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25 Boston-area military memorials and monuments, mapped

By Tom Acitelli Updated
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By Tom Acitelli Updated

These memorials and monuments commemorate events, battles, and wars stretching back to the earliest days of the American Revolution and encompassing more recent conflicts such as the Second Gulf War and the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut.

Most are easily accessible, including via public transit, and, of course, free to the public, including on Veterans Day Nov. 11. [Sources: Boston Art Commission; National Park Service; Cambridge Office of Tourism]

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Minuteman Statue

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Erected in 1900 and depicting militia Captain John Parker, the statue looms at one end of Lexington Common, which is situated among the scene of the first battle in the Revolutionary War.
1625 Old Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02421

Cambridge Common Cannons

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These three cannon were seized by Washington’s army after the British evacuated the Boston area in 1776.
Garden Street & Appian Way, Cambridge, MA 02138

Fort Washington Mounds

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General Washington ordered three batteries to be built for cannon aimed at Boston across the river. These mounds are what’s left, the last reminder dating uninterrupted to the 18th century of the Continental Army’s Cambridge presence.
95 Waverly Street, Cambridge, MA 02139

Boston Massacre

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In March 1770, British soldiers opened fire on a crowd of demonstrators, killing five and wounding 11.
State Street & Devonshire Street, Boston, MA 02109

Bunker Hill

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The June 17, 1775 battle was the first major one of the Revolutionary War and technically a British win.
Monument Square, Charlestown, MA 02129

Boston Tea Party

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Though recently co-opted by some on the right, the original Tea Party involved dumping more than 10,000 pounds of tea from three ships docked off what was called Griffin Wharf.
Congress Street & Dorchester Avenue, Boston, MA 02210

Powder House

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In September 1774, the British launched a pre-emptive raid against the magazines of colonial militia. Within a year, such thievery would blow up in their face.
Liberty Avenue & Powder House Terrace, Somerville, MA 02144

U.S.S. Constitution Museum

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Honoring the world’s oldest naval vessel still afloat (born: 1797), the museum especially chronicles Old Ironsides role in the War of 1812.
1st Avenue & 3rd Street, Boston National Historical Park, Boston, MA 02129

54th Massachusetts Memorial

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The sculpture commemorating the Civil War role of the 54th Massachusetts, the first all-black regiment in the American army, took Augustus Saint-Gaudens nearly 14 years to complete. It was unveiled in 1897.
Beacon Street & Park Street, Boston, MA 02108

Joseph Hooker Statue

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Unveiled in 1903, it commemorates Joseph Hooker, who commanded the Army of the Potomac in 1863, declaring, “May God have mercy on General Lee, for I will have none.”
24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108

Boston Soldiers and Sailors Monument

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Completed in 1877 on the highest point on Boston Common, the memorial honors Bostonians who fought for the Union.
00 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02108

Jamaica Plain Monument

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The 27-foot monument was unveiled in 1871 to commemorate the Civil War contributions of the then-Town of West Roxbury.
Centre Street & South Street, Boston, MA 02132

Lincoln – Soldier Monument

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Completed in 1871, the monument on Cambridge Common includes a statue at the top of a Civil War soldier and a bronze of President Lincoln below.
Massachusetts Avenue & Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

Memorial Hall

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Finished in 1877, the hall continues as a monument to those Harvard students and alum who died fighting for the U.S. in the Civil War (Confederate casualties are not mentioned).
45 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

Spanish-American War Memorial

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Located inside the State House, the memorial features murals depicting Massachusetts’ role in the war (amid other wars).
24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108

Massachusetts Korean War Veterans Memorial

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The memorial to the more than 1,500 Massachusetts casualties in the war—and the dozens still missing—is located in the Charlestown Navy Yard and was finished in 1993.
1st Avenue & Terry Ring, Boston, MA 02129

South Boston Vietnam War Memorial

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It was dedicated in September 1981, and is thought to be the oldest Vietnam War memorial in the nation.
East Broadway & M Street, Boston, MA 02127

Vietnam War Memorial

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Finished in 1989, the memorial includes a map of Vietnam and a stone plaza.
Park Drive & Agassiz Road, Boston, MA 02215

South Boston Korean War Memorial

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The Castle Island monument honors the 20 Southie men who died in the early 1950s war.
2080 William J Day Boulevard, Boston, MA 02127

World War II Memorial

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Erected in 1949, the monument built around a winged Victory memorializes the more than 3,000 Bostonians who died in the war.
Park Drive & Agassiz Road, Boston, MA 02215

Old North Church Memorial Garden

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Using nameless dog tags, the garden memorializes those killed the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
193 Salem Street, Boston National Historical Park, Boston, MA 02113

Roslindale World War I Memorial

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It took until 1958—40 years after the war’s end and after another world war—to complete the monument to Roslindale’s Great War fallen.
Washington Street & Poplar Street, Boston, MA 02131

Beirut Memorial

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Located in Christopher Columbus Park and unveiled in 1992, this commemorates those killed in the 1983 terrorist attack on a barracks in the Lebanese capital.
Atlantic Avenue & Cross Street, Boston, MA 02110

Charlestown Civil War Memorial

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Dating from 1872, this granite memorial commemorates Civil War soldiers and sailors from Charlestown. It's located in the same field where colonial minutemen trained during the American Revolution
Winthrop Street & Adams Street, Boston, MA 02129

Dorchester Heights Monument

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As the City of Boston puts it, "Dorchester Heights is famous for a battle that never happened." Basically, the British ceded the heights to Washington's fortified troops there, and evacuated Boston in March 1776. The marble monument was dedicated in 1902.
Old Harbor Street & Telegraph Street, Boston, MA 02127
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Minuteman Statue

