Old Manse in Concord, MA 01742

The Old Manse is adjacent to the North Bridge, site of the first organized armed resistance of the Revolutionary War on April 19, 1775. A National Historic Landmark, The Old Manse was built ca. 1770 by the minister Reverend William Emerson. Emerson's grandson, Ralph Waldo Emerson, first drafted his essay "Nature" while living at the Old Manse. Nathaniel Hawthorne and his bride, Sophia, honeymooned here from 1842 to 1845. Hawthorne named the house in 1846 when a collection of his short stories was published as Mosses from an Old Manse.

The museum shop specializes in books but also sells stationery, activity workbooks, games, toys, and other souvenirs. All merchandise is designed to educate visitors about the Old Manse, 19th-century Concord authors, women's history, and the American Revolution.

45-minute guided tours of the house depart approximately every half-hour on the half-hour and hour, with the last tour leaving at 4:30pm. A short network of footpaths connect the Old Manse to the North Bridge and boathouse on the Concord River. Easy walking!

A variety of public programs are available, including a free outdoor summer concert series, a Civil War Encampment in August, and a Patriot's Day Celebration every April. The Old Manse is owned and preserved by The Trustees of Reservations.