Sandy Pond & Baker Bridge Roads
Lincoln, MAA stone near the corner of Sandy Pond and Baker Bridge Roads in Lincoln marks a spot where the Lincoln Minute Men gathered on April 19, 1775. Contrary to the name, the men did not in fact “muster” here, but they certainly passed through on their way to Concord.
Amos Baker, believed to have been the last surviving veteran who fought at the North Bridge, gave an affidavit on April 22, 1850, that said, “When I went to Concord in the morning, I joined the Lincoln company at the brook, by Flint’s pond, near the house then of Zachary Smith…”. More than a century later Baker’s words were misinterpreted to imply this was the location of the muster field. In reality it was here that Baker, his brothers, brother-in-law, and father met the Minute Men, en route from the town common, as it was closer to their home on the western edge of town.
In 1983, Lincoln held a contentious special town meeting to determine whether the town should purchase the land and preserve it as open space. In the debate, the (inaccurate) historical significance of the site was shared prompting the townspeople to enthusiastically support its conservation, despite the hefty expense. A boulder was moved to the property with the intention of it becoming a monument for the muster field, however the truth soon came to light and no further action was taken for seventeen years.
In 2000, the 225th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the town engraved the boulder and placed a second marker on the Town Common. Together these monuments tell the correct story of the Lincoln Minute Men’s march to Concord on April 19, 1775.
The inscription reads:
ROUTE OF THE
LINCOLN MINUTE MEN
APRIL 19, 1775
HERE MEN FROM WESTERN PARTS OF TOWN JOINED MINUTE MEN
AND MILITIA MARCHING FROM THE TOWN CENTER.
“WHEN I WENT TO CONCORD IN THE MORNING, I JOINED THE LINCOLN
COMPANY AT THE BROOK, BY FLINT’S POND. I LOADED MY GUN
THERE WITH TWO BALLS, OUNCE BALLS, AND POWDER
ACCORDINGLY.”
AMOS BAKER
AFFIDAVIT OF APRIL 22, 1850