Press Release: 3/3/2026

Secretary Galvin Commemorates 250th Anniversary of Evacuation Day with Revolutionary Exhibit

 

March 2, 2026

To celebrate the 250th anniversary of the evacuation of British troops from Boston, Secretary of the Commonwealth William F. Galvin is readying a new exhibit at the Commonwealth Museum, highlighting the singular role Massachusetts played in the American Revolution.

Opening to the public this Thursday, “First to be Free – The Evacuation of Boston,” will display treasured Revolutionary War artifacts stored in the State Archives. The special exhibit will examine the Siege of Boston, the seizure of Fort Ticonderoga, the journey of Henry Knox as he delivered the cannon George Washington used to drive the British from Boston, and the ultimate evacuation of British forces on March 17, 1776. The exhibit will also look at the aftermath and the steps that Massachusetts took to create a new form of government, once free from British control

Among the treasures on display will be several letters sent to and from George Washington, written in March of 1776, regarding the defense of Boston Harbor and the evacuation of troops from Boston. Visitors will also be able to view letters from a more complicated Revolutionary figure, Benedict Arnold, whose letter and order for payment is included in the exhibit.

In a nod to the holiday that coincides with Evacuation Day, written military orders for the week of March 15-20, 1776 will be included in the exhibit. The orders list daily passwords used by Revolutionary troops, one of which was “St. Patrick.”

The exhibit will run beyond Evacuation Day, with Revolutionary documents and information remaining on display through the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4.

The Commonwealth Museum is a division of the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office, operating out of the Massachusetts State Archives at 200 Morrissey Blvd, on Dorchester’s Columbia Point, in Boston. Admission and parking at the museum are free. Additional information may be found at www.CommonwealthMuseum.org.