My daughter asked this simple question and I have no answer. There were three riders that night, Revere, Dawes and Prescott. So why is it that Revere is the only one remembered?
I assume that it is because…
1)Revere was already somewhat well-known and it just added to his story
Revere was the only one captured and again it made a better story
The Longfellow poem was written for the previously mentioned reasons and the rest was…history
Is it that simple or something else?
Revere is the only one whose name is linked with 60s pop culture. The success of Paul Revere and the Raiders helped stoke the popularity of the 18th century Revere.
I do hope you were joking, Philosophocles. 
zydecat, your #1 point nails it. Revere was a noted silversmith (who expanded his knowledge of metallurgy into several other areas, including engraving (he made a famous engraving of the Boston Massacre) and surgical instruments). He was also a successul merchant, making him a notable figure in Boston. He participated in the Boston Tea Party and was the principal courier for the Committee of Safety, carrying dispatches from Boston to New York, and even to Philadelphia.
Dawes got to Concord, while Revere did not, but Revere did make it to Lexington. Given his stature in the community (both as a wealthy merchant and a leading patriot), it is not surprising that Longfellow concentrated his poem on Revere, rather than Dawes (who was a fine person, but did not have the popular stature of Revere).
zydecat, you might be interested in The Tipping Point by Malcolm(?) Gladwell. It contrasts Revere & Dawes, and why some people are famous and get things done, and why others don’t. You might not necessarily agree with it, but it’s some interesting ideas.
Well, there is also one other issue to consider:
“Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere.”
It was a monumentally popular poem for a time, and Longfellow is still known as a poet. Revere was virtually unknown after his death until Longfellow wrote the poem in 1861. Some more details (but hardly the whole story): http://csmweb2.emcweb.com/durable/1998/04/14/p8s1.htm
Listen my children while I pause,
And tell you the story of William Dawes . . .
Revere was by far more successful in raising the alarm and the troops.
Revere (who did not ride through towns shouting The British are coming) stopped and alerted town leaders. Well, town leaders who were sympathetic to the rebel cause. He explained that the regulars were out and heading to Lexington and Concord. These leaders knew Paul Revere personally as Paul was extremely active in all sorts of revolutionary groups. (Paul was probably one of the leaders in the Boston Tea Party.
This not the first of the “Powder Alarms” and pervious ones were very nearly violent.
People on Dawes route complained latter that all they got was a single thump on the side of the house.
IIRC Prescott was ridding home from a date and merely joined Revere for a part of his ride.
So Paul Revere raised the vast majority of the troops raised to stop the British regulars. Paul Revere had really been working and planning for this moment. It wasn’t some lark for him, he was a true revolutionary who was dedicated to the overthrow of the British. IN 1774 when the British closed Boston Harbor Paul Revere was chosen to ride to Philadelphia with the news It was his spy in the household of British Governor who feed out the information of how the troops were moving. Basically it was his operation. It also should be noted that Paul Revere always shared credit with Dawes and Prescott.
Then of course can you name the other two astronauts who went to the moon with Neil Armstrong?
Here is an Amazon link to a really great book about Paul Revere, his life and the events that lead up to the battles of Lexington and Concord as well as great detail on the battle itself.
It’s really an exciting and terrific read.
“Buzz” Aldrin on the Moon with Armstrong and Michael Collins in orbit in the command module. 
Well…
I attended Paul Revere Junior High School.
You’re not famous until you have a school named after you, right?
(slight hijack)
The actual name of Paul Revere of the 60s group Paul Revere and the Raiders was…Paul Revere.
His parents either had a sly sense of humor or were sadistic.
Also don’t forget about School House Rock:
(from memory)
The other 2 guys don’t ryme with ear.
Gather 'round and listen, children, I kid you not…
Blah blah blah ba blah, Prescott.
Nevermind. Say goodnight, Gracie.
I was at the Museum of National Heritage in Lexington, MA just last week (Excellent little museum, btw) and they had a map of the riders that night. There were more like 7 or 9 different riders and routes.
Also, Paul Rever was into just about EVERYTHING going on in Boston at the time. Ever hear of the USS Constitution, “Old Ironsides”? Three guesses as to which local silversmith was responsible for installing the copper sheeting on her keel.