. The Golden Ball Tavern and its proprietor Isaac Jones, played host on a few occasions to British spies sent, by General Thomas Gage, to survey the towns that were scattered around the area from Boston to Worcester. This was just one of the British military’s tactics for keeping the Patriots in line. On the American side, espionage was essential in countering the British military’s superior resources and manpower.
The spycraft of the American Revolution was marked by its ingenuity, the use of civilian networks, and the blending of military and civilian espionage tactics. Though it was often risky and unreliable, intelligence-gathering operations played a critical role in the eventual success of the American cause, allowing the Continental Army to take advantage of British vulnerabilities and ultimately secure victory.
Join us as we introduce our new exhibit and our new Thursday opening hours. The museum will continue to be open every second Sunday of the month for our Second Sunday Open House Tours and will now be open every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
We look forward to welcoming you!

Sacred Rebellion Virtual Exhibition Tour
2025-11-13 17:00 - 18:00 | Online
Back by popular demand, this encore virtual tour of the Congregational Library & Archives’ new in-person exhibition, Sacred Rebellion, will be hosted by Executive Director Dr. Kyle Roberts and New England’s Hidden Histories Project Director and Sacred Rebellion curator Dr. Tricia Peone.
By the time the American Revolution began, many Congregationalists had embraced a theological justification for war and revolution. They believed that God favored them and that their cause was a morally justified, sacred rebellion. Through sermons, books, poems, songs, and letters, Congregationalists shared their stories, reflected on their moral obligations to each other, and debated questions of liberty and loyalty. But consensus was elusive, and implementation proved difficult and unsatisfactory to many, especially those on the margins.
The interactive tour will be hosted on Zoom, with registration limited to a small group of attendees. Participants will view Revolutionary-era treasures from the collections; hear stories about how Congregationalists experienced the period leading up to, during, and immediately following the war; have opportunities to ask questions; and reflect on what this pivotal event means 250 years later.
Registration is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. Tickets must be purchased by Tuesday, November 11th at https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/CongregationalLibrary/SRVirtual11.html
After registering, you will receive an email with information about attending the event.
Email any questions to programs@14beacon.org.
SPEAKER BIOS
Dr. Kyle Roberts was appointed the Executive Director of the Congregational Library & Archives in 2022. He received his BA in American Studies from Williams College and his PhD in History from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to coming to the CLA, he was Associate Director of Library & Museum Programming at the American Philosophical Society and Associate Professor of Public History and New Media and Director of the Center for Textual Studies and Digital Humanities at Loyola University Chicago.
A scholar of Atlantic World religion, print, and library history, he is the author of Evangelical Gotham: Religion and the Making of New York City, 1783-1860 (Chicago, 2016), the co-editor, with Stephen Schloesser, of Crossings and Dwellings: Restored Jesuits, Women Religious, American Experience 1814-2014 (Brill, 2017) and, with Mark Towsey, of Before the Public Library: Reading, Community, and Identity in the Atlantic World, 1650-1850 (Brill, 2017).
Kyle is an accomplished public historian and digital humanist whose collaborative projects include the Jesuit Libraries Provenance Project, the Maryland Loyalism Project, and Dissenting Academies Online: Virtual Library System. In addition to being the consultant for numerous digital and public history projects, he sits on the executive committees of the American Catholic Historical Association, the New England Historical Association, the Urban History Association He is on the editorial and advisory boards for American Catholic Studies, Early American Studies, and portal.
Dr. Tricia Peone joined the CLA in 2022 as the Project Director for New England’s Hidden Histories. Prior to joining the CLA, she was a research scholar at Historic New England for the Recovering New England’s Voices project. She has also previously worked as the public programs director at New Hampshire Humanities, a university lecturer teaching classes on the Salem witch trials, early New England, and public history, and as a researcher for cultural heritage organizations. She holds a PhD in history from the University of New Hampshire with a specialization in the early modern Atlantic world and history of science.

