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National Register of Historic Places listings in Concord, Massachusetts facts for kids

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Concord, Massachusetts, is a town full of history! Many of its buildings, trails, and even a pond are so important that they are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This special list is kept by the United States government. It helps protect places that tell important stories about American history, architecture, and culture.

These historic spots in Concord remind us of famous writers, brave soldiers, and how people lived long ago. Let's explore some of these amazing places!


Historic Homes and Literary Legends

Concord is famous for being home to many important American writers. Several of their homes are now protected historic sites.

Ralph Waldo Emerson House

The Ralph Waldo Emerson House was the home of Ralph Waldo Emerson. He was a very famous writer, poet, and philosopher. He lived here from 1835 until he passed away in 1882. Many important thinkers of his time visited him here. This house is a National Historic Landmark, which means it's one of the most important historic places in the country. It was added to the National Register on October 15, 1966.

Ralph Waldo Emerson House (Concord, MA)
The historic home of Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Orchard House

The Orchard House is where Louisa May Alcott and her family lived. Louisa May Alcott wrote the beloved book Little Women while living here. The house is preserved to look much like it did when the Alcotts lived there. It was added to the National Register as a National Historic Landmark on October 15, 1966.

OrchardHouseConcord2CMA
Orchard House, where Little Women was written.

The Old Manse

The The Old Manse is another famous literary home. It was built in 1770 for Reverend William Emerson, Ralph Waldo Emerson's grandfather. Later, famous writers like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne lived and wrote here. It sits near the Old North Bridge, which is important for its role in the American Revolution. This house became a National Historic Landmark on October 15, 1966.

The Old Manse (view from Concord River), Concord, Massachusetts
The Old Manse, a home with deep literary and historical roots.

The Wayside

The Wayside has a unique history, as it was home to several famous authors. Louisa May Alcott lived here as a child. Later, Nathaniel Hawthorne, who wrote The Scarlet Letter, bought the house. Margaret Sidney, who wrote the Five Little Peppers books, also lived here. It was named a National Historic Landmark on July 11, 1980.

The Wayside Concord Massachusetts
The Wayside, home to several famous American authors.

Thoreau-Alcott House

The Thoreau-Alcott House is another historic home connected to famous Concord families. It was once owned by members of the Thoreau and Alcott families. It was added to the National Register on July 12, 1976.

Thoreau Alcott House, Concord MA
The Thoreau-Alcott House.

Revolutionary War Sites

Concord played a huge role in the start of the American Revolutionary War. Several places in town remember these important events.

Minute Man National Historical Park

The Minute Man National Historical Park stretches from Concord to Lexington. It protects the battlegrounds where the first shots of the American Revolution were fired on April 19, 1775. The park includes the famous Old North Bridge in Concord. This park became a National Historic Landmark on October 15, 1966.

Old North Bridge, Concord, Massachusetts, July 2005
The Old North Bridge, a key site in the American Revolution.

Isaac Davis Trail

The Isaac Davis Trail is a historic path that runs between the towns of Acton and Concord. It marks the route taken by Captain Isaac Davis and his company of Minutemen on April 19, 1775. They marched to the Old North Bridge and were among the first to fall in battle. The trail was added to the National Register on April 11, 1972.

Isaac Davis Trail March 2012
The Isaac Davis Trail, honoring early American heroes.

Wright's Tavern

Wright's Tavern is a very old building that played a part in the Revolutionary War. On April 19, 1775, British soldiers gathered here before marching to the Old North Bridge. It was also a meeting place for local Minutemen. This tavern became a National Historic Landmark on October 15, 1966.

Wright's Tavern (Concord, MA)
Wright's Tavern, a gathering spot during the Revolution.

Other Notable Historic Places

Walden Pond

Walden Pond is a beautiful pond located south of Concord. It is famous because the writer Henry David Thoreau lived in a small cabin by its shore for two years in the 1840s. His experiences there inspired his famous book, Walden. The pond and its surrounding area are important for their natural beauty and their connection to Thoreau's ideas about simple living. Walden Pond was designated a National Historic Landmark on October 15, 1966.

Site of Thoreau's cabin
The site of Henry David Thoreau's cabin at Walden Pond.

Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord is a historic cemetery in Concord. It is the final resting place for many of Concord's famous residents, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Their graves are located in a section known as "Authors' Ridge." The cemetery was added to the National Register on August 19, 1998.

LouisaMayAlcottGrave
The grave of Louisa May Alcott in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.

Concord Armory

The Concord Armory is a historic building that was used by the local militia. Armories are places where military units store weapons and train. This armory was added to the National Register on September 12, 2007.

Historic Concord Armory, MA
The historic Concord Armory.

Damon Mill

The Damon Mill is an old mill building. Mills were important for grinding grain or processing other materials in the past. This mill was added to the National Register on May 25, 1979.

Damon Mill
The historic Damon Mill.

West Concord Depot (Union Station)

The West Concord Depot is also known as Union Station. It was a train station that served the town of West Concord. Train stations were very important for travel and trade in the past. This depot was added to the National Register on March 2, 1989.

Wconcord9
The West Concord Depot, also known as Union Station.

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National Register of Historic Places listings in Concord, Massachusetts Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.