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When I wrote the following pages, or rather the bulk of them, I lived alone, in the woods, a mile from any neighbor, in a house which I had built myself, on the shore of Walden Pond, in Concord, Massachusetts, and earned my living by the labor of my hands only. I lived there two years and two months. At present I am a sojourner in civilized life again.
~ "Economy," Walden
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Thoreau's Birthplace
The view from Thoreau's Walden house doorway
Jail Site marker
Thoreau Family gravesite
Henry Thoreau's grave |
People who have read Walden or other Thoreau writings have often visited Concord, Massachusetts, to see in person those places Henry wrote about. Concord is a popular tourist destination for a variety of reasons: the site of "the shot heard around the world" to begin the American Revolution; the home of famous authors and the advent of another revolution, this one literary; and the native ground for the first appearance of the Concord grape. This town, the oldest inland town in the United States, has much to offer and much to see.
We at the Thoreau Society welcome the opportunity to assist visitors, especially fans of Henry David Thoreau, in having a worthwhile experience in Concord. There are many sites that have Thoreau connections, and we are happy to point them out to you.
Four major points of interest to Thoreauvians are:
The Thoreau Birth House, currently in the process of being purchased and restored.
The Thoreau Society is working with the Thoreau Farm Trust to preserve this landmark.
The house is located at 341 Virginia Road, Concord. It is not yet open to the public on a regular basis. Click here for a map of its location.
Walden Pond State Reservation, a tract of land owned by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. Here you can see a replica of Thoreau's cabin, conveniently built next to the parking lot. You can walk to the actual house site, now designated by granite posts, as shown above. You can hike around the pond and take in the picturesque scenery. You can also visit The Shop at Walden Pond, a Thoreau Society store which sells Thoreau and Walden memorabilia. Walden Pond is located at 915 Walden Street, Concord, which is along State Route 126, just south of State Route 2. Click here for a map of its location.
The Jail Site, the location of the structure where Thoreau spent the night for not paying the Massachusetts poll tax in 1846. That experience caused him to write "Resistance to Civil Government," now known as the essay "Civil Disobedience." The jail building no longer stands, nor does the Middlesex Hotel it once hid behind. Left in its place is a granite marker on a grassy area along Monument Square. To find it: Go to the center of Concord, where the common is, flanked by what is called Monument Square. Start at the Masonic Lodge building and walk toward the main business district. As the road begins to curve to the right, a paved business driveway leads to the right as well. Follow it, and look for the granite marker to the right of the driveway, near the brush. Click here to see a map of its general location.
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery is Thoreau's final resting place. Though he was originally buried in the Dunbar family plot in the lower part of the cemetery, he and his family were moved up to "Author's Ridge" in Sleepy Hollow in the 1870s. Not far from the Thoreaus are the Hawthornes, the Alcotts, and the Emersons. Visitors often leave "presents" on or near the gravestones. These can range from pennies to pine cones to personal notes. Click here to see where Sleepy Hollow is in relationship to the Jail Site. It can be a nice walk between the two.
If you are planning a trip to Concord and are interested in meeting with Thoreau Society members who could accompany you on your tour, please contact us at info@thoreausociety.org, and put the words CONCORD TOUR in the subject line.
We welcome the chance to meet you and chat about Henry!
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