Bunker Hill Monument

The Bunker Hill Monument was built to commemorate the Battle of Bunker Hill. The 221 foot granite obelisk was erected between 1827 and 1843 in Charlestown, Massachusetts with granite from Quincy, Massachusetts, conveyed to the site via the Granite Railway, which is first commercial railway in the United States, built specially for that purpose, followed by a trip by barge. There are 294 steps to the top.

The Bunker Hill Monument is not on Bunker Hill but instead on Breed's Hill, where most of the fighting in the misnamed Battle of Bunker Hill actually took place. The Monument Association, which had purchased the battlefield site, was forced to sell off all but the hill's summit in order to complete the monument.

The monument was erected to commemorate the Battle of Bunker Hill, the first major conflict between British and Patriot forces in the Revolutionary War, fought there June 17, 1775.

Photo 23jul09

Bunker Hill Monument

Photo 20jul09

Bunker Hill Monument behind Old Charles River Locks

Now replaced by a new Dam and Locks downstream. The two bridges shown are The Craigie Drawbridge (in green and black) and the Green Line's Lechmere Viaduct. Behind those are auto ramps and the Beacon Hill Monument.

The Craigie Dam and Craigie Drawbridge carry McGrath O’Brien Highway (Route 28) between Land Blvd. in Cambridge and Leverett Circle in Boston. New in 2011, the drawbridge replaced The old bridge which was constructed in 1910, along with the dam that turned the lower Charles River from a tidal estuary into a fresh-water basin.

A new dam and set of locks were built in 1978 downstream from the old locks and dam, replacing those built in 1910. The Museum of Science sits on the old dam.

Photo 24oct11