Sights in Concord
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Walden Pond
Thoreau took the naturalist beliefs of Transcendentalism out of the realm of theory and into practice when he left the comforts of town and built a rustic cabin at Walden Pond. The glacial pond is now a state park, surrounded by acres of forest preserved by the nonprofit Walden Woods project. The site of Thoreau’s cabin is on the northeast side, marked by a cairn and signs. To escape the crowded summertime beach, follow the path along to the other side of the pond. Parking costs $5.
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A
Monument Square
The grassy center of Monument Square is a favorite resting and picnicking spot for cyclists touring Concord's scenic roads. At the southeastern end of the square is Wright Tavern, one of the first places the British troops searched in their hunt for arms on April 19, 1775. It became their headquarters for the operation. At the opposite end of the square is the Colonial Inn, the center of Concord socializing, now as then.
Old Hill Burying Ground, with graves dating from colonial times, is on the hillside at the southeastern end of Monument Sq.
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Concord Museum
Southeast of Monument Sq, Concord Museum brings together the town’s diverse history under one roof. The museum’s prized possession is one of the ‘two if by sea’ lanterns that hung in the steeple of the Old North Church in Boston as a signal to Paul Revere. It also has the world’s largest collection of Henry David Thoreau artifacts, including his writing desk from Walden Pond.
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C
Minute Man National Historic Park
Two miles west of Lexington center, the route that British troops followed to Concord has been designated the Minute Man National Historic Park. The visitors center at the eastern end of the park shows an informative multimedia presentation depicting Paul Revere’s ride and the ensuing battles. Within the park, Battle Rd is a wooded trail that connects the historic sites related to the battles – from Meriam’s Corner, where gunfire erupted while British soldiers were retreating, to the Paul Revere capture site.
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D
The Wayside: House of Authors
The Wayside: House of Authors was at various times the home of Nathaniel Hawthorne, children’s author Margaret Sidney and Louisa May Alcott. Life-size sculptures and audio programming depict all three of these famous authors (and their families) during the times that they lived here. Now operated by the National Park Service, it is open by guided tour only.
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E
Ralph Waldo Emerson House
Within a mile of the town center is the Ralph Waldo Emerson house where the philosopher lived for almost 50 years (1835–82).Emerson was the paterfamilias of literary Concord, one of the great literary figures of his age and the founding thinker of the Transcendentalist movement.
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Concord Minute Man
Daniel French's first statue, the Concord Minute Man, presides over the park from the opposite side of the bridge. Up the hill, the Buttrick Mansion houses the park's visitor center and a quaint café.
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G
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
All the authors used to rest in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in the town center.
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Museum of New Hampshire History
The Museum of New Hampshire Historychronicles the history of the Granite State in more depth.
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Christa McAuliffe Planetarium
This planetarium honors the New Hampshire schoolteacher chosen to be America’s first teacher-astronaut. McAuliffe and her fellow astronauts died in the tragic explosion of the Challenger spacecraft on January 28, 1986. Hour-long shows examine topics such as space travel to Mars and the power of the sun. The popular ‘Tonight’s Sky’ takes visitors on a tour of the constellations and planets visible that month.
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Canterbury Shaker Village
A traditional Shaker community from 1792, Canterbury Shaker Village maintains the Shaker heritage as a living-history museum. Interpreters demonstrate the Shakers' daily lives, artisans create Shaker crafts, and walking trails invite pond-side strolls. The greening of America has deep roots here - for more than two centuries the Shakers' abundant gardens have been turning out vegetables, medicinal herbs and bountiful flowers the organic way. If you're ready for a soulful diversion you could easily spend half a day here on the farm, which covers nearly 700 acres. Take a little wholesomeness home with you - there's a store selling Shaker handicrafts, a farm stand and a supe…
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State House
The gold-domed, eagle-topped State House, built in 1819 of New Hampshire granite, houses the oldest legislative chamber in the US. Forget heavy-handed security, this is a remarkably relaxed affair - you can walk right in, check out the intriguing lobby display of battle-tattered Civil War flags, then head up to the 2nd floor to visit the chamber.
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Pierce Manse
Pierce Manse, the home of Franklin Pierce (1804-69), the only US president to hail from New Hampshire, can be toured in summer.
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