Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Items on display include silver from colonial churches, a fascinating collection of
embroidery samplers, 19th-century clocks (Concord was a center of clock making),
and rooms furnished with period furniture and textiles. Explanatory text places the
objects in context. One of the
lanterns
immortalized by Longfellow in “Paul Revere's
Ride” (“one if by land, two if by sea”) is on display. You'll also see the contents of
Ralph
Waldo Emerson's study,
arranged the way it was at his death in 1882, and a large col-
lection of
Henry David Thoreau's belongings.
Pick up a
family activity pack
as you enter; kids can use the games and repro-
duction artifacts (including a quill pen and powder horn) to get a hands-on feel for
life in the past. The museum also mounts changing exhibits in the New Wing, offers
special events such as story hour and “tea and tour” (call for reservations), and has an
outstanding gift shop.
Cambridge Turnpike at Lexington Rd.
&
978/369-9609
(recorded info) or 978/369-9763. www.concordmuseum.
org. Admission $10 adults, $8 seniors and students, $5 6-18, free for children under 6. June-Aug daily 9am-5pm;
Apr-May and Sept-Dec Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun noon-5pm; Jan-Mar Mon-Sat 11am-4pm, Sun 1-4pm. Closed
Easter, Thanksgiving, and Dec 25. Parking allowed on road. Follow Lexington Rd. out of Concord Center and bear right
at museum onto Cambridge Tpk.; entrance is on left.
The Old Manse
The engaging history of this home touches on the military and
the literary, but it's mostly the story of a family. The Rev. William Emerson built the
Old Manse in 1770 and watched the Battle of Concord from the yard. He died dur-
ing the Revolutionary War, and for almost 170 years the house was home to his
widow, her second husband (Rev. Ripley), their descendants, and two famous friends.
Nathaniel Hawthorne and his bride, Sophia Peabody, moved in after their marriage in
1842 and stayed for 3 years. As a wedding present, Henry David Thoreau sowed a veg-
etable garden; today, a re-creation of that garden is part of a self-guided tour of the
grounds. William Emerson's grandson Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote the essay
“Nature” here, in the same study where Hawthorne later toiled. On the guided tour
(the only way to visit the house), you'll see mementos and memorabilia of the Emer-
son and Ripley families and of the Hawthornes, who scratched notes on two windows
with Sophia's diamond ring.
269 Monument St. (at North Bridge).
&
978/369-3909.
www.oldmanse.org. Guided tour $8 adults, $7 seniors and
students, $5 children 6-12, $25 families. Patriots Day weekend to Columbus Day Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun and holi-
days noon-5pm (last tour at 4:30pm). Closed mid-Oct to mid-Apr. From Concord Center, follow Monument St. to North
Bridge parking lot (on right); Old Manse is on left.
Orchard House
Little Women
(1868), Louisa May Alcott's best known
and most popular work, was written and set at Orchard House. Seeing the Alcotts'
home brings the author and her family to life for legions of female visitors and their
pleasantly surprised male companions. Fans won't want to miss the excellent tour (the
only way to explore the house), copiously illustrated with heirlooms. Serious buffs can
check ahead for information on the extensive schedule of special events and seasonal
and holiday programs, some of which require reservations.
Louisa's father, Amos Bronson Alcott, was a writer, educator, and philosopher, and
the leader of the Transcendentalist movement. He created Orchard House by joining
and restoring two homes on 12 acres of land that he bought in 1857. Bronson and his
wife, the social activist Abigail May Alcott, and their family lived here from 1858 to
1877, socializing in the same circles as Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorne.
Their daughters inspired the characters in
Little Women.
Anna (“Meg”), the eldest,
was an amateur actress, and May (“Amy”) was a talented artist. “Jo” was Louisa's alter
Kids
