Massive lantern lit to commemorate 250 years since Paul Revere's ride in Massachusetts

    Massachusetts (WBZ) -- As Massachusetts approaches the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere's ride, the Concord Museum lit a massive lantern Sunday to commemorate the key role the town played in the birth of America.

"We're trying to bring forth the best of the American Revolution and make it relevant and inspire people," said Margo Kimball, the Executive Director of Art for All.

The organization sponsored the event, paying homage to Paul Revere and the lanterns hung at the Old North Church in Boston— to warn that the British were coming on April 18, 1775.

Another part of the event were cyclists who followed Paul Revere's famous route, retracing the path that marked a significant moment in American history.

250 years since Paul Revere's ride

"And stuck as close to it as we possibly could," said one of the cyclists. "So we really did get to see a good portion of what he actually did."

Their journey concluded outside the Concord Museum, where they carried a torch from Boston to light the replica lantern historically known for setting off a chain of events that would lead to the start of the Revolutionary War.

The original lantern itself is part of the Concord Museum's collection and was originally hung in the steeple of Old North Church in Boston to signal to Revere if the British were coming by land or sea. Unlike the original, the piece of art lit on Sunday weighs nearly 200 pounds and is 10 feet tall. Bill Crosby and the organization Art for All wanted it to grab people's attention.

Celebrating 250 years since American Revolution

"We're trying to bring forth the best of the American Revolution to today and make it relevant and inspire people," said Kimball.

"It's really just a moment in which we as a community can come together and commemorate and celebrate 250 years of what we fought for here," said Lisa Krasner, the Executive Director of the Concord Museum. "In terms of democracy, liberty, equality, freedom."

The lantern will be on display outside the Concord Museum until April 19.