Patriot Points Walk: Miles & Smiles

Organized by the Town Celebrations Committee

Patriots' Day in Lexington
2021 is the 246th Anniversary of the Battle of Lexington
Patriots’ Day in Lexington
2021 is the 246th Anniversary of the Battle of Lexington

Miles & Smiles is an event from March 22 to April 19 where you go visit locations marked on the map (Miles), and take pictures of your route among the way (Smiles). You can register to enter this event and have a chance to win prizes. Everyone’s smile pictures will be in the pool for voting so everyone has a chance to get high votes and win prizes.

Registration:

After finishing your walk, you can register the miles you traveled. If you are participating in the longest miles contest (optional), you may also upload miles photos at anytime using the 2nd form. You do not need to register and upload images at the same time.
Register your miles here: http://caal-ma.org/patriot-points-walk-miles-registration/

If you have smiles photos too,
You can upload your smile photos here: http://caal-ma.org/patriot-points-walk-smiles-registration/

Voting:

You do not need to register to vote!
To vote, go to the voting page and click on photos to view. Find your favorite photos, on the lower right corner you can “Like” the photo and it counts as a vote. In order to vote you will have to have a Facebook account.
Vote for your favorite photos here: http://caal-ma.org/patriot-points-walk-miles-voting/

Interactive Map:

The interactive map contains a collection of historical sites that may assist you in the planning of your walk. Each pin is a location you can visit, and blue lines are routes suggested to take.

Click image below to open the map in a new tab:

Click below for a video tutorial on how to use it.

Competition Procedures (optional):

To participate in the longest miles and best smiles competitions, you will:
– Use a smartphone tracker app or GPS tracker, and take photos/screenshots of your final track (longest miles traveled competition).
– Have a smartphone or camera to take smiles pictures with (best smiles images competition).

More Information:

IMPORTANT: When navigating the four websites (Homepage (this current page), Miles Registration, Smiles Registration, Miles & Smiles Voting), scroll down all the way to the bottom of each site to find links to each part of this event.

The Patriot Points Walk is a great opportunity for families, friends, or school groups to enjoy a healthy walk, run or bike ride while accumulating miles visiting the many different historic monuments and memorials associated with Patriots’ Day.

The registration page will be available on Monday, March 22. Individuals, families or school groups may register through end of day on Monday, April 19.

More information can be found on the town website: PatriotsDay.com

If you run into any tech issues, please email lexpatriotsdaytech@gmail.com!

Click here to download the event flyer and promote Patriot Points Walk!

A brief history of some of the Lexington Historical Sites:

Battle Green – This was where “the first blood was spilt in the dispute with Great Britain,” according to George Washington. This was where the revolutionary war started as 77 minuteman faced British Regulars

Flagpole – In 1965 it was declared that a flag would fly over Lexington Green 24/7 in honor of the first shots fired in the American Revolution. This is one of eight presidential proclamations and public laws where a flag must fly 24/7.

Revolutionary War Monument – Dedicated on July 4, 1799, this is the nation’s oldest war memorial.

The Preacher’s Stand – Marker indicating the location of the first three meeting houses in Lexington. Lists the names of the Pastors during this time

Parker Boulder – This monument shows where Captain Parker lined up his men the morning of April 19th. His men lined up there across the Green bravely waiting for the British Regulars. The British Regulars lined up about where the flag pole is.

Minuteman Statue – The statue is a life-size bronze figure of a minuteman with a musket. The statue was supposed to depict Captain John Parker, leader of the Lexington militia. The sculpture was created by Henry Hudson Kitson, a Boston sculptor. The statue is affectionately called the “Captain Parker Statue” by the residents
of Lexington.

Buckman Tavern – A tavern that militia men stayed while waiting for British regulars. There is a memorial to the minutemen on the left. It has stayed in a similar state to today.

The Old Belfry – The bell was built in 1762, and was rebuilt in 1910. It summoned people to worship, warned people, called out the militia, and tolled on deaths. It tolled to warn people before the battles of Lexington and Concord.

Lexington Minute Men Memorial – This monument was made to honor the colonial minutemen at Lexington Green who fought the British regulars. The monument depicts the minutemen fighting. The sculpture was created in 1948 by Bashka Paeff, a female sculptor from Boston.

Hancock-Clarke House – This was the home of the Hancocks and the Clarkes, and was Paul Revere’s destination on his midnight ride. The house has periods furnishings and portraits, and items from the period.

Munroe Tavern – This tavern was a headquarters and hospital for the British Regulars. Washington visited this tavern in 1789.

Ye Old Burying Ground – The burying ground contains the oldest gravestones in Lexington, with some dating to the 1690s. Capt. John Parker has a memorial here. The 8 men who died on Green were originally buried here.

Glorious Morning Plaque – Embedded in the stone wall in front of the house A plaque commemorating the hill on which Samuel Adams exclaimed to John Hancock what a glorious morning it was on the first day of the Revolutionary War.

Click here to register and upload your Miles images.
Click here to upload/submit your Smiles images.
Click here to vote for your favorite Smiles and Miles (GPS verification) images.