The Battle of Bunker Hill, the first major battle of the American Revolution against British forces, occurred on June 17, 1775. The hard-fought battle pitted an inexperienced Colonial army against the decidedly better equipped and battle worthy British army. The Colonial army was led by such notable men as Colonel John Stark, General Israel Putnam, and Colonel William Prescott, who had all previously fought alongside the British in both the French and Indian Wars.
Although, the British ended up winning the battle, the Colonial army showed its promise and fortitude by depleting the British forces by 50 percent. The first monument erected in this location was an 18-foot wooden pillar and gilt urn, a monument paying homage to fallen patriot and mason, Dr. Joseph Warren, commissioned by King Solomon's Lodge of Masons.
In 1823, a group of prominent Boston citizens formed the Bunker Hill Monument Association, with the goal of constructing a more significant monument to honor the fallen soldiers at the Battle of Bunker Hill. The 221-foot granite obelisk Bunker Hill Monument was finished in 1842, and dedicated a year later on June 17, 1843.
Standing proudly adjacent to the 221-foot Bunker Hill Monument is the statue of Colonel William Prescott, one of the leaders of the Colonial army in the Battle of Bunker Hill. Just before the battle, General Prescott gave his troops the infamous command "Don't fire until I tell you! Don't fire till you see the whites of their eyes!" so as not to deplete his gunpowder reserves. Sculpted by local artist William Wetmore Story, and dedicated in 1881, the statue of Colonial Prescott can be viewed, with his sword still in hand, on the west side of the Bunker Hill Monument.
Located just across the street from the Bunker Hill Monument stands the Bunker Hill Museum. Opened in 2007, and formerly the Charlestown Public Library, the museum comprises more than 4,000-square-feet of exhibit space. The first floor contains displays pertaining to the history and construction of the Bunker Hill Monument, exhibits on the history of this particular section of Boston, Charlestown, and a souvenir and gift shop. Upper floors display both a diorama, a scale model of the battlefield and an impressive reproduction cyclorama, offering a 360-degree view of the battle and its participants. The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
