Thoreau Farm - Birthplace of Henry David Thoreau

Thoreau Farm - Birthplace of Henry David Thoreau The birth house of Henry David Thoreau in Concord, Massachusetts. Part of the Thoreau Alliance since 2026.

06/04/2026

Through his writing, Ross Gay reminds us to notice the small wonders of life, to approach the world with curiosity, and to find delight in the ordinary—expanding what we think of as nature writing in ways that are both tender, insightful, and exuberant. Join us as he receives the 2026 Henry David Thoreau Prize for Literary Excellence in Nature Writing.

Ross Gay receives the Thoreau Prize at TriCon Church, Concord (and streaming online.)
SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 7:00 pm
$20/person; Teachers and students attend FREE. Registration recommended for in-person attendance.

Learn More: https://www.thoreaualliance.org/event/thoreau-prize-honoring-ross-gay/

Did you know you can explore our grounds from dawn to dusk? And that we are now featuring Freedom’s Silhouette by Massac...
05/17/2026

Did you know you can explore our grounds from dawn to dusk? And that we are now featuring Freedom’s Silhouette by Massachusetts artist Liz Helfer?
Inspired by the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution and the legacies of Henry David Thoreau and Ellen Garrison, this installation uses reflective acrylic silhouettes on two benches to connect viewers with Concord’s history and enduring ideals of justice and freedom.
The artwork was originally commissioned for temporary display in Monument Square by the Town of Concord, in collaboration with the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
We also have a picnic table, Little Free Library, and nearby Walking Trails. All the makings of a great afternoon in Thoreau’s backyard! We hope you will Visit (or revisit) Thoreau Farm soon and discover more.

Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influenc...
05/17/2026

Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.—Henry David Thoreau, Journal, August 23, 1853

05/11/2026

Join us for a free public webinar of leading Thoreau scholars discussing the new PBS Thoreau documentary.

Register on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_gcc90rzzSAajQTfOTGVD5A #/registration



🌏📖🎬

Panelists will reflect on the themes of the film, the historical context surrounding Henry David Thoreau, and additional insights from the making of the documentary. This is an opportunity to hear directly from scholars who appear in the film as they unpack the ideas and questions that frame the series.

TODAY at Thoreau Farm (and streaming online) the Write Connection welcomes Donald Davis to discuss THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT...
05/03/2026

TODAY at Thoreau Farm (and streaming online) the Write Connection welcomes Donald Davis to discuss THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT.

05/01/2026

While many associate Thoreau with Transcendentalism and his iconic work Walden, or his influential essay Civil Disobedience, Ken Lizotte's new book WALDEN FOR HIRE uncovers a different dimension: Thoreau as an innovative professional, creative problem-solver, and quietly successful entrepreneur. In this conversation with James Pouliopoulos, Ken talks about business lessons from Henry that can be found in the book.

Why should we live with such hurry and waste of life? We are determined to be starved before we are hungry. —Henry David...
05/01/2026

Why should we live with such hurry and waste of life? We are determined to be starved before we are hungry. —Henry David Thoreau, Walden

Henry David Thoreau, Journal, December 28, 1852: Both for bodily and mental health, court the present. Embrace health wh...
05/01/2026

Henry David Thoreau, Journal, December 28, 1852:

Both for bodily and mental health, court the present. Embrace health wherever you find her . A clump of birches raying out from one centre maher.more agreeable object than a single tree. The rosettes in the ice, as Channing calls them, now and for some time have attracted me. It is worth the while to apply what wisdom one has to the conduct of his life, surely. I find myself oftenest wise in little things and foolish in great ones. That I may accomplish some particular petty affair well, I live my whole life coarsely. A broad margin of leisure is as beautiful in a man's life as in a book. Haste makes waste, no less in life than in housekeeping. Keep the time, observe the hours of the universe, not of the cars. What are threescore years and ten hurriedly and coarsely lived to moments of divine leisure in which your life is coincident with the life of the universe? We live too fast and coarsely, just as we eat too fast, and do not know the true savor of our food. We consult our will and understanding and the expectation of men, not our genius. I can impose upon myself tasks which will crush me for life and prevent all expansion, and this I am but too inclined to do.

Only the spring sun will soften the heart of this restless monster, when, commonly, it is too late.— Henry David Thoreau...
05/01/2026

Only the spring sun will soften the heart of this restless monster, when, commonly, it is too late.

— Henry David Thoreau, Journal, February 11, 1859

Address

341 Virginia Road
Concord, MA
01742

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Thoreau Farm - Birthplace of Henry David Thoreau posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share