QUESTIONS
1. It’s good to be prepared. What 19th century Concordian slept in a shroud?
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Answer: Mary Moody Emerson, the brilliant and eccentric Aunt of Ralph Waldo Emerson.
2. Within Hapgood White Town Forest in Concord there is a pond that was enjoyed and written about by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott, and others. What did they call this pond?
a) Walden Pond
b) Wayside Pond
c) Fairyland Pond
d) Camp Swampy
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a) Walden Pond
b) Wayside Pond
c) Fairyland Pond
d) Camp Swampy
Answer: C: Fairyland Pond
3. When he lived in the Old Manse on Monument Street, Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote that there was a ghost that “used to heave deep sighs in a particular corner of the parlor and sometimes rustled paper.” What did Hawthorne think the ghost wanted him to do?
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Answer: To publish the ghost’s manuscripts that were stashed in the Manse’s attic.
4. “Honey, we’re moving to the country!” Today, Concord is known for its comfortable houses and people are generally thrilled to live here, but if you were one of the first thirteen settler families to move here in 1634, your starter home might be:
a)
A hole in the ground covered by pine branches
b) A teepee
c) A Georgian structure
d)
A Mayflower replica designed for early tourists.
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a) A hole in the ground covered by pine branches
b) A teepee
c) A Georgian structure
d) A Mayflower replica designed for early tourists.
Answer: A: A hole in the ground covered by pine branches. There was slightly more to the structure (including a fireplace at the back), but does it really matter? You were still cold and you suffered.
5. What book did Henry David Thoreau write when he lived at Walden Pond?
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Answer: A Week on the Concord Merrimack River
6. What musical instrument did Henry David Thoreau play?
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Answer: The flute
7. In Colonial era Concord, if a house caught fire, who was responsible for putting it out?
a) The homeowner
b) The servants
c) The militia
d) Everyone in the town.
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b) The servants
c) The militia
d) Everyone in the town.
Answer: D: Everyone in the town.
8.In a building that has been in Concord for three centuries, you can stay the night, enjoy a meal, sit in an old-fashioned tavern, and learn about a ghostly legend. What building is this?
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Answer: Concord’s Colonial Inn. Visit the Inn at 48 Monument Square and ask about their history!
9. All the lonely people. Where do they all come from? This one comes from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story “Feathertop: A Moralized Legend”, and she’s a real witch. What is her name?
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Answer: Old Mother Rigby.
10. For what fruit is Concord
famous?
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Answer: The Concord Grape. In the 1840s, Concord resident Ephraim Wales Bull developed a special grape that would thrive in New England. The Concord grape won many awards and was mass-produced by others.
Contact Barrow Bookstore for a list of sources. Barrowbookstore@gmail.com.
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For more than 50 years, Barrow Bookstore has been a favorite of residents and visitors alike, specializing in Concord authors and history, children’s books and literature. The shop also provides a wide array of gently read and rare titles ranging from paperbacks to first editions and original manuscripts. Staff members have all worked as tour guides and reenactors in Concord and are happy to share their knowledge about the town and its history. Discover more at barrowbookstore.com.
