SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
June 17, 1775 - the Battle of Bunker Hill, a major conflict in the American Revolution. The British won, but at a great cost. And the redcoats realized that those pesky folks who call themselves Americans wouldn't settle for just a little tea. Next year is the 250th anniversary of this event, but there will not be a reenactment in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston. On the actual site of the battle, no. The reenactors will hold their fire until they see the whites of their eyes over 30 miles away in Gloucester, Massachusetts. We're joined now from Boston by Jonathan Lane from Revolution 250. It's a consortium of organizations that are working to celebrate this anniversary of the American Revolution. Mr. Lane, thanks so much for being with us.
JONATHAN LANE: Thanks for having me on, Scott.
SIMON: So why Gloucester and not actual Bunker Hill?
LANE: (Laughter) Well, let's be clear. There's going to be plenty of commemorative activities in Charlestown. But when it comes to hosting a reenactment, particularly of the size and scale that is being planned, there are certain realities that come into play. In fact, really, Charlestown is a bit of a victim of its own success because when they started building the Bunker Hill Monument, one of the primary means of raising funds was selling off pieces of the battlefield.
SIMON: Let's get back to Gloucester.
LANE: Yeah, yeah, of course. So in Gloucester, we are expecting hundreds and hundreds of reenactors from all over the country to come with their families. And we want to tell as large a story as possible. We want to include not just those epic battle moments - the British final assault, taking the redoubt. But, in fact, there's a whole maritime component that goes along with this - the British naval ships coming in and firing on the fort and landing troops. We want to tell the story of the civilians of Charlestown, who not only were driven from their homes but had their entire community destroyed. And really, it's part of a larger narrative surrounding the siege of Boston and what war does to communities not just directly affected by battle, but then have an eight-year war sort of thrust upon them. And there are some terrific stories that deserve to be told.
SIMON: Why Gloucester? And, I mean, is it a reenactment if it's not at Bunker Hill? I mean, why not just put it on at Fenway?
LANE: We do try and engage with appropriate topography for these kinds of events. I mean, Gloucester had a number of criteria - it met a number of criteria that we were looking for. Obviously, a hill.
SIMON: Yeah.
LANE: We wanted something by the ocean because this is essentially a two-terrain event. And, to be honest, a lot of the soldiers who participated in the battle of Bunker Hill came from Essex County. You know, we want to pay a little homage to the people who were there 250 years ago.
SIMON: When will this reenactment take place?
LANE: June 21, 22 in 2025.
SIMON: So what do they say in Bunker Hill?
LANE: Well, I think there's a certain portion of the community that's obviously disappointed. They did a reenactment there back during the bicentennial, which, you know, remains in the hearts and minds of the current people of Charlestown. But there are others who understand the practicality of it. And because they already have a full weekend of events that are planned for their commemoration, I think many are just as happy to see it take place outside the city.
SIMON: And why is this reenactment so important?
LANE: You know, the Battle of Bunker Hill lies at the heart of our revolutionary story. You know, it identifies and solidifies many of the iconic traits of Americans today - you know, the persistence in the face of adversity. It's about community support. A lot of people don't know that it wasn't just people from Massachusetts who participated in this battle. We had soldiers from Connecticut. We had soldiers from New Hampshire. So it is part of that process of, E pluribus unum, that comes about really following the closing of the Port of Boston in 1774.
SIMON: I've never heard, E pluribus unum, articulated in a Massachusetts accent before. I'm very impressed.
LANE: (Laughter) I know. My Latin teacher is probably fainting away.
SIMON: Jonathan Lane from Revolution 250. Thank you very much for being with us, and happy Battle of Bunker Hill reenactment to you, sir.
LANE: We look forward to seeing you here. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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