Concord's Colonial Inn

Click on the dots to find out more about the wealth of history, nature and entertainment that surrounds you when you visit Concord’s Colonial Inn. Each of the area attractions is also listed by name below, along with others that lie outside the map area.

The North Bridge

The Battle of Lexington and Concord culminated here, with "the shot heard round the world," which Ralph Waldo Emerson memorialized in the "Concord Hymn." In 1874, renowned sculptor Daniel Chester French created the Minuteman Statue that stands at one end of the bridge.

Visit the North Bridge Visitor Center web site.

The Old Manse

From this house, Ralph Waldo Emerson’s grandfather witnessed the first shots fired in the American Revolution. Emerson himself later wrote his famous essay "Nature" here, and Nathaniel Hawthorne based his book "Mosses from an Old Manse" on the two years he lived in the house.

Visit the Old Manse web site.

Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

This sylvan setting is the final resting place of sculptor Daniel Chester French (Minuteman Statue at North Bridge, Lincoln Memorial) and notable American authors Nathaniel Hawthorne ("The Scarlet Letter"), Louisa May Alcott ("Little Women"), Henry David Thoreau ("Walden"), and Ralph Waldo Emerson ("Nature").

Great Meadows
National Wildlife Refuge

The refuge is composed of valuable freshwater wetlands flanking twelve miles of the Concord and Sudbury Rivers. It’s a great spot for bird watching, nature study, or just a peaceful walk.

Visit the web site for the refuge.

Concord Museum

Concord’s remarkable past is brought to life through artifacts from the Museum’s outstanding collection, which includes the lantern hung in the church steeple on the night of Paul Revere’s famous 1775 ride and immortalized by Longfellow’s poem; the original furnishings from Ralph Waldo Emerson's study; and the bed, desk and chair from Thoreau’s cabin at Walden Pond. Visit the Concord Museum’s web site.

Orchard House

Home of the Alcott family, and where Louisa May wrote "Little Women." Bronson Alcott, her father, ran a School of Philosophy here, which attracted many literary notables.

Visit the Orchard House web site.

The Wayside

The Wayside was the only home owned by Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of "The Scarlet Letter" and "The House of the Seven Gables." Before Hawthorne bought it, the house belonged to the Alcott family. Here, Louisa May and her sisters lived much of the childhood described in "Little Women." Now part of Minute Man National Historical Park, The Wayside was preserved by children's author Margaret Sidney.

Emerson House

Ralph Waldo Emerson—renowned philosopher, essayist and lecturer—came to this house in 1835 with his second wife Lidian. The home was a welcoming place for illustrious visitors from Boston and abroad, as well as many townspeople. Henry David Thoreau was a frequent visitor, as were the Alcotts, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Margaret Fuller.

Hapgood Wright Town Forest

Not far from Walden Pond, this is a smaller pond in a smaller wood, but quite picturesque. Henry David Thoreau used to bring Emerson’s children to its "Fairyland Pond."

Walden Pond

The Concord writer, naturalist and philosopher Henry David Thoreau lived for two years in a cabin he built in the woods here, which he wrote about in the book "Walden," published in 1854. Walden Pond State Reservation now includes 411 acres of protected open space where visitors can hike, swim, fish, canoe and cross-country ski.

Visit the Walden Pond State Reservation web site.

The Shops of Concord Center

Concord has a thriving retail trade in the unique shops that line its central streets. Here you’ll find a wide selection of clothing, fine jewelry, toys, restaurants, gifts, candy, luggage, art, antiques, books, flowers, and just about anything else you might need or want.

Wright Tavern

It was here that the Concord Minutemen gathered while waiting for the British soldiers on April 19, 1775. Later in the day, British commanders made it their headquarters during the British occupation of Concord. The original structure has survived the centuries.

Concord Free Public Library

The Concord Free Public Library is one of America’s oldest public libraries, and as fine a small library as there is. It is home to many rare documents on colonial history and has a rich collection of primary and secondary source material relating to Concord history, literature and life, which are featured in special exhibits throughout the year.

Visit the Library's web site.

South Bridge Boat House

Spend a pleasant morning or afternoon exploring Concord’s three calm rivers by canoe or kayak. Lunch and dinner cruises on a pontoon boat are offered in season.

Concord Depot

The train station at Concord Center is where you can get the commuter rail for the short 42-minute ride to North Station in Boston (it's about 30 minutes by train to Cambridge). The Depot area also has several gift shops and restaurants.

Visit the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) web site.

Concord Art Association

The Concord Art Association has been a center for the arts in Concord, Massachusetts since 1917. The association mounts 10-12 major exhibitions every year and offers continuing classes, workshops, lectures, and trips.

Visit the Concord Art Association web site.

Visitor Information Center

Operated by the Concord Chamber of Commerce, this new Visitor Center opened in 2002. Located behind Middlesex Savings Bank, one block south of Monument Square, the center provides information on the town and offers guided walking tours in season.

Visit the Concord Chamber of Commerce web site.

First Parish in Concord

Site of the First and Second Provincial Congresses of 1774. Now a Unitarian Universalist church, the first gathering occurred in 1636. First Parish has played an integral role in the history of the town. Ezra Ripley, who resided in the Old Manse, served as minister for almost 63 years, from 1751-1841, succeeding Ralph Waldo Emerson's grandfather in the post.

Visit First Parish in Concord's web site.