Page 122 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Boston

120  BOST ON AREA B Y AREA

P Walden Pond State
Reservation
915 Walden St. Tel (978) 369-3254.
Open call for hours. & 8 7
∑ mass.gov/dcr
Essayist Henry David Thoreau
(1817–62) lived at Walden Pond
from 1845 to 1847. It was here
that he compiled the material for
his seminal work Walden; or, Life
in the Woods (1854), which called
for a return to simplicity and a
respect for nature, which he
Author’s Ridge, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery cast as the source of all morality.
Although he depicted himself
Z Sleepy Hollow Cemetery the Alcotts lived in it, visitors living in isolation, Thoreau would
Bedford St, east of Monument Sq. often comment that a tour is visit the Concord Center to
Open dawn–dusk daily. like walking through the book. have Sunday dinners with the
This rolling green cemetery is Emerson family, and the pond
the final resting place of many and its woodlands are no more
Concord literary giants. Pilgrims wilderness than they were in
seek the graves of Henry David Thoreau’s day. His significance
Thoreau (1817–62), Nathaniel in American thought and letters,
Hawthorne (1804–64), Louisa however, led to the designation
May Alcott (1832–88), and of the pond as a National Historic
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803– Landmark. The area is popular for
82), among other notables, walking, fishing, and swim ming,
on “Author’s Ridge.” They often though the reservation limits
leave pebbles on Emerson’s visitors to 1,000 people at any
head-stone, acorns on Thoreau’s, one time. A bronze statue of
and pennies on the grave of Thoreau stands out side a
sculptor Daniel Chester French. re-creation of his cabin.
Although his most famous Room at Orchard House, the Alcott family Directly across busy Route 2
work is the Lincoln Memorial residence from 1858–77 from Walden Pond is the
in Washington, DC, French also Walden Woods Project which
sculpted the Civil War Memorial P The Wayside demonstrates the enduring
in Sleepy Hollow. 455 Lexington Rd. Tel (978) 318-7863. appeal of Thoreau’s ideas. A
Open Jun–Oct, call for hours. one-mile (1.6-km) walking trail
P Orchard House This National Historic Site is punctuated by aphoristic
399 Lexington Rd. Tel (978) 369-4118. has a long literary history. inscriptions in granite from
Open Apr–Oct: 10am–4:30pm Mon– It was home to the Alcott Thoreau’s writings, and bronze-
Sat, 1–4:30pm Sun; Nov–Mar: 11am– family while Louisa May was tipped columns devoted to such
3pm Mon–Fri, 10am–4:30pm Sat, growing up, and became the issues as pacifism and environ-
1–4:30pm Sun. & 8 Closed Jan, only home ever owned by mentalism. Within Walden
Easter, Thanksgiving, Dec 25. author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Woods is a “reflection circle.” The
∑ louisamayalcott.org
Children’s author Margaret granite columns surrounding it
Louisa May Alcott was the Sidney (1844–1924) of Five bear yet more quotations from
most successful member of Little Peppers fame bought it thinkers who were influenced by
the Alcott family, but in his from Hawthorne’s daughter. Thoreau, including civil rights
day, her father Bronson Guided tours are offered at leader Martin Luther King, Jr.
was well-regarded as a limited hours by Minute Man (1929–68) and Sioux chief Luther
Transcendental philosopher National Park rangers. Standing Bear (1868–1939).
and founder of
the now-defunct
Concord School
of Philosophy.
Orchard House was
the Alcott family
home from 1858–77,
and Louisa May set
Little Women (1868)
here. Since the
house has been
little altered since Fisherman on the tranquil waters of Walden Pond

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