Punkatasset Hill
Encyclopedia
Punkatasset Hill is a hill located in Concord, Massachusetts
. It is one of the highest points in the town at 289 feet.
The Hill was originally known as Broad-topped Hill by the Native Indians and was cultivated and farmed from the 17th Century on.
In 1775, as the British troops marched into Concord
, the Concord Minutemen
took position atop Punkatasset Hill. On the hill they were met with reinforcements from the surrounding towns and the number of soldiers grew to at least 400. From their vantage point they saw the smoke of burning militia supply by the British from the center of Concord. Fearing it was their homes being burned, Colonel Barrett led his militia down to a hill only a few hundred yards from the Old North Bridge, and then to the Old North Bridge itself.
In the late 19th Century, on clear days Concordians and visitors were treated to vistas of Boston
, Mount Wachusett
, and Mount Monadnock
.
During the early 20th Century, Punkatasset Hill was home to Concord’s only ski slope. There was never a ski lift, but ski jumping contests were held there during the 1930’s. Today the slope remains cleared, but not in use.
In 1971 the land was sold from private property to the town and converted to conservation land. Today Punkatasset Hill and the adjacent Estabrook Woods
are popular hiking and walking destinations.
Concord, Massachusetts
Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 17,668. Although a small town, Concord is noted for its leading roles in American history and literature.-History:...
. It is one of the highest points in the town at 289 feet.
The Hill was originally known as Broad-topped Hill by the Native Indians and was cultivated and farmed from the 17th Century on.
In 1775, as the British troops marched into Concord
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. They were fought on April 19, 1775, in Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay, within the towns of Lexington, Concord, Lincoln, Menotomy , and Cambridge, near Boston...
, the Concord Minutemen
Minutemen
Minutemen were members of teams of select men from the American colonial partisan militia during the American Revolutionary War. They provided a highly mobile, rapidly deployed force that allowed the colonies to respond immediately to war threats, hence the name.The minutemen were among the first...
took position atop Punkatasset Hill. On the hill they were met with reinforcements from the surrounding towns and the number of soldiers grew to at least 400. From their vantage point they saw the smoke of burning militia supply by the British from the center of Concord. Fearing it was their homes being burned, Colonel Barrett led his militia down to a hill only a few hundred yards from the Old North Bridge, and then to the Old North Bridge itself.
In the late 19th Century, on clear days Concordians and visitors were treated to vistas of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Mount Wachusett
Mount Wachusett
Mount Wachusett is located in the towns of Princeton and Westminster in Worcester County, Massachusetts. It is the highest point in Massachusetts east of the Connecticut River. The mountain is named after a Native American term meaning "near the mountain" or "mountain place". The mountain is a...
, and Mount Monadnock
Mount Monadnock
Mount Monadnock, or Grand Monadnock, is the most prominent New England mountain peak south of the White Mountains and east of the Massachusetts Berkshires, and is the highest point in Cheshire County, New Hampshire...
.
During the early 20th Century, Punkatasset Hill was home to Concord’s only ski slope. There was never a ski lift, but ski jumping contests were held there during the 1930’s. Today the slope remains cleared, but not in use.
In 1971 the land was sold from private property to the town and converted to conservation land. Today Punkatasset Hill and the adjacent Estabrook Woods
Estabrook Woods
The Estabrook Woods is a wild tract of more than of woodland, hills, ledge, and swamp two miles north of the Town of Concord. It is the largest contiguous and undeveloped woodland within thirty miles of Boston. However, the woods have a history of human disturbance dating back to the Algonquian...
are popular hiking and walking destinations.