The Wayside facts for kids
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The Wayside
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The Wayside, home in turn to authors Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Margaret Sidney
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| Location | Concord, Massachusetts |
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| Architectural style | Colonial |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000356 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 11, 1980 |
| Designated NHL | December 29, 1962 |
The Wayside is a very old house in Concord, Massachusetts. Its first parts might have been built as early as 1717. Over the years, it became home to famous writers. These included Louisa May Alcott and her family, who called it Hillside. Later, author Nathaniel Hawthorne and his family lived there. Finally, children's writer Margaret Sidney made it her home.
The Wayside was the first place linked to famous writers that the National Park Service bought. Today, you can visit it as part of Minute Man National Historical Park.
Contents
Early History of The Wayside
The first time we find records of The Wayside property is in 1717. A Minuteman named Samuel Whitney lived in this house. He was there on April 19, 1775. This was when British soldiers marched past on their way to the Battles of Lexington and Concord. These battles happened near Concord's Old North Bridge.
From 1775 to 1776, a scientist named John Winthrop lived in the house. This was while Harvard College was moved to Concord for nine months.
The Alcott Family's Time
After a difficult time with their "Fruitlands" experiment, the Alcott family moved to Concord. This included educator Amos Bronson Alcott and his wife Abby May. In October 1844, they first stayed with a friend. Abby May had received about $2,000, and they wanted to buy a home.
Their neighbor, Ralph Waldo Emerson, helped them find a house. It was owned by a wheel maker named Horatio Cogswell. Emerson also loaned them $500 to help with the purchase. Bronson Alcott did not get involved in buying the house. He felt that he could not truly own any part of the Earth. The Alcotts moved in on April 1, 1845. They named their new home "Hillside."
The Alcotts quickly started to fix up their new home. It was originally a colonial saltbox style house. They cut a shed on the property in half. Then, they attached each half to the sides of the main house. Outside, they added terraces, arbors, and small shelters. Bronson hoped his brother and his family would move in. He built extra rooms for them, but this did not happen.
In March 1846, they added a bedroom for their 13-year-old daughter, Louisa May Alcott. It was the first room she had all to herself. She wrote in her diary that being alone felt good. She also said her mother made the room very pretty. In this house, Louisa and her sisters lived many moments that appeared in her book Little Women. They even put on plays there. She also started writing her first book, Flower Fables.
Bronson Alcott welcomed many people into their home. He even offered it as a safe place for the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom. The family likely helped several people seeking freedom. Louisa May Alcott later wrote that they sheltered "fugitive slaves."
Because of the need for secrecy, few records exist. Bronson mentioned a 30-year-old man who stayed for a week in 1847. This man was on his way to Canada. Bronson hoped this experience would teach his family important lessons.
By 1848, the family thought about moving. Bronson liked Concord because of his neighbors. But Abby saw the town as a sign of their struggles. She wanted to move to Boston to be closer to friends and work. Abby won the discussion. The family rented out Hillside and moved to Boston that winter.
The Hawthorne Family's Home
After living in a rented house, author Nathaniel Hawthorne wanted to buy a home. His publishers promised to help with money if needed. On March 8, 1852, Hawthorne bought the house for $1,500 from the Alcotts. He wrote that the Alcotts had spent a lot of money fixing it up. He felt he got those improvements for free.
Hawthorne said the place was "the raggedest in the world." But he believed it would become a nice home. The Hawthornes had lived in Concord before, at The Old Manse. They moved into their new home with their three children in June. Nathaniel renamed it "The Wayside." He thought it was a better name than "Hillside." Bronson Alcott never accepted the new name.
In 1852, the Hawthornes hired Henry David Thoreau to survey their property. Their six-year-old son, Julian, went with Thoreau. Thoreau told Julian's father he was a "good boy! Sharp eyes, and no tongue." By October 1852, Hawthorne felt truly at home there.
Trips to Europe
The Hawthorne family moved to England when Nathaniel became a United States consul. He worked there from 1853 to 1857. Before leaving, a friend, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, held a farewell dinner. The Hawthornes stayed in Europe until 1860. During that time, they rented The Wayside to family members. This included Sophia's sister, Mary Tyler Peabody Mann.
