DCR Celebrates the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution

Join us in celebrating the spirit of 1776 in the places where history happened

Throughout 2025 and 2026, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation is proud to commemorate the 250^th anniversary of the American Revolution by highlighting the pivotal role our state parks, forests, watersheds, and more played in the fight for independence. From the rugged paths of the Knox Cannon Trail in the Berkshires to the fortified shores of the Boston Harbor, DCR properties preserve the landscapes where patriots stood, fought, and shaped history. We invite you to explore these historic sites and take part in Revolution 250 programs, where you can walk in the footsteps of revolutionaries and uncover the stories of Massachusetts’ vital contributions to America’s founding. Join us in celebrating the spirit of 1776 in the places where history happened. See below for highlighted properties and upcoming events.

Start Your Own Revolution!

Head out to the parks this summer and honor the revolution by completing any two of the activities listed and earn a special MA250 sticker and be entered to win a grand prize of a Family 4 pack of ferry tickets to Boston Harbor Islands!  

This initiative will be offered throughout 2026 with drawings on held August 2, 2025 and 2026.   To redeem your sticker and be entered for the grand prize please complete the  Prize Form & Survey.

Did you know?  Although the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, it wasn’t until August 2, 1776 that it was engrossed on parchment paper and signed by John Hancock, the President of Congress and other delegates in Philadelphia.

DCR Properties with a Connection to the American Revolution

Across Massachusetts, the American Revolution lives on in the places we still walk, hike, and explore today. From harbor islands and hilltops forts to quiet forests and riverbanks, DCR properties hold powerful stories of resistance, sacrifice, and the ideals that shaped a new nation. This collection of short informative pieces invites you to look beyond famous battlefields and discover how everyday landscapes played a role in the fight for independence and in the challenges that followed. Each site reveals a different chapter of the Revolutionary story, grounded in place and shaped by the people who lived it. 

Check out  DCR Properties with a Connection to the American Revolution to explore how history and landscape come together and see familiar DCR places in a whole new way.

Upcoming Events

Celebrating MA250 Through Patriotic Memorabilia

Daily in June & July from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Community Gallery, Visitor Center, third floor

Celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with local historian Tom Spitalere’s collection of patriotic memorabilia from the 1976 bicentennial in the Community Gallery during June and July.

Fall River Heritage State Park

100 Davol Street, Fall River, MA 02720

Tel: [phone] Ext 0 or 774-438-7905

Road to Revolution: The Boston Tea Party

Daily in June, July, & August from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm

Community Gallery, Visitor Center

The Boston Tea Party was a pivotal moment in the American Revolution and inspired protests in societies around the world. This exhibit, a MA250 event, tells the backstory of one of the most iconic events in the nation’s history and is derived from records and images from the State Archives. On loan from the Commonwealth Museum.

 

More information

MA 250 - A History of Possibility