Revolutionary War reenactors in period dress crouch in a line with muskets behind a stone fence.
Hundreds of reenactors from across the country and over 5,000 spectators are expected to flock to Massachusetts for the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill this June, organizers say.
But visitors will not be descending on the historic battle site in Charlestown. "Bunker Hill" will instead be recreated 25 miles northeast, in Gloucester's Stage Fort Park.
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The event's organizers, including Essex Heritage and Revolution 250, explained Monday, as they revealed details on the celebration, that urban development around the original battlefield in Boston's Charlestown neighborhood would inhibit the full-scale immersive reenactment they have planned.
The commemoration of the battle will span June 21 and 22 and include historical encampments, staged battle reenactments, the recreation of a 1775 Boston marketplace, educational programs and even the landing of British troops on period-accurate ships.
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"Gloucester's Stage Fort Park offers key elements that perfectly capture the topography needed to tell the complete story of the Battle of Bunker Hill," Jonathan Lane, executive director of Revolution 250, said in a statement. "The park's beaches allow us to recreate the British landing, while the natural elevation provides space for the fortified redoubt that was so central to the battle."
It's possible that Charlestown will still have an event, Charlestown Preservation Society President and Bunker Hill 250 Cofounder Amanda Zettel told The Boston Globe in December, while acknowledging, "We are now an urban site, so it's kind of hard to do anything in its full glory."
The Gloucester reenactment committee will also make use of the new location to highlight the city's role in the battle, one of the first in the Revolutionary War — 250th anniversary events are being held around the Boston area this year, including next month in Lexington and Concord.
“Gloucester sent dozens of its sons to fight at Bunker Hill,” Essex Heritage CEO Annie Harris said in a statement. “The Gloucester community’s sailors, fishermen, and tradesmen brought valuable skills to the provincial forces. Many served in Captain John Row’s Company, while others joined various Essex County units that fought valiantly that day.”
The descendants of one Gloucester resident, Jabez Tarr, said he served in the colonial forces at the Battle of Bunker Hill at just 15 years old, according to the organizers. They also anticipate that the anniversary celebration will provide an economic boost to Gloucester and nearby North Shore communities, anticipating 5,000 to 7,000 tourists to attend the weekend's events.
As preparations gear up for the 250th anniversary, the organizing committee is still seeking fundraising to support the reenactment, with a specific focus on sponsorships to make the recreation of the British troops' landing possible.