A Revolutionary Concert: Paul Revere. The Man, the Myth, and the Legacy
2025-11-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Converse Hall, Tremont Street 88, Boston, Massachusetts, 02108, United States
Join the Paul Revere Memorial Association, Massachusetts Poet Laureate Regie Gibson, and Paul Revere for an engaging and immersive free program to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Midnight Ride. From the loyalist anthems of the Tories, to the fiery songs of the Revolutionaries, and original 19th century compositions written to further Revere’s legacy this program brings 18th and 19th century America to life through the music of the times. The evening will include performances by some of Boston’s finest musicians.
Blending rich narration, historical images, and live music, this program offers a fresh, moving, and insightful take on one of the Revolution’s most misunderstood heroes. Far more than just a messenger on horseback, Paul Revere was a devoted family man, a savvy businessman, and a respected civil servant. This special evening promises to be a powerful journey through sound and story, separating fact from folklore while painting a vivid portrait of one of America’s most iconic patriots.
Major support for this program has been provided by the Freedom Trail Foundation and an anonymous donor.
Register for free through Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/48jRUw9

Quincy 400 x MA250: New England Foodways During the American Revolution
2025-11-17 18:00 - 19:00 | Thomas Crane Public Library, Washington Street 40, Quincy, MA, 02169, United States
Step back to the eve of the American Revolution and discover the foods that sustained Massachusetts households, soldiers, and farmers.
Join the 18th Century Cook, Michael Duncan Smith, for an engaging afternoon exploring local foodways in the 1770s. Learn how everyday meals compared with fine dining, what rations soldiers received before the Battle of Bunker Hill, and how families preserved the harvest through the seasons.
The presentation draws on probate records, newspapers, early cookbooks, and personal journals to offer a unique window into the town’s past. Ingredients, kitchen tools, and cooking techniques will also be on display. Stop by and say good-day!
Michael Duncan Smith is an artist, educator, and culinary historian based in Greater Boston. He is the creator of 18th Century Cook, a digital project with more than 650,000 followers that brings early American recipes and culinary traditions to life. His research focuses on New England foodways in the 18th century and during the American Revolution, drawing from primary sources to illuminate the everyday meals of early America.
This program is made possible by the generous sponsorship of the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.

Sparking the Revolution: Flintlocks, Gunpowder, and Policy in America’s War for Independence
2025-11-20 17:00 - 19:30, 2025-11-21 08:30 - 2025-11-22 15:30 | Springfield Armory National Historic Site, One Armory Square, Springfield, 01105, United States
Join us in Springfield November 20 and 21st, 2025! The University of Wyoming College of Law’s Firearms Research Center, in partnership with Springfield Armory National Historic Site, invites you to an academic conference exploring the complex role of firearms in Revolutionary America.
Through thought-provoking panels, lectures, and discussions, the program will delve into topics such as colonial disarmament and regulation, the function of militias, the material culture of arms, and archaeological insights into the earliest days of the Revolution.
Bringing together historians, curators, and scholars, this event offers a balanced and dynamic look at how firearms, policy, and community shaped the struggle for independence – and how these legacies continue to inform our understanding of early America and resonate in conversations today.
Free to the Public. Available in person and online
Schedule:
November 20
Springfield Armory
5 – 7:30 p.m. Welcome Reception and Fireside Chat on Founding Era History and the U.S. Supreme Court’s Bruen decision.
November 21
Springfield Technical Community College
8:30 – 8:45 a.m. Opening Remarks
8:45 – 10 a.m. Panel 1: Disarmament and the Revolution (CLE)
Panelists:
Bob Cottrol, George Washington University
E. Gregory Wallace, Campbell University
James Slaughter, Marshall University
10:15 – 11 a.m.: Guns of the American Revolution
Speaker: Erik Goldstein, Colonial Williamsburg
11 – 11:30 a.m.: The Earliest Days of Springfield Armory
Speaker: Alex Mackenzie, Springfield Armory
11:30 – 12:30 p.m. Lunch
12:30 – 1:45 p.m.: Panel 2: The Colonial Militia (CLE)
Panelists:
Jody Madeira, Indiana University
Joyce Malcolm, George Mason University
Alexander Cain, Author
1:55 – 2:40 p.m.: Creating an Arsenal of Liberty
Speaker: Andrew Fagal, Historian
2:40 – 3:25 p.m.: Early Ballistics of the American Revolution
Speaker: Joel Bohy, Antiques Roadshow

Opening Reception for the Rotch 250th Exhibition & Artist’s Talk
2025-11-20 18:00 - 19:30 | The Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum, County Street 396, New Bedford, MA, 02740, United States
Join the RJD for a reception and be the first to see RJD’s newest exhibition, Unraveling the Revolutionary Journey of William Rotch Sr. The exhibition features the art of a new historical graphic novel “Quaker, Whaler, Traitor, Spy! The Trials of William Rotch” written by Dr. Sarah Crabtree and illustrated by Melissa “Sawhand” Philley. Twenty prints of art in the book will be on display. The artist, Melissa Philley will speak about her work at 6:30pm. This event is free and open to the public.
Accused of treason four times by three governments in two revolutionary decades (1775 – 1795), William Rotch suffered from the “with-us-or-against-us” political landscape of the late eighteenth century. A Quaker, he opposed wars for independence and empire. Yet he downplayed and even withheld key details from his story, a second narrative that began with the Boston Tea Party, stretched across the world, and made him one of the wealthiest men in America.
This exhibit invites the viewer – you! – to decide which label best describes him. Along the way, we’ll revisit some famous (and infamous!) events and we’ll hear from a few characters you’ve definitely heard of and some maybe you haven’t. What we hope is that you’ll agree his-story is a way of reapproaching how history is made – a story that is as much about who and what we remember as how and why we remember them.

