Buckman Tavern, located on the Battle Green in Lexington, MA is a historic American Revolutionary War site associated with the  Battle of Lexington and Concord which began early on April 19, 1775.

Having received word that the regular army had left Boston in force to seize and destroy military supplies in Concord, several dozen militiamen gathered on the Lexington town common, and then eventually went to the tavern to await the arrival of the British troops. Definite word reached them just before sunrise, and Captain Parker’s company of militia left the tavern to assemble in two ranks on the common. Following the arrival of the army, a single shot was fired, by whom, it remains unknown. The British regulars, out numbering the colonial militia three to one,  then opened fire leaving 7 of them dead.  When the British advanced to Concord they met a much larger contingent of Minutemen at the Old North Bridge. There, for the first time, the Americans, acting under orders, fired upon and killed British soldiers. The colonist continued to fire upon and ambush the British as they retreated to Boston killing 73 and wounding 174.

Jeanine and I visited the tavern, now a museum, this afternoon and enjoyed the history lesson.  Of even greater interest was the second floor exhibit dedicated to the Battle after the Battle between Concord and Lexington, each vying to be considered the birthplace of the American revolution.