It is rare to find the very home where a beloved feminist author penned her most famous work, Little Women—a novel that has never been out of print for over a century and has been translated into more than 50 languages. Rarer still is to find that home still preserved just as she and her family left it, filled with their personal belongings. Add to that a rich history spanning centuries, and you have Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House in Concord, Massachusetts.
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 boasts several house museums, but one stands apart as a place of pilgrimage. Filled with authentic Alcott furniture and belongings, Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House, where Little Women was written and set, looks and feels as if the family just stepped out for a moment.
“Little Womensaved my life…twice.” The woman who uttered these amazing words as I was leaving Orchard House late one summer evening had just landed at Logan Airport from Korea and drove directly here.
“Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents, grumbled Jo . . .” The irony — the beautiful irony — of Louisa May Alcott’s opening words in Little Women is striking, as the ultimate message of the book is quite the opposite of its iconic opening line. Readers of Little Women simply begin a journey that leads to a boldly empowering expansion of the heart. We follow along with the March sisters as they learn to care for others, even while struggling with their own desires and disappointments, and we identify with their experiences. Whether enacting a play for an audience in their parlor, or preparing to give their Christmas breakfast feast to a needy family, our mind’s eye envisions the girls’ widening realization that caring for something other than self and sharing what gifts they possess are far more fulfilling than receiving presents.
Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House Executive Director Jan Turnquist knew that thousands of fans would be disappointed not to be able to visit the home of the world-renowned author during the pandemic – particularly in light of the Little Women film, released this past Christmas. Drawing inspiration from the classic novel’s words of wisdom “Hope and Keep Busy,” Jan launched a series of Facebook Live events to bring the Orchard House experience to viewers around the world. Her hour-long virtual tours covered topics ranging from a ‘get to know’ session on the various Alcott family members, to tours of the house, to a peek at the emerging Spring gardens. Several of the events drew more than 3,000 viewers! You can see the sessions on Facebook @louisamayalcottsorchardhouse.
After four years in the making, the documentary Orchard House: Home of Little Women was awarded the Emmy for “Best Historical/Cultural Program/Special” during the 42nd New England Emmy Awards ceremony on June 15, 2019.
