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Perhaps no other American writer is as closely associated with his hometown as Henry David Thoreau is with Concord, Massachusetts.

Thoreau was born in Concord in 1817 and he lived here for 44 years, dying at his parent’s house on Main Street in 1862. He spent his entire life in Concord, roaming the woods and meadows, swimming in the town’s ponds and becoming well-acquainted with the flora and fauna throughout the region. No doubt he walked over every acre of his hometown.

To many people, Thoreau IS Concord. The town influenced his thinking and writing, while he, himself, has become somewhat of a tourist attraction in modern Concord. People come from all over the world to see the town where Thoreau lived. And many of the buildings and sites that he knew in the mid-19th Century are still around today.

Join Thoreau Society’s in-house historian, Richard Smith, for a 90-minute tour of Concord Center as you visit some of the places that Thoreau knew so well. You’ll see some of the places where he and his family lived; the site of the Concord jail where he spent the night in 1846; the Town Hall where he sometimes lectured and, finally, the Thoreau family plot on Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.

Meet your tour guide out front of the historical Colonial Inn, 48 Monument Square. Please try to arrive 15 minutes before the tour begins.

Consider making a reservation with your tour guide. Space is limited to 20 per tour.

The walking tour is rain or shine. Please dress appropriately for weather, and wear comfortable walking shoes.

Please contact The Thoreau Society for more information and reservations, richard.smith@thoreausociety.org

Walking Tour Schedule

Tours run by special appointment, contact tour guide richard.smith@thoreausociety.org

Meet in front of Colonial Inn (please arrive 15 minutes early)

Pricing*

Adults 18+ $20
Seniors & Students (w/ ID) $18
TTS Member $15
Under 18: $10
10 and under: Free!

*Tour admission may be paid for in advanced, or at the start of the tour on the day of.
**No walk-ins or day of tickets available once the 20 spots are filled. Please consider reserving in advance.

Group and School Rates

TBD, limit 20 per group.

Cancellation Terms

Cancellations are accepted with at least 24 hours’ notice. “Last minute” cancellations are non-refundable if your tour was paid for in advance.

Get news from the Thoreau Society and learn about ways you can help preserve Thoreau Country as part of our common heritage and as the embodiment of Thoreau’s landmark contributions to social, political, and environmental thought.

The Thoreau Society®, Inc.
341 Virginia Road, Concord, MA 01742
P: (978) 369-5310
F: (978) 369-5382
E:  info@thoreausociety.org

Educating people about the life, works, and legacy of Henry David Thoreau, challenging all to live a deliberate, considered life—since 1941.

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Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

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