THE MUNROE TAVERN (1695), LEXINGTON,
EARL PERCY’S HEADQUARTERS ON APRIL 19, 1775
The Munroe Tavern
and Detail of the Newly Restored Facade
A CORNER OF THE EARL PERCY ROOM, MUNROE TAVERN
The Munroe Tavern, built in 1695, was occupied by Earl Percy when he reached Lexington with reinforcements on the afternoon of April 19, 1775. The old hostelry was used as a hospital and headquarters for the British while the landlord, Sergeant William Munroe was playing his part with the minutemen, and his wife and children were hiding fearfully in the woods. Sergeant Munroe left the tavern in charge of a crippled neighbor, John Raymond, who was shot.
The room above was originally the dining room, and is now dedicated to Earl Percy and filled with a rich collection of Revolutionary relics. The facade of the tavern was altered when it became a private residence, and it has only recently been restored to its former character, from data revealed in an old etching.