Cradle of the Revolution: Boston to Lexington and Concord

A 2026 BGES Revolutionary War Field University Program

with Rob Orrison and Mark Maloy

September 9-13, 2026

Boston, Massachusetts has long been considered the “Cradle of the Revolution.” The home of leading Revolutionaries such as Dr. Joseph Warren, Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, John Adams and many more, the streets and wharves of Boston were where the revolutionary spirit was fostered. In December 1773, events began to snowball as dozens of Bostonians and others climbed on board three ships at Griffin’s Wharf and threw over East India Tea in opposition to the Tea Act. Soon after, the Parliament passed the “Intolerable Acts”, and Massachusetts was under military control.

It was the powder keg that was ignited on April 19, 1775, as the first blood was spilled on the Lexington Green and soon a day long battle took place from Concord to Cambridge. The “shot heard round the world” forever changed the continent and the world.

Join us on this 250th anniversary year on a multi-day tour as we explore the city of Boston and the villages of Lexington and Concord. We will cover the crucial events and sites that led up to the American Revolution and conclude by visiting the battlegrounds where British Regulars fought “Patriot” minutemen and militia along the now famous “Battle Road.”

Itinerary

Wednesday evening September 9, 2026, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Orientation

Meet Rob and Mark at our host hotel for a one-hour overview of the sites, events, and historical context of the tour. Program materials will be distributed (or the next morning for late arrivals).

Dinner is on your own

Thursday September 10, 2026, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Boston’s role in the American Revolution can still be easily found today in its preserved buildings, cemeteries and museums. We will visit the Old Statehouse, the seat of the colonial government. Nearby is the site of the Boston Massacre and Faneuil Hall. We will also visit the Granary Burying Ground, the final resting place of John Hancock, Samuel Adams and the victims of the Boston Massacre. Our last two stops will revolve around the Boston Tea Party, the seminal event that began the road to revolution. The Old South Meetinghouse where several town meetings were held to discuss the Tea Act, most notably the meeting on December 16, 1773, the night of the Boston Tea Party. Finally, we will visit the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum, and interactive museum experience focusing on the events leading up to and after the Boston Tea Party.

We will return to the hotel by 5:00 p.m.

Lunch is provided but dinner is on your own.

Friday September 11, 2026, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Decades of contention and unrest finally reached open battle on April 19, 1775, as the “shot heard around the world” began the American Revolution. The day will begin at the Buckman Tavern in Lexington, where the Lexington militia awaited the advance of British Regulars in the early hours of April 19th. Then outside the tavern is the famous Lexington Green, where the first shots of the American Revolution took place. Here eight Americans died and ignited a day long battle that turned very bloody. Tracking the movements of Paul Revere’s famous ride, we will visit the Hancock Clarke House and Revere’s capture site west of Lexington on the road to Concord. Much as the British Regulars marched to their destination of Concord, we will follow along into town and visit the North Bridge and associated sites in Concord. The day will wrap up setting up the British retreat back to Boston at Meriam’s Corner and cover the dramatic response of the local militia and minute men who flocked to the road to Boston.

We will return to the hotel by 5:00 p.m.

Lunch is included but dinner is on your own.

Saturday September 12, 2026, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

No one predicted the violence and bloodshed that occurred on the afternoon of April 19, 1775. As the British Regulars began their march back to Boston, they quickly learned that the alarm sent out across the countryside alerted thousands of militia and minute men. These amateur soldiers came from all walks of life and in a concerted effort, opposed the entire British march back to Boston. Using every hilltop, stone wall, tree etc… Americans exacted a bloody toll on the British. Sites such as the Bloody Angle, Parker’s Revenge, Fiske Hill and the Jason Russell House will tell the dramatic story of the men protecting their home versus men sent to a foreign land to enforce the King’s laws. The day will end with one of the bloodiest battles for the British Army, the Battle of Bunker (Breed’s Hill) fought two months after Lexington and Concord. Though an American defeat, the loss of life shocked British leaders and proved that the upstart American army would not go away quietly.

We will be back at the hotel by 5:00 p.m.

Lunch is included, but dinner is on your own.

Sunday September 13, 2026, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

We will finish the weekend with a trip to Quincy, Massachusetts, to visit the birthplace and home of John Adams and John Quincy Adams. Adams National Historical Park preserves and interprets several buildings related to the founding father John Adams and both former Presidents. John Adams is considered by many as the most pivotal Patriot during the American Revolution and the founding of the nation.

We will get back to the hotel before 5:00 p.m.

Lunch is provided.

About the Faculty

Your Guides

Mark Maloy and Rob Orrison are founding members of Emerging Revolutionary War, a public history platform promoting a broader public understanding of the American Revolution. Both have led hundreds of tours focusing on the American Revolution. Both have provided consulting to local, state and national museums as well as authoring numerous articles and books on the American Revolution focusing on Boston, Lexington, Concord, Trenton, Princeton, Camden and Charleston.

Rob Orrison has been working in the history field for more than 25 years. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Historic Preservation at Longwood University and received his Master’s Degree in Public History from George Mason University. Currently Rob serves as the Division Manager for the Prince William County Office of Historic Preservation. Rob also serves on the Board of Directors of the Frontier Culture Museum and serves as the Past President of the Virginia Association of Museums. His published works include several articles and books focus on the Civil War and the American Revolution including The Battles of Lexington and Concord and the Beginning of the American Revolution, April 19, 1775, and All That Can Be Expected: The Battle of Camden and the British High Tide in the South, August 16, 1780.

Mark Maloy has been working in the history field for more than 15 years. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in History at the College of William & Mary and his Master’s Degree in History from George Mason University. He is a regular contributor to the blog Emerging Revolutionary War and has authored two books on the Revolutionary War: Victory or Death: The Battles of Trenton and Princeton and To the Last Extremity: The Battles for Charleston.

Hotel Information

The headquarters hotel is the Fairfield Inn Boston/Tewksbury/Andover, 1695 Andover Street, Tewksbury, Massachusetts. Call 978-640-0700 for reservations. Ask for the Blue and Gray Education block. The rate is $149.00 plus tax. Cutoff date for the block rate is August 9, 2026.

Transportation

The servicing airport is Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). It is 28 miles to the hotel and is accessed by I-93.

Tour Pricing

Current BGES member $1175 (one-time payment, no deposit)
Non-BGES member $1250 (one-time payment, no deposit)
Deposit to reserve spot: $300
Annual membership fee: $75

Registration

Cradle of the Revolution Boston to Lexington and Concord 2026-Tour

Registration includes four lunches, maps, the academic program, support of professional historian(s), tour director and transportation. We will also provide snacks and cold bottled water.

Complete your registration by filling out the form below and making your secure payment.

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