Uncle Sam Plaza and Samuel Wilson Monument

Uncle Sam Plaza, located in Arlington, Massachusetts, near the Minuteman Bikeway, honors Samuel Wilson, believed to be the inspiration for the national symbol "Uncle Sam." Born on September 13, 1766, near this site—then part of Menotomy—Wilson became a meat packer who supplied the U.S. Army during the War of 1812. His barrels, marked with "U.S.," led soldiers to associate the provisions with "Uncle Sam," personifying the United States. The plaza features a bronze statue of Wilson, sculpted by Theodore Cotillo Barbarossa and installed in 1976 during the U.S. Bicentennial celebrations. Adjacent to the statue is a bronze relief illustrating scenes from Wilson's life, including his roles in Troy, New York, and Mason, New Hampshire.

Samuel « Uncle Sam » Wilson, a national US symbol