Three Centuries of Use - Historic Marker - Boston, Massachusetts, USA. - Massachusetts Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

Winthrop Square is also known as the Charlestown training field, where the Minutemen trained during the American Revolution.

Training fields were a familiar sight in early New England in an era of constant alert.

American colonist formed militias for protection and trained in open fields also known as commons. Charlestown Training Field dates from the 1640s after the town's 1629 settlement.It played a part in the American Revolution when Colonial troops marched on Charlestown to prevent the advance of British soldiers and hastily built earthworks on Breed's Hill, just upslope of the Training Field. On June 17th, 1775, in what became known as the Battle of Bunker Hill, British troops attacked the Breed's Hill fortifications, some troops likely approaching through the Training Field.


Inscription from the Historic Marker:

"Training Fields were an intergral part of early New England landscapes. On annual "Muster Days" the local Militia here for roll call, inspection, & parade. The entire town gathered to socialize and watch the citizen-soldiers fulfill their civic obligation.

The Charlestown Training Field, one of the "common lands" of the settlement, was first mentioned in the 1640s, making it one of New England's earliest training fields.

In 1775 the English, including burned Charlestown, including its Training Fields. The towns reconstruction in the 1780s created new streets, lanes & squares and extended older streets, including "Training Fields Street" the original lane leading here.

In the 1848 the Training Field was renamed Winthrop Square to honor John Winthrop, a Puritan clergyman and first Colonial governor of Massachusetts. Although the name never "took" in Charlestown, it marks an important transition from a utilitarian semi-rural open field to the urban park you see today."


Additional information regarding Winthrop Park & nearby monuments.

The Soldiers and Sailors Monument behind you commemorates the nearly 3,000 Charlestown men who fought for the Union in the Civil War (1891-65).

The Battle of Bunker Hill
The English marched through the Training Field before they encountered fierce resistance to the north on Breed's Hill. Numerous English and Colonial soldiers were buried after the battle, some possibly in the Training Field, but their bodies were later reclaimed and moved elsewhere.

Agency Responsible for Placement: City of Boston Agency Responsible for Placement (if not in list above): Boston Parks & Recreation. Year Placed: 2007 County: Suffolk City/Town Name: Charlestown - Boston Relevant Web Site: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log User Rating   05/01/2018 veritas vita visited it