This morning at John Eliot Square in Roxbury, the rider representing William Dawes introduced himself to the audience assembled at the First Church of Roxbury by reciting the poem immortalizing his patriotic ride by Helen Moore. After a blessing of the horses by the Reverend Mary Margaret Earl, leader of the Unitarian Urban Ministry, Mr. Dawes and his co-rider from the National Lancers were on their way to ride to Lexington.
The riders are from the National Lancers, and their ride took them to Lexington with stops in Brookline, Allston, Cambridge and Arlington before finishing in Lexington. The logistics of escorting these men on horses through urban traffic on marathon Day are complex.
This occurred across the street from the Dillaway-Thomas House in Roxbury Heritage State Park, where we completed a site and exhibit program in 2020. The site was open, and here is one of my favorite interpretive panels, which informs visitors of the puddingstone Roxbury is named after.