“Dreadful were the Vestages of war:” Three Human Stories of April 19, 1775
2025-11-20 18:00 - 20:00 | Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, 33 Marrett Road, Lexington, MA, 02421, United States
Joel Bohy, military historian and Antiques Roadshow presenter, will give a lecture on Lexington’s Revolutionary War veterans at the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library on November 20, 2025, followed by a signing of his 2025 book, Bullet Strikes From the First Day of the American Revolution.
The lecture will take a closer look at three individuals involved in the beginning of the war: John Robbins of Lexington who was badly wounded on April 19, James Hayward of Acton who was mortally wounded at Fiske Hill in Lexington, and a British soldier who was wounded in Lexington on April 19 and went on to join the Lexington militia and the Continental Army.
This lecture is co-sponsored by Lexington History Museums and the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, as part of SRMML’s 50th anniversary programming. It will take place in person at the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library and will be live streamed by local community access partner LexMedia. Livestream link will be posted prior to the event.
Schedule:
6:00: Doors open for viewing of special exhibition Protest & Promise: The American Revolution in Lexington
7:00: Lecture
8:00 Book Signing

The First Commander Remembered: Washington’s Legacy in Cambridge
2025-12-02 18:00 - 19:30 | Cambridge Public Library, Broadway 449, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138, United States
To mark the 250th anniversaries of the American Revolution and the founding of the United States, a coalition of Cambridge non-profits and government agencies will present Washington in American Memory, a seven-part speaker series taking place in-person and online.
Debunk myths and trace the evolution of the public memory of George Washington in Cambridge, Massachusetts, featuring:
– J.L. Bell, author of The Road to Concord: How Four Stolen Cannon Ignited the Revolutionary War and proprietor of Boston1775.net
– Charles Sullivan, co-author of Building Old Cambridge: Architecture and Development and Executive Director of the Cambridge Historical Commission
This speaker series is made possible through the generous support of America’s National Parks, a nonprofit partner of the National Park Service. It is presented in partnership by the National Park Service/Longfellow House-Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site, History Cambridge, Cambridge Public Library, Cambridge Historical Commission, and Cambridge MA250.

Handmade Craft Demonstration and Sale
2025-12-06 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-06 11:00 - 15:00 | Paul Revere House, 19 North Square, Boston, 02113, United States
Erich and Janice Steinhagen bring their 18th century craft techniques all the way from Connecticut for a two-day holiday season residency as they demonstrate redware pottery production and the fiber art of spinning in our Revere Room. Erich will be throwing pots on the wheel while Janice spins sheep’s wool or flax into yarn. Finished products will be available for sale!
While the crafters share their techniques on the ground floor of our Visitor Center, R.P. Hale will provide an 18th and 19th century Advent soundtrack in the second-floor exhibit space, playing the harpsichord and virginal, he meticulously crafted himself based on period originals.

Handmade Craft Demonstration and Sale
2025-12-07 11:00 - 15:00 | Paul Revere House, 19 North Square, Boston, 02113, United States
Erich and Janice Steinhagen bring their 18th century craft techniques all the way from Connecticut for a two-day holiday season residency as they demonstrate redware pottery production and the fiber art of spinning in our Revere Room. Erich will be throwing pots on the wheel while Janice spins sheep’s wool or flax into yarn. Finished products will be available for sale!
While the crafters share their techniques on the ground floor of our Visitor Center, R.P. Hale will provide an 18th and 19th century Advent soundtrack in the second-floor exhibit space, playing the harpsichord and virginal he meticulously crafted himself based on period originals.

