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Powder House 2
The Powder House was built in 1703 or 1704 by John Mallet. It was originally used as a windmill, but the owning family sold it to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1747, and it was used as a powder magazine thereafter.
The Old Powder House as it stood in 1935 atop the hill at Nathan Tufts Park, overlooking Powder House Square
On September 1, 1774, British troops landed at the Ten Hills Farm on the Mystic River in present-day Somerville, and marched up Broadway to the Powder House in order to seize all 250 barrels of gunpowder that were stored there. This act led to a massive public reaction known as the Powder Alarm. Thousands of irregulars from surrounding towns prepared to march toward Boston for battle, but the rumors of war turned out to be false. The public outrage forced the British General Gage to cancel a planned second expedition to seize more arms, and prompted the area colonists to amass their weapons at Concord and other more remote locations. The Powder House would be used as a magazine for militia troops besieging Boston in 1775.
NRHP Reference#: 75000287
Powder House 2
The Powder House was built in 1703 or 1704 by John Mallet. It was originally used as a windmill, but the owning family sold it to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1747, and it was used as a powder magazine thereafter.
The Old Powder House as it stood in 1935 atop the hill at Nathan Tufts Park, overlooking Powder House Square
On September 1, 1774, British troops landed at the Ten Hills Farm on the Mystic River in present-day Somerville, and marched up Broadway to the Powder House in order to seize all 250 barrels of gunpowder that were stored there. This act led to a massive public reaction known as the Powder Alarm. Thousands of irregulars from surrounding towns prepared to march toward Boston for battle, but the rumors of war turned out to be false. The public outrage forced the British General Gage to cancel a planned second expedition to seize more arms, and prompted the area colonists to amass their weapons at Concord and other more remote locations. The Powder House would be used as a magazine for militia troops besieging Boston in 1775.
NRHP Reference#: 75000287