Minute Man National Historical Park preserves and interprets significant sites, landscapes and structures where the American Revolution began on April 19, 1775. The park is currently a global symbol of humanity's universal struggle for liberty.
The 1,038-acre park includes the Minute Man statue, the North Bridge (site of "the shot heard round the world") and sections of the Battle Road. Also preserved at the Minute Man National Historical Park is The Wayside, where 19th-century authors kept the spirit of the Revolution alive by contributing to the creation of a uniquely American literature. The five-mile Battle Road Trail allows opportunities for walking, bicycles or wheelchairs and following remnants of the historic road. Individuals may also visit historic houses, farming fields, wetlands and forests along the way.