Old Manse

One homeschooling morning, I took Emmy and Erin to visit the Old Manse in Concord. As was often the case with weekday explorations, the house was nearly empty. Museums and historic sites were a big part of our schooling.

Built in 1770 for the Reverend William Emerson, the Old Manse stands just steps from the North Bridge, where the opening confrontation of the American Revolution took place in April 1775. From its windows, the Emerson family witnessed militia gathering and British troops advancing.

Generations later, the Manse became the home of newlyweds Nathaniel Hawthorne and Sophia Peabody Hawthorne, who lived there from 1842 to 1845. The house was made available to them by Ralph Waldo Emerson, the minister’s grandson. During those years, Hawthorne wrote many of the stories later collected as Mosses from an Old Manse.

It was during this visit to this house that Emmy and Erin first learned about Concord’s living history programs. What began as curiosity grew into commitment and for years, they volunteered at several of Concord’s historic houses, helping bring the stories of these places to life for others.

Looking back, that quiet moment at the Old Manse marked a lesson in both American literature and Revolutionary history. It opened a door to a great gift as it inspired years of living history exploration.