Winter on the Web

As the temperatures drop and snow covers the ground, many of our cultural and historical sites will reduce operating hours or close for the winter. That doesn’t mean you can’t visit, though. Just head online to enjoy an amazing array of fun and informative programs that will keep you and your entire family entertained and engaged through the long winter days.

CONCORD FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY

While the Concord Free Public Library is open year-round, winter is the perfect time to explore its many online programs and resources. Visit the Library’s digital media webpage to access a variety of online resources. Watch a TV show or movie, or check out a book, newspaper, or magazine from the comfort of your own home. Check the events calendar for in-person and virtual programs scheduled at the Main Library and the Fowler Branch. Another exceptional resource is the Library of Things, a collection of items to encourage lifelong learning. It is where to go if you would like to borrow a GoPro camera, microscope, telescope, or the Scrabble® Deluxe Travel Edition. The Library’s William Munroe Special Collections seeks to cultivate the most comprehensive collection of Concord, Massachusetts’ unique history, social, and political life, culture, people, and landscape. You can access Special Collections resources online, including exhibits on 19th-century photographs of Concord’s people and landscapes, oral histories, and its renowned art collection. concordlibrary.org

Main Street, Concord by Edward Motley, 1984

Painting is part of the art collection of Concord Free Public Library. Image © 2020 James E. Coutré

LOUISA MAY ALCOTT’S ORCHARD HOUSE

Orchard House, best known as the Alcott residence where Louisa May Alcott wrote and set Little Women, is open seven days a week year ‘round. Winter is a magical time to experience the House. Visitors often say that it feels as if the Alcotts just stepped out of their cozy home because you are surrounded by their authentic belongings in every room. A visit to the Orchard House website will allow you to make a reservation ahead of time (even though the staff will accommodate “walk-ins” as space permits). On the website you can enjoy Executive Director Jan Turnquist’s vibrant “Facebook Live” recordings, “Eyes on Artifacts” that offer views of rarely displayed collection items, download Bronson Alcott’s Teaching Maxims and educational materials based on Little Women, and shop in their online store. An exclusive proprietary Orchard House apple tea is available both online and in their store on premises. Back home, brew a cup of that special tea and recall your visit with the beloved Alcott family or spend the afternoon browsing louisamayalcott.org.

Orchard House in the snow

Photo courtesy of Orchard House

CONCORD MUSEUM

Concord Museum’s website is a treasure trove of exhibitions, virtual events, educational materials, and so much more. Take a 360° tour of “Beyond Midnight: Paul Revere and His Ride” and discover the man behind the legend - bringing to life his creative spirit, tremendous capacity to adapt to changing times, and his lasting impact on the social, economic, and political life in America. Or experience the events of April 19, 1775, including an interactive timeline, in “The ‘Shot Heard Round the World” Virtual Exhibit microsite, which was officially recognized by the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission. Concord Museum Forums draw our nation’s most respected thinkers for conversations on topics of both historic and current importance and dozens of past Forums are available to listen to online. You can even download information and maps for self-guided tours of Concord. concordmuseum.org

From ‘The Shot Heard ‘Round The World’ microsite

Photo courtesy of Concord Museum

MINUTE MAN NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK

Though park visitor centers are closed and ranger-guided programs have ended for the season, you can still explore Minute Man virtually this winter! Learn about the park and the Battle of Lexington and Concord from the warmth and comfort of your home by visiting their website. In the past year the park has created a page devoted to April 19, 1775. Learn about various battle sites, witness houses and the people who experienced the events firsthand. You can follow the action on an interactive map as well as an hour-by-hour chronology of key events! The Photos and Multimedia page is full of educational videos, panoramic images, and an amazing photo gallery. If you want to bundle up and head outdoors, download the free National Park Service app and search for Minute Man National Historical Park. You’ll find lots of helpful information and self-guided tours created for you by park rangers! nps.gov/mima/index.htm

THE OLD MANSE

The Old Manse has stood at the center of Concord’s political, literary, and social arenas for more than 200 years. Overlooking the North Bridge, The Old Manse has been home to Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and others. Download the self-guided tour app and enjoy a walk around the grounds. The Trustees of the Reservations website even has engaging and age-appropriate resources for parents and educators to fill a long winter’s afternoon. thetrustees.org/place/the-old-manse

RALPH WALDO EMERSON HOUSE

While the Ralph Waldo Emerson House is closed until April 2022, the web site remains very active. In the “Looking Back” blog, you’ll find timely posts about winter traditions, antislavery activities by Concord women, Christmas Day events in Emerson’s life, the creation of the Concord grape, and other topics with broad-based appeal. The site is updated frequently. ralphwaldoemersonhouse.org

The barn at Ralph Waldo Emerson house

©RWEMA

THE ROBBINS HOUSE

Delve into Concord’s rich African American history with The Robbins House. Explore online the early 19th century house formerly inhabited by the first generation of descendants of formerly enslaved African American Revolutionary War veteran Caesar Robbins, and by selfemancipated slave Jack Garrison and then learn more with a selection of short videos on related topics. Download a map and spend a winter’s day taking a self-guided walking tour of the African American and antislavery history sites in Concord. Stop by the house where Ellen, Caesar’s granddaughter and tester of the nation’s first civil rights act of 1866, was born and raised. robbinshouse.org

THE WAYSIDE

Over more than three hundred years, The Wayside and its families witnessed and influenced both Concord’s and America’s recorded history. In 1775, the Wayside was home to Samuel Whitney, the muster master for Concord’s minute men and a delegate to the Provincial Congress. In the 19th century famed authors Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Margaret Sidney (Harriet Lothrop) lived at this incredible site. Follow three centuries of history and literature on the National Park Service’s website, including a timeline of The Wayside, information on The Wayside and the Underground Railroad, and even an article on the 160-year-old hawthorn tree that boasts two types of blooms. nps.gov/mima/learn/historyculture/thewayside.htm