Samuel Whittemore Marker, Massachusetts, United States
4.0 (1 review) Tuesday: 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Ranking #9 in Arlington Points of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues
Understated memorial to a Revolutionary War hero
Never heard of Samuel Whittemore? Don't feel bad. Many people who grew up in the area haven't heard of him either. Nevertheless, he is the oldest known combatant in the American Revolutionary War, contributing his service at the ripe age of 78! That seems kind of cool in and of itself, but the story gets better. I won't waste your time with a lot of needless details, because you can find it all on his Wikipedia page, but suffice to say, this elderly farmer literally dropped what he was doing in his field as the British were retreating from the battles of Concord and Lexington, and prepared to ambush them. He killed one with his musket, then, as they approached, he killed TWO MORE with his pistols, before being beaten, bayoneted several times, and shot in the face. Not only did Whittemore not die of his wounds, but when he was found by some neighbors, bleeding profusely, he was in the process of reloading his musket to resume fighting. The British couldn't kill Sam Whittemore. He recovered from his wounds, and lived another 18 years, finally dying at the even riper age of 96. 96!!!! The Whittemore Memorial isn't much. It's just a small stone in a park named for the man, in Arlington Center, at the corner of Mass Ave and Mystic St. If you're going to visit the battle sites in Concord and Lexington, definitely stop by here on your way back to Cambridge. If you're an American, and/or interested in Revolutionary War history, you owe that much to Mr Whittemore.
Address
611 Massachusetts Ave Whittemore Park, Arlington, MA 02474-5103
Working hours
Monday : 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday : 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday : 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday : 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday : 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday : 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday : 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Current local date and time now
Tuesday, May 14, 2024, 1:31
User Ratings
4.0 based on (1 review)
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