This Tuesday observes the 250th year since the British army departed Boston, an event that will be honored with a dedicated ceremony and remembrance service.
Celebrated on March 17 as a legal holiday within Suffolk County, Evacuation Day commemorates the British military’s withdrawal from Boston on March 17, 1776. This event represented the initial significant triumph for George Washington’s Continental Army during the American Revolution, following a prolonged 11-month siege of the urban center.
The day’s events on Tuesday will commence with a remembrance service at St. Augustine’s chapel in South Boston. This will be succeeded by a brief parade leading to Dorchester Heights, where a commemorative gathering will take place, featuring prominent state political and community figures such as Governor Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.
Additionally, numerous reenactment groups are expected to participate, among them the Lexington Minute Men, the 2nd Massachusetts Regiment, the Henry Knox Color Guard, the Henry Knox Regiment of Artillery, and historical exhibits from Fort Ticonderoga and Saratoga 250.
The complete agenda for the commemoration is detailed as follows:
- 9:00 a.m. — Remembrance mass held at St. Augustine’s Chapel, located at 181 Dorchester St, Boston, MA 02127.
- 10:15 a.m. — A parade will proceed from St. Augustine’s Chapel, ascending Telegraph Street towards Dorchester Heights.
- 11:00 a.m. — Observance activities will occur before the Dorchester Heights Monument.