The picturesque town of Concord, Massachusetts, is renowned for its rich history, from the Revolutionary and Civil War eras to its prominent role in American literature. Few may know that Concord played a role in the history of bicycling, a form of transportation that has had a profound impact on society and culture.
How can a place so crowded and noisy also be a place of such peace and solace? Hundreds of thousands visit Walden Pond each year, overflowing the parking lots to discover the pond and woods made famous by Henry David Thoreau.
The annual Concord Museum Garden Tour, organized by the Museum’s Guild of Volunteers, has been a tradition for more than 30 years. Garden Tour participants can visit several of Concord’s most beautiful private gardens on a self-guided tour over two days.
Since the late 1950s, scouts and adult leaders have created a network of 237 National Historic Trails in the U.S., with another 18 in nine other countries. These trails provide opportunities for hiking while learning about significant events in our nation’s history.
Concord Land Conservation Trust’s mission is to preserve and protect open space in Concord in perpetuity. Currently, the Trust owns more than 900 acres in Concord and holds conservation restrictions on an additional 265 acres. The Trust’s largest property, Wright Woods, consists of over 300 acres surrounding Fairhaven Hill.
“I will take another walk to the Cliff, another row on the river, another skate on the meadow, be out in the first snow, and associate with the winter birds. Here I am at home. In the bare and bleached crust of the earth
I recognize my friend.”
In the late nineteenth century, Currier and Ives made beautiful and iconic engravings of New England winter scenes. They depicted gleeful children sledding, or skating on frozen ponds, surrounded by a snowy landscape. Fast forward 150 years or so, and you can still do those things, and more, in Concord during the winter. Let’s look at how you can have your own Currier and Ives adventure in Concord, with all the rich winter sports opportunities we have today!
Winters can be long and harsh in New England, but at least we have hope every year that, soon enough, spring and then summer will make their return. But what if warmer weather never returned? That’s exactly what happened in 1816, The Year Without a Summer.
Each year, the brilliant fall colors of New England, and our town of Concord, draw people from around the world. Concordians have an advantage in knowing just where to find the most spectacular vistas, such as an open hilltop with the most colorful trees below or most any place along our waterways. Celebrate fall with this spectacular photo essay.