America's Tapestry Community Stitching Event
2025-12-07 13:00 - 16:00 | Smith Barn, 38 Felton St., Peabody, MA, 01960, United States
This year, the Peabody Historical Society and Museum is partnering with the American Tapestry Project, inviting visitors to take part in a community stitching activity where you can participate in making history!
In commemoration of the 250th, the American Tapestry Project has designed 13 textile panels depicting lesser-known stories about the original thirteen colonies’ roles in the American Revolution. The Massachusetts panel conveys the history of chocolate milling and its entanglements with slavery. It has been traveling across the state to give residents the chance to contribute to this collaborative art project! Once all 13 panels are completed, they will go on an exhibition tour across the United States between 2026-2028.
This activity will be held during our Holiday Open House where visitors can tour our 17th century historic house which will be decorated for the holidays. While you are here, you can enjoy music and light refreshments. Visitors of all ages and skill levels are invited. Supplies and instruction will be provided by the state’s panel coordination team, led by Denise De More.
Come celebrate the collective threads of our nation’s founding. Even if you think you know about the Revolutionary period, these panels are guaranteed to teach you something new!

Lexington History Museums Presents the 1773 Tea Burning Reenactment - A Lex250 Signature Event
2025-12-13 12:00 - 15:00 | Buckman Tavern, 1 Bedford Street, Lexington, 02420, United States
On December 13, 1773, unfair British taxes were on everyone’s mind as three ships sat in Boston harbor, carrying shipments of East India Company tea. Lexington Town Meeting concluded a multi-day debate with a resolution to stop purchasing or drinking imported British tea. The crowd spilled out onto the common behind the meeting house and made a bonfire, throwing the entire town’s supply of tea into it. Three days later, the Boston Tea Party would make headlines, but Lexington was there first.
Join Lexington History Museums for Lexington’s Annual Tea Burning Reenactment. Take part in fun, interactive activities to learn more about why tea was so important to the Revolution. Meet with the Lexington residents of 1773, portrayed by the Lexington Minute Men, to hear their side of the story, find out where tea comes from, and end the day by gathering around the fire and burning the tea!

First Day Hike at Blackstone River Greenway Visitor Center
2026-01-01 09:30 - 11:30 | Blackstone River Greenway Visitor Center, Paul Clancy Way 3, Worcester, Massachusetts, 01607, United States
Massachusetts is where the American Revolution began, and it is also where the First Day Hikes
started. On New Years Day in 1992, 380 people gathered at Blue Hills Reservation to welcome the
new year with a walk in the woods. That simple idea grew into something big. Today, all 50 states
offer First Day Hikes on January 1. As we prepare to honor the 250th anniversary of the American
Revolution in 2026, DCR is proud to celebrate this Massachusetts tradition that continues to inspire
the nation.
Blackstone River Greenway Visitor Center
January 1, 2026, Registration: 9:30am-10:00am, Hike: 10:00am-11:30am
Meeting Location: 3 Paul Clancy Way, Worcester
GPS: 42.236362426653436, -71.79572796441792
Registration required: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=Fh2GPrdIDkqYBowE2Bt7Kmip39phsSVPm9-TaYv7LxNUN1QyOEs2UkpMSFlVMFVGQ1hLODdMQlI5RC4u&route=shorturl
Celebrate the New Year at Blackstone Heritage Greenway Visitor Center in Worcester on a First Day
Hike! We will hike from the Visitor Center to the Millbury St. satellite parking lot and back, minimal
elevation changes on a paved bikeway, accessible and easy. Enjoy views of the Blackstone River and
keep your eyes peeled for both urban wildlife and evidence of the area’s industrial past. At the
turnaround point (Millbury St.), you will find the northernmost intact segment of the Blackstone Canal.
The hike is 3 miles, about 1.5 hours in duration. Dress for the weather and leashed dogs are welcome to
join.
Space is limited; registration is required. Registration begins at 9:30 am and hike begins at 10:00am. Join
us afterwards at the Visitor Center for hot chocolate. For more information, please call (508) 373-7056.

DCR First Day Hike at Blackstone River & Canal Heritage State Park
2026-01-01 10:00 - 11:30 | Blackstone River & Canal Heritage State Park, Oak Street, Douglas, Massachusetts, 01516, United States
Massachusetts is where the American Revolution began, and it is also where the First Day Hikes
started. On New Years Day in 1992, 380 people gathered at Blue Hills Reservation to welcome the
new year with a walk in the woods. That simple idea grew into something big. Today, all 50 states
offer First Day Hikes on January 1. As we prepare to honor the 250th anniversary of the American
Revolution in 2026, DCR is proud to celebrate this Massachusetts tradition that continues to inspire
the nation.
Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park
January 1, 2026, 10:00am-11:30am
Meeting Location: 287 Oak Street, Uxbridge
GPS: 42.094066706755356, -71.6238228755519
Celebrate the New Year at the Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park on a First Day Hike! Walk
along the waterways and woodlands of the canal towpath and experience the sights and sounds of the
Blackstone River in winter. Join us after the hike for hot chocolate in the Visitor Center and firepits out on
the patio.
The hike is ~1.5 miles over a compacted gravel surface with no inclines. Meet at the River Bend Farm
Visitor Center. All programs are free and open to the public. Registration is required and begins at 9:30
a.m. Appropriate for ages 10 and up. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Leashed dogs are
welcome. Dress for the weather. Programming is subject to change. For the most up to date
programming information, call (508) 278-7604 or visit bit.ly/blstupdates. For ADA/reasonable
accommodations, call (617) 645-0358 or email moneesha.dasgupta2@mass.gov.