While the Hawthornes were away, the Alcotts bought the land next door. This land had an old house and an apple orchard. They bought this home, which they named Orchard House, in 1857. The Hawthornes called it "Apple Slump." While Orchard House was being fixed up, the Alcott family rented a part of The Wayside.
Nathaniel Hawthorne was not as social as Bronson Alcott. He often used the hilltop in his backyard to avoid people. Bronson noticed that Nathaniel "feared his neighbor's eyes would catch him." However, the children of both families became good friends. Louisa May Alcott was surprised the families did not become closer.
Returning to America
The family returned to the United States in 1860. Nathaniel thought about moving to Boston. His income from his consul job was less than he expected. Also, his latest book, The Marble Faun, was not well-received. He decided to expand The Wayside instead of moving.
The family made several changes to the house. The most notable was a three-story tower on the back. The top room became Nathaniel's study. He called it his "sky parlor." But the tin roof made it very hot in summer and cold in winter. During those months, he wrote in the front living room.
Their neighbor, Bronson Alcott, helped with the grounds. He cut paths and planted gardens for the Hawthornes. These included fir trees and larches from England. The Hawthornes also added a second story over one part of the house. Nathaniel was not completely happy with the changes. He felt the village carpenter made it look "absurdest."
During these years, Nathaniel did not want to write for The Atlantic Monthly. But when a new publisher took over, he agreed to write. His wife, Sophia, declined. She said Nathaniel was the "Belleslettres portion of my being." She also disliked female authors in general.
Civil War Years and Later
When the American Civil War began, Nathaniel Hawthorne's health was not good. He took a trip to Washington, D.C., in 1862. There, he met President Abraham Lincoln. Nathaniel thought Lincoln was "about the homeliest man I ever saw." But he also said he "liked this sallow, queer, sagacious visage."
He visited places related to the war. He returned to The Wayside on April 10, 1862. Less than a month later, he sent an essay to The Atlantic. The editor asked for changes, especially about President Lincoln's looks. Nathaniel cut that part, even though he thought it was the best part.
In his later years, Nathaniel worried about his family's money after he died. Living at The Wayside cost $2,500 a year. He expected to "die in the alms-house." In the spring of 1864, Nathaniel became ill. He traveled with his friend, former President Franklin Pierce. Nathaniel died on this trip on May 19, 1864.
Louisa May Alcott sent the family flowers from Nathaniel's walking path. Sophia and her three children moved to England soon after. She sold The Wayside in 1870.
The Lathrops and Lothrops
The home was bought in 1879 by George Parsons Lathrop. He was an author and married to Hawthorne's daughter, Rose. Rose and George Lathrop lived there with their son, Francis. Rose hoped it would be a happy time. But their son became very sick with diphtheria. The Lathrops moved out on February 6, 1881, the day young Francis died.
In 1883, The Wayside was bought by publisher Daniel Lothrop and his wife, Harriett. Harriett was the author of the Five Little Peppers series. She wrote other children's books using the name Margaret Sidney. The Lothrops added modern comforts to the house. They added town water in 1883 and central heating in 1888. They also added electric lighting in 1904.
The Lothrops helped organize a celebration in 1904. This honored Nathaniel Hawthorne's 100th birthday. Speeches were given, and a special plaque was placed. It marked the larch tree path where Hawthorne often walked. Hawthorne's daughter Rose, who was then a nun, could not attend. She was busy caring for the sick and dying.
The Wayside Today
After Margaret Sidney died in 1924, her daughter inherited the home. She opened the house to the public in 1927. Margaret Sidney, the daughter, spent 40 years caring for the house. She researched its history and gave tours. The home stayed in the Lothrop family until 1965.
In 1963, The Wayside was named a National Historic Landmark. It became part of Minute Man National Historical Park in 1965. This was helped by Margaret Lothrop, the daughter. It was the first literary site bought by the National Park Service.
The Wayside was fixed up in 1969 and 1970. For many years, the National Park Service only did small repairs. Then, the building closed in 2013 for a major restoration. It reopened in June 2016. The inside of the house is kept as it looked when Margaret Sidney died in 1924.
Today, The Wayside is open to the public for guided tours during certain seasons. You can find it at 455 Lexington Road in Concord.
See Also
