The Wayside
Since the 1700s, the Wayside has been influential for Concord and American history for over 300 years. This house featured many important and famous authors and figures in Congress. Now, the Wayside operates as a National Historic Landmark. This landmark has witnessed a full range of American history that focuses on the growth of American literature and the ongoing struggle for freedom and equality. For tour times, and information about special programs visit the park website or call. $7 Adult, youth 16 and under Free.
The Wayside Authors
During the 19th century, The Wayside was home to many authors. These famous authors went on to create magnificent works that have stood against the test of time.
Louisa May Alcott and her family owned this Concord house from 1845 to 1852 and called it the Hillside. Alcott channeled her experience living here to write her beloved novel Little Women. Nathaniel Hawthorne and his family owned The Wayside from 1852 until 1869. Hawthorne is known for his novels The Scarlet Letter, House of the Seven Gables, and Twice Told Tales among other publications. Both writers were neighbors to other famous authors like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.
In 1883, children’s author Harriet Lothrop, and her husband and daughter lived in The Wayside. They were the very last family to live in the Wayside Concord because, in 1965, it became part of the Minute Man National Historical Park.
The Wayside’s Role in the Underground Railroad & Abolitionist Movement
The Wayside is part of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program due to its significance in the Underground Railroad and abolitionist movement. Slavery before the Revolution greatly impacted the state of Concord. Samuel Whitney, delegate to the Provincial Congress, enslaved two men at his home in the Wayside.
After the Revolution, people of color in Concord began fighting for their own freedom. By the 1830s, there were organized groups in Concord who advocated for abolition. In April of 1845, The Wayside (called the Hillside then) was owned by the Alcotts. Parents Bronson and Abigail Alcott had active ties to different anti-slavery organizations in the United States. By 1846 and early 1847, the Alcotts aided a freedom seeker along the Underground Railroad.
Address
455 Lexington Road
Concord, MA 01742
455 Lexington Road, Concord, MA, USA