I had the pleasure of visiting my son's girlfriend's family who lives in Framingham. Knowing my love of history, at their suggestion, we took the tour of the Old Manse. Our tour guide was amazing! He was so knowledgeable about the history of the house as well as the history of the battle which happened right in the back yard! I was enthralled for the entire hour! I have been researching to learn more ever since! Thank you so much for an emotionally and intellectually inspiring tour!

I booked a tour of this house on a whim, knowing it was important to both the Revolutionary and literary history of Concord but not knowing much else about it. Visiting was beyond my expectations - not only were the grounds beautiful and the staff friendly and knowledgable, the house itself was fascinating. I went on a few house tours while in Concord and this was the best; not least because of a feature that must be unique to this house - they allow guests to play the 1864 Steinway square grand piano for about 10 seconds each, an experience that I doubt I will ever have again. Highly, highly recommend.

In one of the most unique oddities, one of the most important places in America's Revolutionary history sits adjacent to one of the greatest literary homes of the Nineteenth century. In 1770, the Reverend William Emerson, pastor of First Church Concord built a house on the Concord River adjacent to the Old North Bridge, one of two bridges that crossed the river near Concord. Emerson and his family were living here in 1775 when British troops and American colonist skirmished at the bridge to start the Revolutionary War. So moved, Emerson joined the Continental Army as a pastor and died of illness in 1776. However, he would become famous as the grandfather of Ralph Waldo Emerson, a great American author. Ralph Waldo Emerson lived for a time in the Old Manse in 1834 with his mother and extended family before building his own house in Concord. In 1842, Nathaniel Hawthorne and his wife rented the house from the Emersons. While they lived here both Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were frequent guest. Emerson, Hawthorne and Thoreau were literary giants in the 19th century and really the beginning of American literature. They all spent time at the Old Manse making it a centerpiece of American literary history while adjacent to the Old North Bridge which has been a defining place in American history, and you can see both in one visit. While we did not go inside the Old Manse, we did extensively walk the grounds as the path to the Old North Bridge was closed due to construction. We saw the bridge and took pictures from the Old Manse boat house. Anyways while you stop to see the Old North Bridge, take time to see the Old Manse and realize its importance to American literature.