Boston Globe NorthWest
November 6, 2003

Historic North Bridge to get $1.4m overhaul

By Christine McConville, Globe Staff, 11/6/2003

CONCORD -- On a golden afternoon last Friday, US Representative Martin T. Meehan stood in Minute Man National Historical Park, at the foot of North Bridge, and announced that the Revolutionary War landmark would be getting a nearly $1.4 million overhaul.

The long-awaited funding was approved last Thursday by the US House of Representatives, as part of the Department of the Interior's annual budget. The legislation, which is necessary for the department's operation and cannot be further amended, now goes to the Senate for final approval.

The money will be used to restore the bridge and its surroundings, so the Concord park can keep up with the 1.2 million people who visit it each year.

It comes as the park is placed in the center of an increasingly heated regional debate.

This is, after all, where one of the most significant battles in the United States' quest for independence took place. It's also close to Hanscom Field, which is considering expanding its commercial operations. While supporters say the region needs the airstrip because Boston's Logan Airport is too congested, opponents of the expansion say the constant buzz of planes overhead will detract from the park's unique atmosphere.

That's exactly what happened to Meehan, as he announced the funding.

''It's only by standing here that you can get a sense of the danger and wilderness that our ancestors faced,'' he was telling the crowd of tourists, walkers, and local officials, when the buzz of an airplane interrupted him.

After trying to shout over the roar, he decided to stop talking instead. After it passed, he said, ''If anyone wonders why we are opposed to the expansion of commercial air traffic here, that's why. If we are going to experience what it was like, there were no planes here.''

The current yellow-pine planked bridge that spans the Concord River was built in 1956. It is the spot where 300 to 400 American farmers beat back 700 British troops on April 19, 1775.

The British troops had been sent by King George III to quell an uprising in the Colonies. Pockets of Americans resisted the troops. After a bloody battle in Lexington, the well-armed British pressed on to Concord, in search of the Colonists' weapons stockpile. The outnumbered Americans retreated over the North Bridge and up Punkatasset Hill before turning on the British. The Colonists waged another bloody battle and forced the British soldiers to march all the way back to Boston.

These days, the bridge, and the park that surrounds it, draws tourists from around the world. Locals visit often, too, for walks and picnics. All that use has had an impact. The trails leading to and from the bridge and the riverbanks have eroded.

''This funding will help ensure that our children and grandchildren can enjoy the rich history this site offers,'' Meehan said.

The money will be used to repair the bridge's deck and railings, improve the parking area and crosswalk on Monument Street, and increase people's access from the park's visitors center to the bridge. It will pay for resetting the Minuteman Statue's granite base and the 1836 Obelisk. It will also help restore historical vistas and improve signage.

Because the park's busiest time is April, work on the bridge won't begin until next May. It is expected to be finished by February 2005.

This story ran on page 5 of the Boston Globe NorthWest on 11/6/2003. © Copyright 2003 Globe Newspaper Company. ==========
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