On this site, stood earthwork fortifications designed by then 25-year old Henry Knox who would also design the initial fortifications on the nearby Dorchester Heights that would prove decisive to turning the tide of the Revolutionary War and lead to the British abandoning their campaign in New England altogether.
Later in 1869, prolific local Architect Nathaniel Jeremiah Bradlee designed the Cochituate standpipe in the Gothic Revival style which provided water from the Cochituate Lake in Natick to the residents of the Fort Hill Neighborhood. In 1895, the area was redeveloped into parkland by Frederick Law Olmstead. Olmstead's design included rebuilding the quadrangular ramparts of the original fort design around the standpipe tower and landscaping the park to feature the Roxbury puddingstone which is indigenous to the area. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and is now managed by The City of Boston Parks & Recreation.
While you're here enjoy the beautiful views of Boston afforded by the heights and take a peek at the many beautiful examples of Roxbury Puddingstone found in the park. If you find yourself taken by the beauty of Roxbury Puddingstone, check out foragess' nearby and excellent Plums in the Pudding earthcache series!
On your way in or out, consider walking just down the hill to the history-rich John Eliott Square. The square is centered around First Church (rebuilt in 1804), where revolutionary General John Thomas commanded soldiers defending the mainland and where William Dawes began his less famous midnight ride to Lexington and Concord which lead to a poem mocking Longfellow's glaring omission. While there, cross Roxbury Street to the Roxbury Heritage State Park to see the route Henry Knox's Noble Train of Artillery passed just hours before reaching their destination at Dorchester Heights and read the second-to-last marker on the General Henry Knox trail! Opposite First Church, the round brick building hosting a mechanic also hosts the 1744 Roxbury Parting stone, one of many colonial-era markers in the area.
Revolutionary War and the Roxbury High Fort
While the opening clashes of the Revolutionary War took place at Lexington Green and Concord's North Bridge, the ultimate goal of the British campaign was the occupation of Boston from which they would advance inland to reinforce and swiftly end the insurrection. Realizing this, the revolutionaries immediately set about encircling Boston with fortifications from Chelsea down to Roxbury.
The Roxbury fortification, at least early on, was considered critical to this effort as it guarded the narrow spit of land that was the only land-based route out of Boston. The importance of this fortification from the British perspective is evident from a period map drawn by the British occupiers specifically to demonstrate the threat. The fortification can be seen on the bottom left and note the thin spit of land separating occupied Boston from the mainland and Roxbury.
After the pyrrhic British victory at Bunker Hill, the British were unable to advance any further due to the revolutionary fortifications in Chelsea, the British turned their eyes to force their way out via the land route through Roxbury. Throughout 1775, the British would make numerous attempts to push through the Boston Neck but were always forced into retreat by those guarding the Roxbury High Fort. The Roxbury High Fort forced the British into a months-long stalemate buying time for General Henry Knox to move 60 tons of heavy artillery over 300 miles in the dead of winter, across two dangerous rivers, and managing to avoid British reconnaissance. This unimaginable feat would become known as the Noble Train of Artillery. The resulting fortification was capable of leveling the city and destroying the British fleet while being out of reach of any weapons the British could return fire with. On March 8th, British General Howe realized his desperate situation and made it known he intended to leave Boston on March 8th. However, poor winds kept the British unable to leave port until March 17th in what must have been a very awkward and long week for both sides.