Cannons Arrive in Roxbury! Boston 250 Honors Henry Knox’s Bold Mission

On March 7, Mayor Michelle Wu joined city and state officials and community leaders in Roxbury to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Henry Knox and honor his significant contributions to Boston and the nation.

Knox was an esteemed Revolutionary War general whose leadership and strength continues to be reflected in Boston's communities. This event, part of the City's Boston 250initiative, also illustrated the City's commitment to honoring the rich and diverse history across Boston neighborhoods.

"Henry Knox's journey through Roxbury shows us that ingenuity, determination, and community can change the course of history," said Mayor Michelle Wu."We're celebrating not only revolutionary history, but also the everyday revolutionaries whose stories weren't always told, and whose leadership and defense of Boston continue to shape our city."

"The Henry Knox Trail was a bold and unlikely mission, one powered by strategy, determination, and the collaboration of everyday people along the way. That is why it is especially meaningful to gather in Roxbury, at the final stop of the trail, in the city where the arrival of those cannons ultimately helped force the British evacuation of Boston," said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. "This moment reminds us that the story of the American Revolution was not just written by famous names, but by communities, neighbors, and ordinary people who believed in a shared future. As Massachusetts continues to celebrate our role in the founding of our nation, we honor the people who risked life and limb for the chance at self-governance, and sparked the Revolution that would change the world."

"This is an amazing opportunity to both recognize the remarkable efforts of Henry Knox in bringing 60 tons of heavy artillery to relieve the Siege of Boston and also to highlight the history of the community of Roxbury and its revolutionary spirit," said Jonathan Lane, Executive Director of Revolution 250.

"This is a great day for Roxbury and the City of Boston to have the reenactment of the Henry Knox Trail - bringing those cannons from Fort Ticonderoga, through the swamps, over the mountains, and through the bogs to Roxbury, and having Roxbury fortified and then onto South Boston, where they actually forced the British out of Boston," said Thomas Plant, Member of Roxbury Collaborative and Director at Boston Public Health Commission."This is such a wonderful day that we come together as a community, and as a state, to celebrate the Henry Knox Trail that led to the independence of the United States."

The event began with a procession of cannons, Clydesdale horses, reenactors, and community partners through the historic neighborhood of Roxbury, where Henry Knox once led a similar train of 59 cannons on his historic effort to vanquish the British from Boston. Arriving at First Church Roxbury, the event continued with a commemoration ceremony featuring remarks from Mayor Wu and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and local historians such as Dart Adams (Everyone250), Jonathan Lane (Revolution250), Ray Shepard, and Commemoration Commission members Dr. Noelle Trent (Museum of African American History), and Bob Allison (Suffolk University) contextualized the moment. The program uplifted Knox's legacy as well as stories of Black revolutionaries who helped turn the tide of the war, such as Abel Benson and Salem Poor.

The celebration ended with the City's first-ever Boston Beacon, an immersive spectacle celebrating the past, present, and future of Roxbury's revolutionary culture through 3D-mapped light projections, live music, spoken word, and multimedia artwork co-curated by Boston artists, storytellers, and historians.

This article was prepared by Genesis Pimentel, Commemorations Commission Manager.

All Photographs:

(Roxbury, MA 3/7/26) Mayor Michelle Wu attends the Boston 250 2026 Launch - Henry Knox Trail Stop in Roxbury. (Photo Courtesy of Mayor's Office - Photo by John Wilcox).