Barrett House

448 Barretts Mill Road
Concord, MA 01742
United States

Website

Exterior of the Barrett House — In the days leading up the Battle of Lexington and Concord, James Barrett stored military supplies, including small cannons, from that were smuggled out of Boston amid rising tensions with the British.

The Gunpowder that Ignited Revolution

Benjamin Barrett built this home in 1705, and his son James, born five years later, inherited it. James Barrett served as a captain in the French and Indian War and was later commissioned as a colonel in command of the local militia during the 1770s. In 1775, Barrett's home stored military supplies, including small cannons smuggled out of Boston. When British troops marched into Concord on April 19, 1775, a detachment searched the Barrett home but found nothing, as Colonel Barrett was organizing the militia.

James Barrett fought in the first battle of the Revolutionary War but died in April 1779. The house became part of Minute Man National Historical Park in 2012. Today, visitors can explore the Barrett House, preserved to reflect its historical significance. Nearby, the North Bridge and the Minute Man Statue commemorate the opening battle of the American Revolution, providing a comprehensive understanding of Concord's pivotal role in the fight for independence.