The monument underwent a $3.7 million renovation, completed in 2007, that included repairs, handicap accessibility improvements, and new lighting.

In front of the current obelisk is a statue of Col. William Prescott, a native of Groton, Massachusetts, who died during the battle.

Some popular stories claim he coined the famous phrase "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes" during this battle; others have instead attributed it to Israel Putnam, John Stark, or Richard Gridley, rather than Prescott; but the main consensus is that none of them said it.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries the peninsula's shape and connections to other landforms were significantly altered, with the waters of the Charles River between Cambridge and Charlestown heavily filled in.

On June 16, 1775, under the leadership of General Putnam and Colonel Prescott, the Americans stole out onto the Charlestown Peninsula with instructions to establish defensive positions on the hills overlooking Boston.

Each member subscribed five dollars, and on June 7, 1823, the Bunker Hill Monument Association was established and the work of raising money was begun.

The first design committee consisted of Webster, noted engineer Loammi Baldwin Jr., George Ticknor, Gilbert Stuart, and Washington Allston.

They were delivered to the site at an actual cost of $5.40 per cubic yard from a quarry opened for the purpose, far below the average contract offer of $24.30 for the same.

[16] Moving the blocks proceeded somewhat slowly at first, but the Granite Railway was completed in short order and became operational on October 7, 1826, the first commercial railroad in the United States functioning as a common carrier.

Neighbors disgruntled with the construction eyesore were rumored to have plans to raise money to tear down the partially completed monument.

[17][failed verification] Sarah Josepha Hale and the readers of her magazine supplied funds essential to the monument's successful completion.

[17][failed verification] The capstone was laid on July 23, 1842, and the monument was dedicated on June 17 of the following year, again with a Daniel Webster oration.