Roxbury Heritage State Park

Could a house witness history unfold? At Roxbury Heritage State Park, the Dillaway-Thomas House stands as proof. This isn’t just any park. Roxbury Heritage State Park sits in the heart of historic Roxbury, once a separate town, but annexed by Boston in 1868. The park’s centerpiece, the Dillaway-Thomas House, dates back to 1750. It is considered the oldest surviving house in Roxbury. The house began as a parsonage for Reverend Oliver Peabody of the First Church in Roxbury. Sadly, he died before its completion in 1752. Reverend Amos Adams, his successor, finished and occupied the house. In 1775, the house was commandeered. Brigadier General John Thomas of the Continental Army used it as his military headquarters during the Siege of Boston. The house offered a strategic view of Dorchester Heights and Boston Neck. In 1776, a pivotal moment occurred at Roxbury Heritage State Park. Cannons from Fort Ticonderoga, hauled by Henry Knox, passed through Roxbury on their way to fortify Dorchester Heights. This action ultimately forced the British evacuation of Boston on March 17, 1776. A marker commemorating this event and Thomas’s role was placed in the park in 2009. After the war, the house reverted to a parsonage. It was later home to Charles Knapp Dillaway, headmaster of the Boston Latin School, and his wife Martha. The City of Boston purchased the property in 1927, initially intending to demolish it. The community rallied, saving the house, and it was restored and dedicated in 1933. Roxbury Heritage State Park isn’t just a park. It’s a place where history whispers through the walls of the Dillaway-Thomas House. The park also offers beautiful landscaped grounds and stunning views of the Boston skyline. It’s a place to reflect on the past and appreciate the present. Roxbury Heritage State Park invites you to step back in time and experience history firsthand.