DCR First Day Hike at South Cape Beach State Reservation
2026-01-01 10:00 - 11:30 | DCR South Cape Beach State Reservation, Great Oak Road 668, Mashpee, Massachusetts, 02649, United States
Massachusetts is where the American Revolution began, and it is also where the First Day Hikes started. On New Years Day in 1992, 380 people gathered at Blue Hills Reservation to welcome the new year with a walk in the woods. That simple idea grew into something big. Today, all 50 states offer First Day Hikes on January 1. As we prepare to honor the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in 2026, DCR is proud to celebrate this Massachusetts tradition that continues to inspire the nation.
South Cape Beach State Reservation
January 1, 2026, 10:00am – 11:30am
Meeting Location: 668 Great Oak Road, Mashpee
GPS: 41.553435115595484, -70.50552383152427
Celebrate the New Year at South Cape Beach State Reservation on a First Day Hike! Hike along the beach with views of Martha’s Vineyard. DCR staff will point out any interesting discoveries along the route such as horseshoe crabs, welks and many treasures along the shoreline. Depending on conditions, hike is approximately 1 mile, about 1 hour in duration. Hike will be on loose sand and likely windy. Dress for the weather and sandy terrain. Leashed dogs are welcome to join. Enjoy the warm fire and hot chocolate after the hike. For more information, please call Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve at (508) 457-0495.

DCR First Day Hike at Wachusett Reservoir
2026-01-01 10:00 - 12:00 | DCR Wachusett Reservoir, Temple Street 168, West Boylston, Massachusetts, 01583, United States
Massachusetts is where the American Revolution began, and it is also where the First Day Hikes
started. On New Years Day in 1992, 380 people gathered at Blue Hill Reservation to welcome the
new year with a walk in the woods. That simple idea grew into something big. Today, all 50 states
offer First Day Hikes on January 1. As we prepare to honor the 250th anniversary of the American
Revolution in 2026, DCR is proud to celebrate this Massachusetts tradition that continues to inspire
the nation.
January 1, 2026, 10:00am-12:00pm
Meeting Location: 168 Temple St, West Boylston
GPS: 42.35303650278069, -71.76495854232945
Celebrate the New Year at Wachusett Reservoir on a First Day Hike! Enjoy scenic vistas of the water
supply that provides clean drinking water to about three million people in Massachusetts. Hiking along
wide forest access roads with some hills up to 8% incline. This slow-paced hike is approximately 2 miles
round trip. Dress for the weather. Dogs are not permitted on Watershed property; service dogs are
welcome.
Please meet at Wachusett Reservoir Gate 22 on Rt. 140 in West Boylston (168 Temple Street). For more
information, please contact (617) 352-4044.

DCR First Day Hike at Breakheart Reservation
2026-01-01 10:00 - 12:00 | DCR Breakheart Reservation, Forest Street 177, Lynn, Massachusetts, 01905, United States
Massachusetts is where the American Revolution began, and it is also where the First Day Hikes started. On New Years Day in 1992, 380 people gathered at Blue Hills Reservation to welcome the new year with a walk in the woods. That simple idea grew into something big. Today, all 50 states offer First Day Hikes on January 1. As we prepare to honor the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in 2026, DCR is proud to celebrate this Massachusetts tradition that continues to inspire the nation.
Breakheart Reservation
January 1, 2026, 10:00am-12:00pm
Meeting Location: 177 Forest St. Saugus
GPS: 42.48016717477818, -71.0258374027916
Celebrate the New Year at Breakheart Reservation in Saugus on a First Day Hike! There will be two guided hikes offered, a 2-mile hike and a 3-mile hike through the paved loops at beautiful Breakheart. We will see animal tracks, CCC projects, Lower and Upper ponds. Dress for the weather, wear winter boots and leashed dogs are welcome to join. After the hike, warm up with hot chocolate. This hike is co-sponsored by the Friends of Breakheart Reservation. For more information, call (781) 233-0834.
