A Tour of Concord, Massachusetts

Last week, we took our guest to tour Concord, Massachusetts, which is renowned for it's historical and literary heritage. It was a cool, crisp autumn day and just perfect for sightseeing.

On the drive into Concord, I spied a farmstand and just had to turn in for an impromptu visit. Autumn farmstands are THE best! We admired the squashes, bought some freshly-baked bread, and continued on our way.

Our first stop for touring was Louisa May Alcott's Home, Orchard House. We took the short, guided tour and saw the tiny desk where she penned "Little Women" and the rooms and places that served as her literary inspiration. (No photography allowed inside.)

Then we went down the street to tour Ralph Waldo Emerson's large home.  It had been built by a previous owner as a summer home. Emerson purchased the home in the summer, only to discover that it was nearly impossible to keep warm in the cold, New England winters. The home is beautifully furnished with the family's original belongings.

Then we drove through town and beyond to the Old North Bridge, where the "shot heard round the world" was fired at the start of the American Revolution.

The property next to the Old North Bridge is Old Manse, Nathaniel Hawthorne's home. It always looks so beautiful in the fall.

Just as Hawthorne kept a large garden, so one is planted each year at Old Manse. It's in the foreground in this photo, in its dying, autumn state.

Then it was on to Sleepy Hollow Cemetery to see the final resting place of Concord's famous authors.

We did a bit of shopping in the town...coffee and hot chocolate, a visit to the cheese shop and bookstore, and a leisurely browse through my favorite boutique, Nesting.

Last stop in the waning autumn sunshine was Walden Pond.