Bunker Hill Monument Review

The Monument commemorates the Battle of Bunker Hill which was fought during the Revolutionary War and was the first major battle of the war.  The Monument is actually located on Breed's Hill in Charlestown, not Bunker Hill since Breed's Hill was the site of the majority of the fighting during the battle, even though the battle was eventually called the Battle of Bunker Hill.  The monument sits at the top of the hill, surrounded by a small park.  Beyond that, the area is generally residential, though across the street from the main staircase into the park and the Monument is the Bunker Hill Monument Museum.

Beyond being a historic site on its own, the Bunker Hill Monument is also the northernmost stop on Boston's Freedom Trail, which is a walking tour of many of the historic sites throughout Boston and Charlestown.  Just down the hill from the monument is the Charlestown Navy Yard, which is home to the USS Constitution.

Finding the Monument

If you asked me to drive to the Bunker Hill Monument, I really wouldn't know how to, so let me say up front that the easiest way to get there is to walk along the Freedom Trail.  That's because not only are the driving directions at best convoluted, but parking in the area can be difficult and it's often just easier to walk there instead of having to deal with the hassle of driving.  The other option is getting there via public transportation but there are no subway stops near the monument, though bus service does run throughout Charlestown. 

Visiting the Monument

Once you get there, a nice feature is the fact that there is no fee to visit the entire site.  You can go up into the monument or visit the museum as you please and it's open from 9 to 5.

I've always liked the view from the top of the Monument and I think it's probably my favorite reason to visit, especially on a clear, sunny day.  On clear days you can see pretty much all of Boston, Charlestown, the ship yard and north towards the North Shore.  Not only that, but just climbing the monument is interesting since the Monument itself is a granite tower and inside, twisting around the main shaft of the monument is a granite spiral staircase that you go up. 

Once you are back down, you can head across the street to the Museum where you'll find exhibits on the Battle of Bunker Hill.  I liked the museum too, but probably spent more time on top of the monument taking in the view and imagining the battle that was fought at its foot.  The Battle of Bunker Hill was the first major battle of our war for independence and you can imagine the British coming up the hill and the American's waiting for their attack and hearing that they weren't to fire "until you see the whites of their eyes!"

My Take

If you are walking the Freedom Trail, the Bunker Hill Monument is a can't miss stop along the way.  The site gives you a chance to learn about the history of our first major battle during the Revolutionary War and you get some amazing views of Charlestown and Boston from the top of the monument.