Scituate in Plymouth County, Massachusetts — The American Northeast (New England)

First Training Field

1636

Photographed By Roger W. Sinnott, May 21, 2011

1. First Training Field Marker

Inscription. Train bands and later militia trained on this field to serve in the King Philip’s War, Revolutionary War and Civil War.

Erected 1974 by the Scituate Historical Society and Scituate Women’s Club.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • War, US Civil • War, US Revolutionary • Wars, US Indian • Women.

Location. 42° 11.321′ N, 70° 44.011′ W. Marker is in Scituate, Massachusetts, in Plymouth County. Marker is at the intersection of Stockbridge Road and Meeting House Lane, on the right when traveling south on Stockbridge Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Scituate MA 02066, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Mann Historical Museum (approx. 0.2 miles away); Site of the First Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); First Meeting House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Men of Kent Cemetery (approx. 0.2 miles away); Satuit Brook (approx. half a mile away); Williams-Barker House (approx. 1.1 miles away); Site of Stockbridge Mansion (approx. 1.1 miles away); Old Stockbridge Grist Mill (approx. 1.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Scituate.

Regarding First Training Field.

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The term “train bands” in the inscription refers to companies of trained citizen soldiers, like those in England at the time.

As noted in Then & Now: Scituate (Arcadia Publishing, 2002), “the Old Trayning Field [is] situated between Stockbridge Road and Common Street. What is now recognized as a quaint park is where the barking commands of militia captians from King Philip’s War of 1676 to the Civil War of 1861 once resounded.” The book shows several early photographs from the Scituate Historical Society, including a rare image of aging veterans marching alongside this field on Memorial Day, about 1910.

The early home of William Vinal (1751–1813), a housewright and prominent citizen of Scituate, directly faces this field (see the pictures below).

View of Training Field image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Roger W. Sinnott, May 21, 2011

2. View of Training Field

The marker is at the southeastern corner of the field.

Training Field with William Vinal House image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Roger W. Sinnott, May 26, 2011

3. Training Field with William Vinal House

William Vinal built this home facing the Training Field soon after his return from Revolutionary War service.

Sign on William Vinal House image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Roger W. Sinnott, May 26, 2011

4. Sign on William Vinal House

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on May 29, 2011, by Roger W. Sinnott of Chelmsford, Massachusetts. This page has been viewed 816 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 29, 2011, by Roger W. Sinnott of Chelmsford, Massachusetts. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.