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Boston Marks Evacuation Day’s 250th With Procession, Cannon Salutes, and Monument Rededication

The anniversary highlights Knox’s winter artillery haul to Dorchester Heights as the move that compelled the British to sail.

Revolutionary War reenactors line up outside St. Augustine Chapel and Cemetery in South Boston, Tuesday, March 17, 2026, before firing muskets during Evacuation Day commemorations marking the 250th anniversary of the British withdrawal from Boston. (AP Photo/Leah Willingham)
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Boston, MA – March 17: In a line, the Lexington Minutemen and a group of the Massachusetts Sons Of American Revolution stand atop of the hill in Boston on March 17, 2022. The annual commemoration of Evacuation Day at Dorchester Heights in South Boston on Thursday, March 17, hosted by the National Parks of Boston and South Boston Citizens Association. This years event, Commemorating the Past, Investing in the Future: Evacuation Day on the Heights, includes an announcement of this significant federal investment to restore Dorchester Heights Monument as a local and national landmark. Evacuation Day at the Heights featured a ceremonial musket fire by the Lexington Minutemen and a group of the Massachusetts Sons Of American Revolution. (Photo by David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
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Overview

  • A morning Mass at St. Augustine’s Chapel preceded a march up Telegraph Street to Dorchester Heights with uniformed reenactors, musket volleys, drums and bagpipes.
  • Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu joined the hilltop program, calling the outcome Washington’s first victory and a signal that the revolution could be won.
  • The 115-foot Dorchester Heights monument at Thomas Park was rededicated and reopened after a multiyear, $37 million restoration, accompanied by cannon salutes and a marching band.
  • The observance coincided with St. Patrick’s Day, continuing Boston’s longstanding tradition of linking the two celebrations, including a combined parade over the weekend.
  • Historical notes cited during the commemorations include contemporary reports of roughly 11,000 departing with the British on March 17, 1776, and Washington’s orders barring his troops from entering the city as he guarded against a potential ruse.