2010-12-06 Battle Green Draft Master Plan

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Ô»¨·²¹¬±² Þ¿¬¬´» Ù®»»² ß®»¿ Ü®¿º¬ Ó¿¬»® Ð´¿² ïîñêñîðïð Ø·¬±®·½ Þ¿½µ¹®±«²¼ Land and Buildings Lexington When residents became frustrated with the long trip to Concord for Sunday meeting, the community petitioned the General Court for their own parish. A small meeting house was built at the junction of the roads to Bedford and Concord (on the present Battle Green) in 1692 and the Town of Lexington was incorporated in 1713. As the town grew, common land was purchased adjacent to the meeting house (1.5 acres in 1711, and 1 acre in 1722) to expand the building which served as public meeting house and worship space, to construct a school, and to use the Common for public purposes. In 1773 the Lexington Pledge was adopted in this expanded, C tavern, burial ground, and residential houses began to shape the town center. On April 19, 1775 the Common became the site of conflict between British soldiers and colonial th militia, launching the Revolutionary War. Throughout the 19 century land subdivision and residential and commercial development continued around the common, creating a dense, compact town center. th rendition, Battle of Lexington, from an early 20 century postcard A belfry was constructed on nearby Belfry Hill in 1761 and moved to a spot near the church in 1768 where it summoned the militia to the Common on April 19, 1775. In 1794 a new belfry was added to the church, and the entire building was destroyed by fire in 1846. The new church, constructed in 1847, was located on a new site overlooking the Common (First Parish Church). On April 18, 1891 a belfry was reconstructed on Belfry Hill, destroyed in a windstorm in 1909, and rebuilt the following year. In 1913 the Town purchased Belfry Hill and created a park-like space on its hilly terrain. As the town Ð¿¬ Ü»·¹² ÔÔÝ Ð¿¹» ïð