Jacob Whittemore House, 1716

The Jacob Whittemore House, 1716

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Location:

21 Marrett Street, Lexington MA 02421

Significance:

The Jacob Whittemore House is the only April 19th witness house in the park that is in the town of Lexington. Paul Revere passed by here on his midnight ride. Later the British column passed by here on their way to Concord, and back again in the afternoon during their fighting retreat back to Boston.

Amenities

2 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Scenic View/Photo Spot

Battle Road Map

An interactive map of Battle Road, April 19, 1775

Located on the Bay Road in Lexington, in 1775 this house was home to Jacob and Elizabeth Whittemore as well as their daughter, Sarah, her husband Moses Reed, and their three small children. Neither Jacob nor Moses fought with the Lexington militia on April 19th, although Jacob had trained with it and Moses would volunteer for other Revolutionary War campaigns. Instead, Jacob and Moses carried Sarah Whittemore Reed, who was still recovering from the birth of her third child 18 days earlier, and her children to the relative safety of a nearby woodlot just before the battle reached their home. To the west of the house, Captain John Parker led the Lexington militia in engaging the retreating British Regulars. The Whittemore family lived in the house from the time of its construction in 1716-1718 by Jacob’s father, Nathaniel, until 1780 when it was sold by the family.