Since 1770, The Old Manse has stood majestically on the banks of the Concord River, overlooking the North Bridge where, on April 19, 1775, one of the first battles of the American Revolution unfolded.
As the 250th Anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord approaches, a witness house sits at the top of Concord’s Main Street, full of stories of rebels and traitors whose actions shaped the America we know today. It is the Wright Tavern, a red wood building with black shutters; one of the last standing colonial-era taverns from that fateful day of April 19, 1775.
The tale of this tavern begins with a dangerous hole in the ground.
In 1910, the home of one of the world’s most beloved authors was up for sale and likely to be demolished. It had been built in the mid-1600s and had been vacant for years. “Private Property” and “No Trespassing” signs were nearly obscured by tall grass, giving the overall impression of sad dilapidation. The real estate prospectus read, “perfect site for a new mansion.”
Concord has many historic sites of interest. Below is contact information
for each, along with their hours of operation. Please check the website before visiting, as sites may be closed on holidays or for private events.
After the smoke cleared, the drums ceased, and the United States was founded, life in Concord started returning to a new normal. The Wright Tavern, built and opened in 1747, still operated as an inn and tavern, but conversations inside the tavern were now more about farming, prices, and town gossip.
The Buttrick Gardens at Minute Man National Historical Park look better than ever after several years of hardscape preservation projects that enhance the natural beauty of the historic gardens. Owned by the Buttrick family from the colonial period until the 1960s, the gardens were installed and expanded by three generations of the Buttrick family from 1911 to 1962, when they conveyed the property to the National Park Service.
Concord has many historic sites of interest. Here is contact information
for each, along with their hours of operation. Please check the website before visiting, as sites may be closed on
holidays or for private events.
One of the most important decisions we can make is where to spend our time – either on a visit, or when thinking about where to put down roots and build a family and community. One of the aspects of Concord that attracts so many people from around the world to come here – to spend time, or to stay – is the unique essence of ‘place.’
Stories, if well-told, can inspire. Tours of historic sites, like those in Concord, are fertile grounds for inspiration. So it was for Gary Graham, an American fashion designer and artist who visited The Old Manse Museum in 2023.
I had the pleasure of introducing Gary to the museum in a tour, entitled, Flipping the Script: The Women of The Old Manse. What followed was the launch of his collection entitled, Tnumarya's Object Lessons of The Old Manse. The name is derived from Ralph Waldo Emerson who referred to his beloved Aunt Mary Moody Emerson with the anagram, Tnumarya.
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