1625 Old Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02421
Erected in 1900 and depicting militia Captain John Parker, the statue looms at one end of Lexington Common, which is situated among the scene of the first battle in the Revolutionary War.
1625 Old Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02421

Cambridge Common Cannons

Garden Street & Appian Way, Cambridge, MA 02138
These three cannon were seized by Washington’s army after the British evacuated the Boston area in 1776.
Garden Street & Appian Way, Cambridge, MA 02138

Fort Washington Mounds

95 Waverly Street, Cambridge, MA 02139
General Washington ordered three batteries to be built for cannon aimed at Boston across the river. These mounds are what’s left, the last reminder dating uninterrupted to the 18th century of the Continental Army’s Cambridge presence.
95 Waverly Street, Cambridge, MA 02139

Boston Massacre

State Street & Devonshire Street, Boston, MA 02109
In March 1770, British soldiers opened fire on a crowd of demonstrators, killing five and wounding 11.
State Street & Devonshire Street, Boston, MA 02109

Bunker Hill

Monument Square, Charlestown, MA 02129
The June 17, 1775 battle was the first major one of the Revolutionary War and technically a British win.
Monument Square, Charlestown, MA 02129

Boston Tea Party

Congress Street & Dorchester Avenue, Boston, MA 02210
Though recently co-opted by some on the right, the original Tea Party involved dumping more than 10,000 pounds of tea from three ships docked off what was called Griffin Wharf.
Congress Street & Dorchester Avenue, Boston, MA 02210

Powder House

Liberty Avenue & Powder House Terrace, Somerville, MA 02144
In September 1774, the British launched a pre-emptive raid against the magazines of colonial militia. Within a year, such thievery would blow up in their face.
Liberty Avenue & Powder House Terrace, Somerville, MA 02144

U.S.S. Constitution Museum

1st Avenue & 3rd Street, Boston National Historical Park, Boston, MA 02129
Honoring the world’s oldest naval vessel still afloat (born: 1797), the museum especially chronicles Old Ironsides role in the War of 1812.
1st Avenue & 3rd Street, Boston National Historical Park, Boston, MA 02129

54th Massachusetts Memorial

Beacon Street & Park Street, Boston, MA 02108
The sculpture commemorating the Civil War role of the 54th Massachusetts, the first all-black regiment in the American army, took Augustus Saint-Gaudens nearly 14 years to complete. It was unveiled in 1897.
Beacon Street & Park Street, Boston, MA 02108

Joseph Hooker Statue

24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108
Unveiled in 1903, it commemorates Joseph Hooker, who commanded the Army of the Potomac in 1863, declaring, “May God have mercy on General Lee, for I will have none.”
24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108

Boston Soldiers and Sailors Monument

00 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02108
Completed in 1877 on the highest point on Boston Common, the memorial honors Bostonians who fought for the Union.
00 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02108

Jamaica Plain Monument

Centre Street & South Street, Boston, MA 02132
The 27-foot monument was unveiled in 1871 to commemorate the Civil War contributions of the then-Town of West Roxbury.
Centre Street & South Street, Boston, MA 02132

Lincoln – Soldier Monument

Massachusetts Avenue & Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Completed in 1871, the monument on Cambridge Common includes a statue at the top of a Civil War soldier and a bronze of President Lincoln below.
Massachusetts Avenue & Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

Memorial Hall

45 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Finished in 1877, the hall continues as a monument to those Harvard students and alum who died fighting for the U.S. in the Civil War (Confederate casualties are not mentioned).
45 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

Spanish-American War Memorial

24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108
Located inside the State House, the memorial features murals depicting Massachusetts’ role in the war (amid other wars).
24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108

Massachusetts Korean War Veterans Memorial

1st Avenue & Terry Ring, Boston, MA 02129
The memorial to the more than 1,500 Massachusetts casualties in the war—and the dozens still missing—is located in the Charlestown Navy Yard and was finished in 1993.
1st Avenue & Terry Ring, Boston, MA 02129

South Boston Vietnam War Memorial

East Broadway & M Street, Boston, MA 02127
It was dedicated in September 1981, and is thought to be the oldest Vietnam War memorial in the nation.
East Broadway & M Street, Boston, MA 02127

Vietnam War Memorial

Park Drive & Agassiz Road, Boston, MA 02215
Finished in 1989, the memorial includes a map of Vietnam and a stone plaza.
Park Drive & Agassiz Road, Boston, MA 02215

South Boston Korean War Memorial

2080 William J Day Boulevard, Boston, MA 02127
The Castle Island monument honors the 20 Southie men who died in the early 1950s war.
2080 William J Day Boulevard, Boston, MA 02127

World War II Memorial

Park Drive & Agassiz Road, Boston, MA 02215
Erected in 1949, the monument built around a winged Victory memorializes the more than 3,000 Bostonians who died in the war.
Park Drive & Agassiz Road, Boston, MA 02215

Old North Church Memorial Garden

193 Salem Street, Boston National Historical Park, Boston, MA 02113
Using nameless dog tags, the garden memorializes those killed the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
193 Salem Street, Boston National Historical Park, Boston, MA 02113

Roslindale World War I Memorial

Washington Street & Poplar Street, Boston, MA 02131
It took until 1958—40 years after the war’s end and after another world war—to complete the monument to Roslindale’s Great War fallen.
Washington Street & Poplar Street, Boston, MA 02131