Concord, MA Tourist Attractions

The Minute Man National Historical Park comprises the thin stretch of land along Battle Road between Concord and Lexington. There are four main sites: the visitor center with films and multimedia presentations, the North Bridge where the Colonials first engaged the British in battle, the North Bridge Visitor Center with artifacts, weaponry, uniforms and a historical film and finally the Wayside, home of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Louisa May Alcott and Margaret Sidney.This area is the location of the first battles of the American Revolution. On April 19th, 1775, under the direction of General Thomas Gage, British troops advanced toward Concord and Lexington with the intention to confiscated arms and arrest patriot leaders. However, Paul Revere and William Dawes road ahead of the forces to warn the townsfolk of their arrival. Therefore, a the Colonial army was prepared and managed to beat the British back to their stronghold on Bunker Hill in Boston.

Walden Pond State Reservation is a 411-acre nature preserve containing Walden Pond, immortalized by Henry David Thoreau in his writings on nature and society. Visitors can see a replica of the cabin that Thoreau built on the lake in 1845, or hike and bike on nature trails. There are also swimming and canoeing opportunities.Thoreau was born in Concord in 1817 and first learned about the natural world from his older brother John. He studied at Harvard but returned to Concord to teach and make a living as a carpenter, stonemason and gardener. He became a good friend of Ralph Waldo Emerson after the latter came to the town to write and lecture. Thoreau is well known for his belief in environmental awareness and socially responsible government. One of his most famous essays is "Civil Disobedience."

Concord Museum traces the cultural and political history of Concord from the time of the early Native-American settlers to the American Literary Renaissance. The museum was officially founded in 1886 but dates back to 1850 when local historians began to collect significant artifacts. A large part of the collection at the Concord Museum is made up of 17th to 19th century decorative arts including case furniture, tables, clocks, looking glasses, textiles, ceramics, and metalwork. As well, visitors can see the original lantern hung in the Old North Church before Paul Revere's famous ride and American Revolutionary artifacts like muskets, powder horns and uniforms.

Ralph Waldo Emerson's grandfather Reverend William built this two story, two chimney house around 1770. It is located next to the North Bridge, where the Colonials first engaged the British in the first battle of the American Revolution. The young essayist and author spent some of his youth here and wrote the essay "Nature" and the "Concord Hymn" in the study.Nathaniel Hawthorne and his wife lived here from 1842 to 1845 and he gave the house its name. Hawthorne penned several of his famous works including "Mosses from an Old Manse" during his time at the house.Today, it has been preserved to its 19th century appearance and contains period furniture belonging to the Emerson-Ripley family.

The Alcott family lived in this house from 1858 to 1877. Bronson Alcott joined two smaller houses in 1857 to create the present Alcott-Orchard House. He named it "Orchard House" for the apple orchard that surrounded the building. Louisa May Alcott used the setting of the house for her famous semi-autobiographical novel "Little Women" in 1868. Her father, Bronson Alcott, ran his School of Philosophy in a building at the back of the house until the end of the 19th century. The house has been preserved in its original state and visitors can see period furniture and Alcott family possessions.

Colonial soldiers known as Minute Men for their ability to be ready for battle in a minute's notice fought one of the first engagements of the Revolutionary War on this site on April 19th, 1775. It is immortalized in Ralph Waldo Emerson's Concord Hymn as the place where "embattled farmers stood, And fired the shot heard round the world." The North Bridge Visitor Center features historical artifacts including weaponry, uniforms and documents as well as a film outlining the events of the battle. The famous Minute Man statue by Daniel Chester Webster is located across the street from the bridge. It contains a stanza from the Concord Hymn.

Savoyard Light Opera Company is a local musical theater company that specializes in performing the works of Gilbert and Sullivan but also presents like-minded productions. Performances include a full orchestra and all performers are included in the singing.

The Wayside Inn operated originally from 1716 to 1861 as Howe's Inn. The Inn became famous following the publication of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem "Tales of a Wayside Inn." The Wayside Inn is now a National Historic Site featuring fine dining, and noted as the oldest operating inn in America.

Emerson Memorial House was built in 1829 and purchased by Ralph Waldo Emerson in 1835. He lived in this house until his death in 1882. It displays some of his personal effects in an environment very much unchanged since the 19th century.

Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord has the grave sites of many famous residents including Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry David Thoreau, Daniel Chester French, Ralph Waldo Emerson and the Alcotts.