AN ABSOLUTELY MUST DO! A FREE EVENT & FREE PARKING! This is one of the Secret Hidden Gems of…read moreAmerica that most people have never heard about or been to before. Come here & you can see America's First National Flag - The Grand Union Flag, flying in the wind on top of Prospect Hill Monument. You may have to use your camera to Zoom in to really see it. The Monument is a 4 Story Castle Like Structure built in 1903 with great views of multiple cities including Boston. Cambridge & Somerville. There is also a little park here too. THE HISTORY In the 1700's the British flag reigned supreme. Then came our battle to become an independent nation. During the Revolutionary War, the colonies had their own individual flags like Massachusetts, & New York etc. General George Washington who would later become the first president of the United States commissioned a flag to be made to bolster the morale of the troops. The Grand Union Flag was created & featured 13 red & white stripes. There were 7 red & 6 alternating white stripes representing the 13 colonies who were all united together in this battle. Now in the upper hand corner was the British Union Jack. So this unification flag shows for the first time the colonies were uniting together & putting themselves first. They were separating themselves from British rule & fighting for their independence from Britain. George Washington himself hoisted the Grand Union Flag here on Prospect Hill on January 1, 1776 to give a big morale boost to his newly formed Continental Army. The 13 colonies represented on the flag are Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina & Georgia. This flag is before & predates the famous Betsy Ross Flag.
Now this spot is located in Somerville, Massachusetts which is just outside of Boston. This is a residential area with homes. BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU PARK OTHERWISE YOU MAY GET A TICKET. Park only at the signs where it says it's OK to Park; You can also visit here by Mass Transit too. Be sure to go all around the tower on the ground level. There are plaques with lots of detailed info all around the tower. Also check out all the signs throughout the Park telling you even more info about this spot. It is a historic site & provides panoramic views of Boston & surrounding cities. Go up the stairs to the first landing & see the views.. Pre Pandemic the inside & the top of the monument were open at certain times. Check the website for the latest info & further details. There is also a small park in this neighborhood here with green grass, park benches & a good spot for picnicking & relaxing. It's great place to visit Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall with a changing natural New England landscape. See my review of the Prospect Hill Monument for more details. This site is only a few blocks away & up the hill from the bustling heart of Union Square. There are a lot of local businesses & eateries there. To make it worth your trip be sure to visit the extremely popular Union Square Donuts which has Great Donuts & is only a few blocks away.
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