The Bunker Hill Monument

3D Model

The Bunker Hill Monument might be one of colonial America’s most misleading and misunderstood monuments. You would be reasonable to assume that this epic statue and soaring phallic-like obelisk would be a memorial to a rout or victorious war effort, but you would be wrong. The battle of Bunker Hill was actually won by the British. And that isn’t the only tricky bit to account for. The hill on which this memorial (and the battle that ensued here) sits is not, as it were, “Bunker Hill.” This hillock is called Breed’s Hill. Bunker Hill is actually another prominence about 600 yards from this location. Monuments like this might seem like relics of a past with little relevance to the present, but monuments and stories are the flour and water that make up the national origin story of nations. The framers were keenly aware of creating a coherent and compelling narrative, even if they took some “based-on-a-true-story” creative liberties. Look to learn more about America’s complicated relationship with history.